Reflections for a nwhobie...

[ThankQ]

Oh man, enjoy as you dive in then.

Thus beginith the lesson.

I have now seen three eps of New Who (don't know the jargon yet). I'm fairly hooked. I've seen "The Pandorica Opens", which I caught on PBS three weeks ago, which caused me to make sure I was home at 10:00 the following Friday night to watch "The Big Bang". I've also watched the episode "Dalek".

I've seen SF Debris' "Lost in Time" bits, and his Who Reviews.

I guess I'm asking... where do I start? Where do I continue? I've seen three of what... I dunno... 700 eps? I have no Cindy Who Clue.

So, for one setting out on a new Who trek, what path to take?

Help Q Hear a Who!

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

I recently just caught up with nuWho myself and it's pretty freaking awesome I must say. I started in order from the beginning with S1 and Eccleston's Doctor, but I've been told for the absolute newbie, the best episode to start with is S3's Blink.

 

[captcalhoun]

no it isn't.

the best episode to start with is "Rose" because it was designed specifically to introduce the show to people who weren't even born when it went off the air.

start there, work forward and then go back to Classic stuff if you want.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

That's how I did it, with Rose and went in order from there. Blink is an episode that can show somebody knew exactly how crazy this show can get if it has to sell you on watching the show, but I too advise to watch it from the beginning and in order.

 

[Pindar]

Rose is terrible, Matt Smiths first episode the Eleventh Hour is a better staring point.

You can dip in and out of the other doctors I saw a thread here recently covering good episodes for getting into the show.

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

 

[Cutter John]

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Oh shit. *dives for cover*

 

[Kelso]

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Your opinion is incorrect.

 

[Sindatur]

I too suggest starting with S1 Rose. The first couple episodes are a bit rough, but, you're already sold on the show, so you should be fine, and as a NWhobie (Cute term, BTW) it's a very good introduction to acclimate you into the series

 

[Iamnotspock]

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Your opinion is incorrect.

His opinion is his opinion. Personally, I'd recommend starting with An Unearthly Child and watching at least one story from each Doctor to get a feel for it before starting on the 2005+ stuff.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Rose is terrible, Matt Smiths first episode the Eleventh Hour is a better staring point.

You can dip in and out of the other doctors I saw a thread here recently covering good episodes for getting into the show.

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Especially if you like staring at Karen Gillan.

 

[Gepard]

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Your opinion is incorrect.

This is the correct answer.

 

[ThankQ]

As I understand it, the Dr gets 12 "lives" and we're currently on the 11th. What happens at/after the end of the 12th?

I would guess this, like Trek issues, is a Who-geek arguing point? Or is it known? Does he just die at that point? What if the show is successful when whoever the 12th Doctor is decides to leave and do something else?

 

[ITL]

As I understand it, the Dr gets 12 "lives" and we're currently on the 11th. What happens at/after the end of the 12th?

Some think death, but it seems like most fans (including me) would be fine with a handwaved extra regen cycle. There is precedent...

 

[Sindatur]

As I understand it, the Dr gets 12 "lives" and we're currently on the 11th. What happens at/after the end of the 12th?

I would guess this, like Trek issues, is a Who-geek arguing point? Or is it known? Does he just die at that point? What if the show is successful when whoever the 12th Doctor is decides to leave and do something else?

Actually, the established rule is 12 Regenerations, so 13 lives.

In the Classic Series, there is precedent for getting around that:

1. The Master took over someone else's body
2. The Master was offered a full set of new Regenerations by the Time Lords
3. The Audios and/or books, I think, have a couple more times when Master escapes death
4. At least twice in the Classic Series Villians have tried stealing his remaining Regenerations (Of course, the Doctor wouldn't steal anyone's lives, but, some accident or event could somehow transfer them to him)

Also, there is a throwaway line in the Sarah Jane Adventures where the Doctor says he has 519 lives or something ludicrous, so, that could just be him joking around, future Writers/showrunners may ignore that line, or they can always say when he ended the Time War, somehow he absorbed all their future Regenerations, some kind of freaky Radiation event could be used to Retcon him new Lives, endless possibilities.

If they want to continue Doctor Who when the 13th Actor is used up, there is any number of possibilities they could use to let him continue on.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Whoa, I didn't even know about the 12 regen limit. Must have totally missed that part.

 

[Rowan Sjet]

Given the episodes you've watched, I'd say start with Rose. If you're not feeling it, skip ahead to The Eleventh Hour and watch that season. You can then dip your toe back into the earlier seasons, maybe watch a few of the more well regarded stand-alones before catching up with the rest of us on series 6.

 

[23skidoo]

Whoa, I didn't even know about the 12 regen limit. Must have totally missed that part.

That's not hard to do. Although it's undeniably as part of Doctor Who canon as Vulcans having green blood is part of Trek canon, it's only been referenced a few times: first in a 1976 story called The Deadly Assassin, a second time in a 1983 story called Mawdryn Undead, as a major plot element of the 1996 TV movie, and Moffat himself spoofed it in the charity comedy special Curse of Fatal Death. There have been more references in novels and comics, but as far as I know that's it for televised references.

It's generally assumed that the 13-life limit is meaningless now because they'll either do a workaround, or will simply ignore it. Even if it's never addressed on screen, it's dead easy to rationalize the limit being removed after watching The End of Time, the second Eccleston episode (I won't say exactly why out of respect for the "nwhobies" who might not have got to that part yet).

Alex

 

[ThankQ]

So far everyone seems to be telling me to watch NuWho. When I started the thread, my honest (and apparently naive) expectation was to have a bunch of "TOSers" telling me what old shit to watch.

Are there any Who TOSers who want to chime in? I have a good attention span and an appreciation for old television, even (if not specifically) in light of what modern viewers would say hold 60s/70s back from modern audiences. I like silent movies. I like Woody Guthrie. Even when I'm lost to the era, I can appreciate the art.

Is there no one who thinks I should ground myself in OldWho?

 

[Winterwind]

Everyone has a different opinion, for me Eccleston was the worst Doctor there has been. Along with Rose one of the worst companions.

Oh shit. *dives for cover*

Hehehe. Eccleston was one of the best in my view. Davison one of the worst, if not the worst and Rose... We'll, I'll take Adric or Mel over Rose any day.

 

[DWF]

So far everyone seems to be telling me to watch NuWho. When I started the thread, my honest (and apparently naive) expectation was to have a bunch of "TOSers" telling me what old shit to watch.

Are there any Who TOSers who want to chime in? I have a good attention span and an appreciation for old television, even (if not specifically) in light of what modern viewers would say hold 60s/70s back from modern audiences. I like silent movies. I like Woody Guthrie. Even when I'm lost to the era, I can appreciate the art.

Is there no one who thinks I should ground myself in OldWho?

Well if you want to check out the original series you could try these stories.

Robot
Genesis Of The Daleks
Pyramids Of Mars
The Talons Of Wneg Chiang
Dalek Invasion Of Earth
The Tomb Of The Cybermen
The Caves Of Androzani
Earthshock
Rememberance Of The Daleks