A Simple Dr Who Question...Or Two

[DocDrako]

I think I'm a few years late, but I have recently become interested in Dr Who. My questions are:

- Do I need to watch the show (if possible) from the beginning of the original series to understand what's going on, or can I jump in anywhere?

- To what extent is the show available for viewing? Are there DVD seasons available? VHS seasons? Reruns on BBC TV?

I know there are Who fans here, so thanks in advance for any help you give me. Please forgive my "Who Newbie" questions (Who-bie?) if the answers are common knowledge. I'm sure I can get the answer to these questions online, but why not ask fans?

[ODBJBG]

Starting from the beginning won't really do you any good. You'd spend years getting caught up. I always reccomend that new fans start at the beginning of the new series.

That started in 2005 and is readily available on DVD. Start watching from there and work your way forwards, then backwards. The new show is done in seasons.

The old shows are done in serials, which means 2-3-4-5-6-7-8 parts depending on the episode. The DVDs are generally done per serial, so you can't "rent a season" as it were.

The new stuff usually catches you up pretty fast and by the end of the 2005 season you should be relatively up to speed on what the Doctor Who story is. Then you can start venturing backwards (Though I suggest watching all the new stuff before going backwards) so that you have a good idea of where we're at now.

Some of the older stuff is better, but the new stuff is the perfect starting off point.

Not everything is on DVD yet either, although a lot of it is. Check your local library or Netflix. Best Buy usually has some of the classic stuff on DVD as well, but again the new stuff is easier to obtain and is a great starting point for beginners.

Hope that helps!

[rche]

talk to Mike (type1kirk)
I hear he has some older stories on dvd he is letting loose.

btw: I think you can jump in the Doctor Who pool at just about any time and figure out how it works. It is essentially a story about a time traveler after all.

As a kid, I watched the Baker era Doctor (the 4th Doctor, to be precise). He still is the best Doctor to me and is the first one to come to mind when I think of Doctor Who. However, I really enjoy the Pertwee Doctor now as well. And, the modern stories with David Tennant as the 10th Doctor has certainly revitalized the series. The 10th Doctor will be regarded as a very important incarnation for years to come.

have a good time

[GAFan]

Not much else to say, but as they said look for rentals first when looking for older series. Those episodes are way too expensive.

[Gorn Captain]

You can start watching anytime, as long as you don't jump into the middle of a story.
You don't need much info to "get into it".

The new series you can get in season boxes, the old ones are just "per story".

Welcome to the fold. You're in for some great treats.
We're available for any questions!!!!

[Mikey]

GONE, Thanks

I have the E-Space trilogy (Tom Baker), Attack of the Cybermen (Colin Baker) and Four To Doomsday (Peter Davison) on DVD-r recorded from the VHS releases. (5 dvd-r's)

All of the above I recently upgraded my collection and am left the the VHS to DVD'r's ...

GONE, Thanks

[jds1911a1]

As others have said the new show is pretty self contained while it continues the continuity from the original run it doesn't require you to know the original show (much like you can watch Star trek TNG even if you aren't familiar with the original star trek).
There will be the occasional joke you don't get if you don't know the original series (unit references abound as well as Fires of Popeii makes a direct reference to a story from 1964 the ROMANS about the Doctor being involved in the burning of Rome in 64 ad)

in the original series it ran from 1964-1993 (with the occasional skipped year mid 80's) spanning 156 different stories (and about 500 25 minute epsiodes) as well as a much disliked tv movie in 1996.
Of the 156 stories, 72 stores have not been released to dvd yet.
21 of these not on dvd stories have never been released in VHS or dvd becuase simply the great majority of the episodes have been lost in time (surving orphan epsiodes were released on the LOST IN TIME box sets but without context are tough to watch except for the hardcore fans)
2 more have been released on VHS with reconstructed epsiodes from audio, stills, and vintage fan screen clips on 8mm - TheTenth Planet and The Ice Warriors
1 has been released on VHS with a "what you missed" explanation by Carole ann Ford (an actress in the story and original companion) The Reign of terror
1 was released with flash animated recreations on DVD - INVASION. (the same story was released on tape with Nicholas courtney telling the fans what happened i the missing episodes but the dvd is easier to watch)

These lost stories are from the eras of the first Doctor (William Hartnell) and the second (Patrick Traughton).
There is 1 story for the 4th Doctor (tom Baker) that was never finished due to production issues SHADA which was reelased on tape with Tom Baker filling in the audience about the missing parts.
The TV movie is not avaialble in the US due to rights distribution issues and is out of print in the UK (it occasionally shows up on cable movie channels like ENCORE)

the stories from the first 2 Doctors are the hardest for a modern viewer to watch (being Black and white and the style is more like a stage play plus the effects are even lower budget than 60's Star trek). I find a charm to them but I am a devotee'

The 3rd doctor (Jon Pertwee) is the first where every episode exists but a few stories the color prints are lost (the VHS releases of these were in B/W and color prints where possible - Mind of evil, Ambassadors of death, PLanet of the Daleks and Invasion of the dinosaurs.

BBC has not released any season runs as a box set except for seasons 16 (the Key to time saga which was also sold as individual episodes) and season 23 (the trial of a timelord which is really 4 smaller tales strung together). the Key to time releases have been remastered a couple of times and have different audio commentary depending on which version you get.

The upcoming dvd release of Twin Dilema will make Colin Baker's era the only one where every story of that doctor is available on dvd. The 5th and 7th doctors are close to haveing all thier stories on dvd as well.

I have every episode in some format (vhs, dvd, and the fan reconstructions of all 21 lost stories) it took years to acquire them all (some thanks to friends here on the board plus alot of money on ebay and amazon) and am watching them in order now but it has taken months to get into the 82nd story of the 156.

BBC has a summary of every story on line and you can use that to gage classic stories avaialble on dvd (you cna rent from netflix for instance) you might be interested in
BBC - Doctor Who - Classic Series - Episode Guide - Main Index

A while back type1kirk put up a thread where we member fans nominated our favorite stories for each Doctor you may want to look for it.

[kryptosmaster]

I never got into Dr Who at all. Always seemed too "British" and was a PBS show but I started watching the David Tennant version during the 2nd season and actually liked it and didn't take much to figure out what was going on. Plus being a time-travel junkie I quite enjoyed the stories. Unfortunately now that actor is leaving the series so I may stop following it. Plus I have no idea when it is on anymore.
Rich

[Mikey]

I never got into Dr Who at all. Always seemed too "British" and was a PBS show but I started watching the David Tennant version during the 2nd season and actually liked it and didn't take much to figure out what was going on. Plus being a time-travel junkie I quite enjoyed the stories. Unfortunately now that actor is leaving the series so I may stop following it. Plus I have no idea when it is on anymore.
Rich

That's interesting ...
One of the reasons I don't particularly love the new series is because to me it seems too Americanized.

They seemed to have taken away the progression of a story and replaced it with action.
Also, the new series seems to shout out the plot to the viewers ... The classic series lets you find it slowly -- like you're reading a book.

The new series is "ok" ... but to me it's not really Doctor Who.

[ODBJBG]

Everyone here keeps saying you can "jump in at any time" and that is true to an extent, but I still reccomend you pick a logical starting place and the 2005 series is the best one that readily available.

Because in all honesty if you just jump into a random episode with the Brigader and UNIT and Betsy, etc, you would be totally lost and probably the think the show is something that it's not.

So not to discredit the opinions of my fellow Who fans here, for your benefit I'd once again say that the modern Who series is the best place to start and tip your toes into the Who world as it were. Many people can't just jump headfirst into vintage Who.

[jds1911a1]

Everyone here keeps saying you can "jump in at any time" and that is true to an extent, but I still reccomend you pick a logical starting place and the 2005 series is the best one that readily available.

Because in all honesty if you just jump into a random episode with the Brigader and UNIT and Betsy, etc, you would be totally lost and probably the think the show is something that it's not.

So not to discredit the opinions of my fellow Who fans here, for your benefit I'd once again say that the modern Who series is the best place to start and tip your toes into the Who world as it were. Many people can't just jump headfirst into vintage Who.

in reality when I discovered the show for the first time on Saturday afternoon PBS that is exactly what I did (of course I did have the advantage of my first episode being ROBOT part 1 so I started with the first show of the longest doctor's era)

[ODBJBG]

I think starting the show in the 70's and starting the show now are two different things.

Yeah I started the same way as you just random episodes on PBS and I caught up well enough, but I'd probably rather got started somewhere that kind of informs the viewers about the science and equipment. The Tardis, sonic screwdriver, so on and so fourth aren't explained in just "any" episode. Sometimes 10-15 episodes might pass before any of those things are used to any great extent and it could get foggy. There's also the issue with companions, just randomly watching episodes out of order could confuse you as to why the companions are different.

By the end of the first 2005 season you'll know all about that stuff and it's properly explained (because they were reintroducing the show to a new generation) as opposed to just random appearances.

I've introduced a lot of people to Who in the last few years and I've had MUCH more success getting them to start with the 05 stuff and move forward then backward, as opposed to starting even with Tom Baker.

Just my .2

[jds1911a1]

I think starting the show in the 70's and starting the show now are two different things.

Yeah I started the same way as you just random episodes on PBS and I caught up well enough, but I'd probably rather got started somewhere that kind of informs the viewers about the science and equipment. The Tardis, sonic screwdriver, so on and so fourth aren't explained in just "any" episode. Sometimes 10-15 episodes might pass before any of those things are used to any great extent and it could get foggy. There's also the issue with companions, just randomly watching episodes out of order could confuse you as to why the companions are different.

By the end of the first 2005 season you'll know all about that stuff and it's properly explained (because they were reintroducing the show to a new generation) as opposed to just random appearances.

I've introduced a lot of people to Who in the last few years and I've had MUCH more success getting them to start with the 05 stuff and move forward then backward, as opposed to starting even with Tom Baker.

Just my .2

you're probably right it's a side effect of the way we are spoon fed these recap shows today. take LOST if you didn't get in on the ground floor you just don't get it you can't skip a few and come back or you've lost the plot

[ctc]

>when I discovered the show for the first time on Saturday afternoon PBS that is exactly what I did

Me too! The first episode I ever saw was the last part of "The Brain of Morbius." I was 8 or so; and watched a tall guy and a woman escape a haunted house surrounded by spaceships, avoid a brain monster made of alien parts that killed it's creator and was in turn killed by space witches, and then they left in a phone booth that was bigger on the inside than outside. I had NO IDEA what I'd just watched, but it was the GREATEST THING EVER!

>By the end of the first 2005 season you'll know all about that stuff and it's properly explained

More or less.... but the new show is.... DIFFERENT from the old, and may lead to disappointment with the original if you can't get past the low budget.

Don C.

[DocDrako]

Wow, I knew I'd get some responses but this is very helpful. Thanks everyone! I'll let you in on my experience after I decide where to begin. Thanks again!



UPDATE: I decided to check out the beginning of the fourth Doctor's run because for some reason I remember Tom Baker's face. I must have some deep childhood memory of him as Doctor Who, and I probably remember people mentioning his name in reference to the show. The first story, "Robot" was definitely interesting. I thought I had it figured out and was surprised to find out who the real "leader" of the bad guys was. I just watched the second story, "The Ark In Space" and I liked it even more. I have to say that I love the primitive effects and low budget look of the show. It reminds me of childhood shows like "Jason of Star Command" and "Land Of The Lost". So far, I am enjoying classic Doctor Who. Because of the responses I got in this thread, I am taking certain story elements like the Brigadier, Sarah Smith, & Harry Sullivan with a grain of salt. I realize that the Doctor travels through time and space, so at this point the only thing I am considering to be a permanent fixture in the show is the Doctor himself, not to mention the Tardis. Soon, I will see stories featuring the Daleks and the Cybermen, who I have heard about, but don't really know the role they play in the scheme of things. The Daleks are especially fascinating and I can't wait to find out all about them.

I have a very basic knowledge of Doctor Who, mostly from collectibles and the "GI Joe - The Adventure Continues" website. Maybe pleasant memories of the stories there, coupled with recent talk here at the museum about Doctor Who has caused my current interest. Whatever the cause, I can honestly say that at this point I am really enjoying the ride. Doctor Who (the character) seems kinda crazy, but I like him. The show has mystery, comedy, and science fiction, which is a great combination. I hope I enjoy future stories as much as I enjoyed the ones I have already seen.