I've never seen Doctor Who. Any of it.

[stePH]

i remember one episode where the entire thing was split screened between two groups in different parts of the city.  technically very difficult to get the timing right when one group calls the other, etc, and the format deftly highlighted a theme of the episode (which i now forget). 

It was the third series opener, "Split", which began with Susan breaking up with Steve, so the screen split at that moment.

The way that the two halves of the screen came back together at the end was brilliant 

All hail Vast Toffee MN!  I can hardly wait for 2010 when he takes the wheel from Davies and makes Doctor Who his baby.

[izzardfan]

"hey, who turned out the lights?"

Ack!  That episode gave me the creeps, even though I loved it.

[Praxis]

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I'd say to someone who is going to watch Doctor Who is that you have to be prepared for Daleks.

Daleks, Daleks, Daleks.  They will keep on coming back.  It won't matter what is done to them, or their planets, or ships or anything really as they keep coming back.
You will possibly even get to the stage where you are fed up of bloody Daleks (just ask Tom Baker) but that won't matter.

On and on and on (and on) they will go.
After the thousandth (it will feel like this) time they have "shockingly" returned, you will perhaps not even be that interested in whatever plan they have since a) it won't work and b) they will not actually be properly defeated afterwards anyway.

(To me) it's like some mad, not-very-good, carnival ride with clapped out clowns on it, it keeps just going round and round and round.
I mean, they (the Daleks) don't even have the space to change all that much as characters, since they have to keep returning as The Big Bad.  And jump out from the shadows and go 'Boo!'.

Like any story with unkillable opponents or an invulnerable hero would be: B.o.r.i.n.g.

*ahem*

But overall it is well worth a watch.
And if you want an easier taste of what the series are about, you could try anything from Eccleston (after the 1987 haitus) onwards as the one-story-series was changed to be pretty much stand alone episodes.

[deflective]

i'm up to six seasons of Tom Baker and it surprised me, only one episode of daleks so far.  there's more coming, just not sure when.  a lot has got muddled in my memory.  i remember trying so hard to make sense of some of these episodes and now i realize they were just bad.

Rather than list lots of stories, I'll point out that the high point of the series is usually considered to be seasons 12 through 14 or 15.  (Although I'd say 13-15, personally.)  Wikipedia could tell you which stories take place during those seasons.)

i'm surprised the cut off is before the key of time season with Douglas Adams' work.  there was a noticeable improvement after late season 15's hackney plots and steam-tunnel representation of gallifrey & the tardis.

tho i did like Leela. =)  not as much as i did when i was eight but it was fun revisiting those memories.

[stePH]

i'm up to six seasons of Tom Baker and it surprised me, only one episode of daleks so far.  there's more coming, just not sure when. 

The Daleks reappear immediately after the "Key to Time" series, in the first episode with Lalla Ward as Romana.  It's the one where they're digging up Davros; I've forgotten the name of it ... "Resurrection" or "Revelation" or sumshit.

[Sgarre1]

Daleks, Daleks, Daleks.  They will keep on coming back.

Putting aside that they are the quintessential DR. WHO villain, keep in mind that the BBC has to pay Terry Nation's heirs a buttload of money to use the daleks, so the lone appearance of a dalek in the new show ("Dalek") was an obvious precursor to their return in force, and then their re-return, because obviously the BBC is going to swing a monetary deal and then maximize their time window during which they get to use these quintessential bad guys.

Honestly, I'm not sure, but I'd bet you that we won't see the Daleks for quite a while now (or maybe the contract has one more usage up its sleeve)

[Praxis]

Daleks, Daleks, Daleks.  They will keep on coming back.

Putting aside that they are the quintessential DR. WHO villain

The essence of a Dr Who villain is that they are, character-wise and plot-wise, devoid of anything other than "We are here to destroy you and everything else and we have an unstoppable plan to do it"/"Oh noes, we didn't get to carry out our plan. Again.  And we have been totally stopped and wiped out (but not really totally stopped and wiped out)" ?

Funny sort of exemplar....

Honestly, I'm not sure, but I'd bet you that we won't see the Daleks for quite a while now

Aww, I remember when I was so naive. 

[Sgarre1]

Well, I've been watching it since it arrived on U.S. shores in the late 70's, so naive I am not.  I did actually build a case for why I'd state that.

As for the complexity of DR. WHO baddies - see earlier in the thread, it's all derived from a show to entertain children.  Kind of like realizing that most BUFFY bad guys are just high-school era anxieties wrapped up in cod-Chris Claremenot plotting to make it entertaining for teens, it makes it hard not to see it afterwards once you know, but if you play along, it's fun (I guess.  Actually, I have no stomach for BUFFY as I was too old when it hit and had read the same source material as Whedon).

I guess you can also say that as long as a mankind exhibits a tendency towards Nazi-like eugenics and ethnic cleansing, there are always going to be Dalek stories...

[Praxis]

cleansing, there are always going to be Dalek stories...

or cyberman stories.

[Sgarre1]

Well, I'd argue that as long as there's going to be gene tampering and technology body modification, there will be Cybermen stories...

(as long as there are going to be cheap BBC budgets, there'll probably ALWAYS be the chance for another Morbius story or Nimon story!)

[Russell Nash]

(as long as there are going to be cheap BBC budgets, there'll probably ALWAYS be the chance for another Morbius story or Nimon story!)

I think this goes more to the reason that the same villains always come back.  Sure they have to pay the original creators of the Daleks and Cybermen every time they use them, but that's probably a shitload cheaper than creating something new and original that is just as threatening.  It all just strikes me as budget restrictions.

[Alasdair5000]

(as long as there are going to be cheap BBC budgets, there'll probably ALWAYS be the chance for another Morbius story or Nimon story!)

I think this goes more to the reason that the same villains always come back.  Sure they have to pay the original creators of the Daleks and Cybermen every time they use them, but that's probably a shitload cheaper than creating something new and original that is just as threatening.  It all just strikes me as budget restrictions.

From what I've heard, you're right.  The BBC basically 'rent' the villains for a set period of time and have to use them as much as they can within that period.  I have a vague memory of reading that the Dalek licence is up for renewal in 2011 so next year's season may be the last time we see them for a bit.

[davedoty]

I don't think it's true of all villains/characters, just some of the ones with savvier negotiatiors.  (Although I do know that it was standard practice for the Virgin books to have all characters, including new companions, to be property of the authors, with Virgin having permission in perpetuity to use them.)

The Daleks have always been a special case.  I would be surprised, for example, if they would actually have made a 4 second, non-plot critical cameo by the Macra in Gridlock had they needed to make a whole separate negotiation for them.

I do know that Moffat has said that one of the things he wants to do is focus more on new threats and less on returning (although he didn't name names.)  I doubt that means NO returning characters, but hopefully we've seen at least the end of the period where the Daleks show up every single season, and starred in 3 out of 4 season finales.

I liked the balance from Tom Baker on, when each Doctor would have one or two run-ins with the Daleks and Cybermen.  If only JNT had been so sparing with the Master.

Of course, down the line after Moffat, someone else will decide to go Dalek-happy again.

[Sgarre1]

I don't think it's true of all villains/characters, just some of the ones with savvier negotiatiors.  (Although I do know that it was standard practice for the Virgin books to have all characters, including new companions, to be property of the authors, with Virgin having permission in perpetuity to use them.)  The Daleks have always been a special case.  I would be surprised, for example, if they would actually have made a 4 second, non-plot critical cameo by the Macra in Gridlock had they needed to make a whole separate negotiation for them.  I do know that Moffat has said that one of the things he wants to do is focus more on new threats and less on returning (although he didn't name names.)  I doubt that means NO returning characters, but hopefully we've seen at least the end of the period where the Daleks show up every single season, and starred in 3 out of 4 season finales.  I liked the balance from Tom Baker on, when each Doctor would have one or two run-ins with the Daleks and Cybermen.  If only JNT had been so sparing with the Master.

Actually, that's absolutely right on almost all counts.  I did a little checking (my sister is friends with one of the writers on current WHO) and seemingly, how it worked was that distinctive menaces with distinctive designs (that is, someone had to come up with a lot of production work) are partly owned by their creators.  So, off the top of my head, I'd guess the obvious ones (Daleks, Cybermen) and maybe some others (Ice Warriors, Yeti, Draconians maybe, Chumblies...that was a joke, son!).  When the new series was a go, the BBC entered into negotiations with Terry Nation's estate and, instead of the usual "period contract", got a flat use fee (this was negotiated so close to production that the episode "Dalek" was jokingly referred to as "Absence Of The Daleks" in case the fee wasn't worked out in time) - which, I bet, paid Terry Nation's heirs very hansomely (and they only stand to benefit if the return was a hit, what with marketing fees for spin off toys, etc.).

But Moffat, as stated, wants to see about returning some new villains (I'm betting Ice Warriors and Daemons) and he finds the Daleks, to paraphrase, "a bit naff" - so yes, Dalek-less (or at least Dalek-Lite, now with less strontium) times are probably coming soon.

I'm hoping the new actor and show runner might mean a bit of a turn away from some of the "fan-service" that's gotten a bit out of control in the last season.