Doctor Who Topic

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Yes, here it is.

The topic all about the series.

Any aspect of Doctor Who can be discussed here (pretty much anyway), so if you have something to say, discuss away!

And yes, I do watch it as well.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Yeah, this seems like the sort of thing you'd be into.

My aunt insisted upon introducing me to one of the students she met while volunteering at her daughter's high school. I found it odd that she'd try to arrange a meeting between her nephew and a teenager she wasn't really connected with, but naturally we hit it off. As well as discussing Minecraft and Dungeons and Dragons, he convinced me to check out Doctor Who. I asked him when I should start and he said the "Fifth Season", which I misunderstood as the "Fifth Doctor" - which is why the only vote cast is from me, for the only Doctor I actually know.

I think the Fifth Season is somewhere around the Ninth Doctor, so I'm pretty far behind, and haven't been watching too many episodes as of late. I used to watch a part a day, but I hit an episode I didn't care for ("Soldiers of the Deep" or something) and I haven't watched anything since.

I've considered skipping the episode and keeping on moving forward with the Fifth Doctor, or perhaps skipping ahead to the Ninth Doctor and the "New Who" series.

Your thoughts?

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Heh...

Anyway, the fifth season is actually (as far as I know) the first one featuring the Eleventh Doctor, so it's way ahead. You have the option of moving ahead with the Fifth Doctor up through the Eighth Doctor before you get to the new series, of course, but you're going to hit the discontinuity between the Eighth and Ninth Doctors if you do that.

Personally, if you continue with the series, I'd recommend starting with the first season of the Ninth Doctor. The new series really is a continuous(ish) timeline, so if you do jump into the "New Who" then start with the Ninth Doctor. (His first episode is called "Rose" if that helps you any.)

I'll refrain from going on about the new series until you've seen some of it.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Okay, I'll check out the Ninth Doctor at some point, then.

And then I suppose I'll have you and my neice's peer to chat about it with. I've been watching episodes on Life, Doctor Who, and Combom, even though I'm not certain what Combom means. Does the "New Who" retain the four-part structure?

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

one of my favorite series of all time started with the 9th doctor and on the 11th now I havent watched the older ones but I really reccomend the new who because it is really awesome

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

@Spectra(l), I guess you're asking if there's four parts to each episode, or rather four episodes to each story? If so, nope. Quite a lot of episodes are one-time things, although I'd say maybe up to half the episodes are two-parters (and season enders tend to be three-parters).

@Iraemancer, it is awesome.

Do you have any favorite episodes or arcs?

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Alrighty, I've seen "Rose" and "The End of the World". The graphics really are spectacular this time around, and you can tell film came along way between the Fifth and Ninth Doctors.

I'm curious about the transition (or lack thereof) between the Eighth and Ninth Doctors. Should I watch the Eighth's finale?

Shorter episodes seem to rush the story a bit, but overall it doesn't seem to be a problem. I don't really trust Rose's motivation for sticking around, though, or the Doctor's insistance on bringing her along.

A war destroying the Time Lords came out of the blue, too. Does that really mean no more Master?

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

No, don't bother watching the Eighth Doctor's movie. He only got the one special, and there's no television episodes that explain his regeneration into the Ninth Doctor, so...

Next, I don't always mind shorter episodes, but they could potentially be an excuse for sloppiness.

I wasn't sure why the Doctor wanted her along either, but hey, he needs a companion I guess.

And last, the Time War is a major plot device throughout the new series... but to literally paraphrase someone involved in the new Doctor Who, "Even when the Master does die, he can't die." (I won't spoil much, but the two new incarnations of the Master are pretty well-played.)

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

The Eighth Doctor only had one movie, huh? ... that's weird. I guess the show was already on the way out.

The whole companion thing can get pretty forced at times. I've only seen about four of them during the Fifth Doctor's Era, but of the four I liked Turlough the best. While both he and his Guardian were over-the-top actors, Turlough's motivation made perfect sense until his story arc was resolved. After that, he decided to stay to "learn more", which lumps him back in with the rest.

I won't pry into the details about the Time War, but I can't see the Master dying in defense of the Time Lord Council, so I guess he could survive. The only thing is, I don't understand how Regenerating works without the Time Lord's technology - I thought that was what allowed it to happen, rather than some aspect of their specie’s nature. I even assumed that the twelve-time cap was artificial, because "The Five Doctors" contained a scene where the Master is offered a new set of regenerations.

I'm glad to hear he's still kicking, all the same. Ainley's Master was pretty hammy, but although his plans were complex I always loved them. Sometimes, I even rooted for him, and that's terrible.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Yeah... The TV series of Doctor Who had already been canceled by the time the Eighth Doctor came along (at least the Seventh Doctor appeared at the beginning of that movie before the regeneration, and that kept the continuity), so I doubt there were ever plans to continue the adventures of the Eighth Doctor on television.

I've never found the new companions' recruitment too forced, but I guess I am a bit surprised they stay with the Doctor despite the monsters and such.

They have no strong reason to remain other than ridiculous fascination.

Yeah, the Master definitely wouldn't bother dying to save the Time Lords or anything. I'm not sure how regeneration works either, because Time Lords have to generate quite a lot of energy to regenerate, but all three* times I've seen proper** regeneration happen in the new series, it's happened in the Tardis (TARDIS?), so it could be that that helps. Also, the twelve-regeneration cap has been discarded now.

The old versions of the Master (the Third Master? I can never remember what number of Master we're on) were kind of likeable, yes.

Not so much the new Master(s), but they're better villains that way, I guess.

*

Spoiler:

**

Spoiler:

-|W|G|-

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

@wally my favorite would have to be the sound of drums

@spectral haha I ALWAYS root for the ~~villain~~ master and yeah I love how complicated all his plans were

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

I suppose I would join the Doctor's crew, for no better reason than fascination. I've got a feeling in my gut that the new companions are going to join and leave with a little more prominance, while in the older series they'd come and go mid-season with little fanfare.

I expect to see Rose until the end of season one at least.

No more Twelve-Regeneration Cap? The Master's worked around it at least once, maybe on a few other occassions ... I figured it had something to do with the Time Lord's Core on their home planet I can't spell, so if they were destroyed in this Time War I don't see how everything keeps going.

One episode featured some people who had equiptment to replicate Time Lord Regeration ... I'll see if I can find it ...

I look forward to seeing the New Master, guys!

Oh, and I didn't click either spoiler. I already know too much of what's to come this season at is is. XD

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Yeah... I'd almost certainly ~~take over~~ join the club too.

And yes, the new companions only really leave due to catastrophes and stuff like that. Rose was/is no exception.

I never really understood the twelve-regeneration cap anyway, so I see no reason for the story team not to ignore it now.

Last, my first spoiler wasn't much of a spoiler.

-|W|G|-

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Out of curiosity, who voted for what (other than Spectral for the Fifth Doctor) and why?

-|W|G|-

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

I voted for the elventh although the ninth and tenth was pretty awesome as well I havent had too much experience with the first 8 (or any at all) so i cant really say anything about them

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Wow ... while Umbra and I were on vacation, we watched almost all of season one. I was suprised to see the Ninth Doctor go so fast. Having seen most of the Fifth and now all of the Ninth, I'm confident that the Fifth Doctor is my favorite so far. The Fifth Doctor was sporty, friendly, and to-the-point. He seemed to be on a level playing field with his companions (never saw him with less than two). If a given companion was the team's chemist, the team's mathmatician, the team's coordinator, the Fifth Doctor was simply the pilot, and they all got along swimingly.

The Ninth Doctor got on my nerves - he did have an excuse for his often belittling attitude, haunted by the death that seemed to follow him - but I hope that the Tenth Doctor discovers his own way of interacting with the other characters, his own personality.

Any reason IRL why Chris Eccleston left the show so quickly?

The Cold Mage Posts : 5869

I voted the 3rd Doctor because he looks great.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

@Irae, okay then.

@Spectral, I was not only surprised (sort of - I'd had a bit of the first season spoiled for me Grim-Faced

) but disappointed/displeased that the Ninth Doctor was gone so quickly. He had a lot of potential for growth - more than I thought (at first) the Tenth Doctor had. It's kind of ridiculous that the Ninth didn't get that kind of chance.

I really don't know why Eccleston left the show at all. It was originally reported that he was certain on staying for a second season, but there was this suspicious business of the BBC reporting that he was leaving before he decided to. It kind of seems that that may have caused his departure.

@AF, wait, you've never SEEN the SHOW?

Seriously, watch some.

-|W|G|-

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

I should probbably watch the older episodes

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

... yes, you probably should. And I should watch more of them too.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

@ Iraemancer & Wally: You might consider watching "The Keeper of Traken" (Fourth Doctor). That's where I started in the old season, and I thought the story was pretty continuous from that point on. The set up is simply that the Fourth Doctor took in Adric, a young but brilliant mathmatician from E-Space, an alternate universe. Adric wants to see the Time Lord's home world, but it doesn't go as planned. Naturally.

And Arty has seen exactly one episode, "The Christmas Invasion" (Tenth Doctor).

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Okay, I'll see if I can get it. I've considered starting from the very beginning with the First Doctor's first episode, but a lot of the early episodes are still missing apparently, so that might be useless.

And good for him... BUT WATCH SOME MORE, AF.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

I watched my share of the classic episodes here, a lovely video sharing website with the almost unbroken Doctor Who collection.

Just be warned, the videos can certainly lag. I suggest trying to download them (right-click and select "save video as" for the less tech savvy), although that can take ages too.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Thanks for the link, I'll try it out when I'm somewhere with better internet (or when I have more time).

I don't think I'll download them, but I should be able to load them okay...

-|W|G|-

The Before-Time Posts : 6

I think that if I'd started with nine, I would have liked him a lot more. Instead, I started with the eleventh Doctor, loved his personality, then went back and watched "Rose" and was not impressed. He was still great, of course (you have to be great to play the Doctor) and I warmed up to him more as the season went on. He just wasn't my favorite...

I'm also one of those people who hasn't seen the old Who, and I'm worried that if I do, it will be like watching Star Trek: The Original Series after some TNG. Anyone else know what I mean?

Comrade Posts : 1304

Disclaimer: I have only seen approximately six episodes of Doctor Who, two of which I didn't realize were Doctor Who at the time.

That said, I started out with Ten, then jumped over (probably) several episodes to Eleven, thanks to WPT and spotty television reception. Now, I've gone back and started the series from "The Christmas Invasion". So far, Ten is my favourite, but I'm withholding judgment until I've seen more of Eleven.

@Scarey Bear: I know exactly what you mean. That's precisely the reason I been willing to see the original Who--yet. I'm sure it will be good and all, but I guess I'm just worried it'll ruin the new Who for me.

By the way, welcome to Codrex Magna! :3

---]=>TKG<=[---

The Before-Time Posts : 6

Thanks, Knife Girl. Smile

And I think that Ten is probably my favorite as well.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

@Scarey Bear, reversely, I think if I'd started with the Eleventh Doctor, I think I might've liked him a bit more.

I haven't seen all of his episodes of course, but even though I think he's a very good Doctor, the scripts feel kind of weak so far. It's impossible for me to have watched "The Waters of Mars" and "The End of Time" without finding "The Eleventh Hour" to be a bit of a letdown. Even the leadup to the Pandorica arc (which I haven't even finished, sign) is less well-woven-in than the Bad Wolf appearances, in that it's more of a specific blow-to-the-head name-dropping than important background noise.

The Tenth Doctor is really the defining incarnation of the recent three (Nine, Ten, Eleven), but the most unusual of those three is certainly the Ninth Doctor. By now I suspect the Eleventh is pretty popular, but my favorite is still the Ninth, partly because I started with him and partly because he's so different.

@Stargazer, I highly and biasedly recommend starting all the way back from "Rose" onwards.

Having seen "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" makes one scene in "The Poison Sky" that much more meaningful.

-|W|G|-

The Before-Time Posts : 6

@Auxier, yes, "The End of Time" pretty much blew my face off. That and "Journey's End". And "Blink" and "The Shakespeare Code" (my two favorite episodes).

Spoiler beneath is okay to read if you have seen all the New Who eps up through the Eleventh Doctor's first few episodes (Ep. 1 - around Ep. 5, to be slightly exact but not really)

Spoiler:

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

I read the spoiler because I've watched up to episode... Eight, I think? And the first thing I have to say is RIVER. SONG. Malicious

That's all I have to say about her. Glare

My favorite episode of all (so far) was, oddly enough, "The Waters of Mars".

Anyway,

Spoiler:

-|W|G|-

The Before-Time Posts : 6

Umm... scared now... I take it you dislike her?

Spoiler:

So yes.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Just a little.

Spoiler:

-|W|G|-

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