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

[Talia]

I figure that's epic Geekfail and I should amend this unfortunate situation.

Where should I start, and how would I go about affordably acquiring/renting such things. Available on Netflix?

[Russell Nash]

I have also never seen any of it and don't plan on remedying he situation.

[Alasdair5000]

I figure that's epic Geekfail and I should amend this unfortunate situation.

Where should I start, and how would I go about affordably acquiring/renting such things. Available on Netflix?

   The good thing about Doctor Who is there's so much of it and the bad thing, for a newcomer, is there's so much of it:)  I'd recommend starting with either one of the following:

-Doctor Who and the Daleks/Dalek Invasion of Earth-The two 1960s-produced movies starring Peter Cushing are entirely stand alone, don't fit into canon at all and are actually a lot of fun.  The Dalek appearing out of the Thames in Invasion of Earth was one of the first things I can remember scaring the hell out of me.

-New Who Series 1-The relaunched series is pretty much the perfect place to jump aboard.  There's a plot thread running through the entire season which puts the viewer in the same boat as both Rose, the companion, and the Doctor, as you gradually find out who the Doctor is, where he came from and why he acts like he does.  There are a couple of brilliant payoffs towards the end too so I'd recommend, strongly, that you avoid any spoilers.

   Either one of those should be on netflix for relatively little, the Cushing movies as a pair and Series 1 as a boxed set.  That any use?

[wakela]

Agreed.  The new ones with Christopher Eccleston are great and assume no previous knowledge.  But they are a little pricey (for Americans, anyway).

Never watched the Peter Cushing movie, thanks for the tip.

I had a hard time finding A box set of any season of Doctor Who except for the modern ones.  You can a couple of episodes strung together and packaged as one movie or something.  It's chaotic enough that I don't think I'll be going back and catching up with the old eps. 

[stePH]

Agreed.  The new ones with Christopher Eccleston are great and assume no previous knowledge.  But they are a little pricey (for Americans, anyway).

Never watched the Peter Cushing movie, thanks for the tip.

I had a hard time finding A box set of any season of Doctor Who except for the modern ones.  You can a couple of episodes strung together and packaged as one movie or something.  It's chaotic enough that I don't think I'll be going back and catching up with the old eps. 

The problem with the Peter Cushing movies are that they're based on the serials with William Hartnell as the Doctor, and watching those I found his character to be kind of an ass.  His behavior is half crotchety old man, half petulant child.

[davedoty]

I would say either start from the beginning of the new series, or if you want to plunge into the classic show, look for some "best bits" rather than any kind of systematic approach.  If you like that, there's plenty of time to hunt down every obscure story in the classic show's 700 ep history.

Here's a small number of logical starting points:

1)  The War Games.  This is the last story of the 2nd Doctor, and the one that finally reveals the Doctor's backstory.  It's possibly the best of the 60s B&W era.  Warning:  this one is 10 episodes long, so be prepared for a... leisurely... approach to pacing.

I'm going to recommend several stories from the Tom Baker era, who was the most popular of the classic Doctors, so is a good starting point:

2) Genesis of the Daleks.  Not as flawless as some would claim, but still a very good story revealing how the Daleks were created, and introducing for the first time... duh..,. the Daleks' creator, Davros.

3) Pyramid of Mars.  Nothing special about this one from a continuity perspective, but it's arguably the best story from arguably the best season the show ever had.

4) City of Death.  This story by Douglas Adams is well-loved, despite this season as a whole being very controversial.  Unlike some other entries this season, there's a solid, entertaining story along with the clever dialog and humor.  This story is the equivalent of sitting down with a glass of wine and having a conversation with an old friend.

And two from the later years:

5)  The Five Doctors.  This story is, frankly, a mess.  But it still has a following, because it was the 20th anniversary special, featured all five Doctors (although they recast the dead one), a ton of guest stars and a who's who of monsters.  If that kind of "everything and the kitchen sink" spectacular appeals to you, it may be worth checking out.

6) Remembrance of the Daleks
6a) Curse of Fenric

I have a lot of affection for the 7th Doctor, who was extremely controversial.  Either of these stories showcase what his fans love about him, at his dark, manipulative, yet fundamentally decent self.

[stePH]

5)  The Five Doctors.  This story is, frankly, a mess.  But it still has a following, because it was the 20th anniversary special, featured all five Doctors (although they recast the dead one), a ton of guest stars and a who's who of monsters.  If that kind of "everything and the kitchen sink" spectacular appeals to you, it may be worth checking out.

NO!  Avoid, avoid, avoid!  This one is weapons-grade SUCK!  I would watch "Delta and the Bannermen"* again before I watched this one!

* I love Doctor #7 also ("Ghost Light" is my favorite), but doG almighty did he have some horrid serials.

[edit]
"featured all five Doctors" is misleading.  It featured 1, 2, 3, and 5.  Tom Baker opted out, so they wrote in a plot contrivance to have Doctor 4 stuck in limbo for the whole story, and all of his presence onscreen was leftover footage from an unaired, uncompleted story.

[Talia]

This is complicated Particularly since i have something of an neurosis for needing to start from the START of a series, and not skip all around. No matter how sucky some may be

Although a friend of mine just told me she has soemthing like 90% of all original series episodes on VHS she is willing to loan. (time to acquire a working VCR).

This is helpful,thanks

[Russell Nash]

Talia, get on freecycle.  YOu'll have a working VCR for free in no time.  You just need to go pick it up.

[Talia]

Hehe, true. I <3 freecycle.

[wakela]

This is complicated Particularly since i have something of an neurosis for needing to start from the START of a series, and not skip all around. No matter how sucky some may be

Although a friend of mine just told me she has soemthing like 90% of all original series episodes on VHS she is willing to loan. (time to acquire a working VCR).

This is helpful,thanks

I'm 100% with you on not starting stuff in the middle.  I miss out on some good episodes of Babylon 5 and Stargate because I wasn't too impressed with the first season and gave up before it got good.  But there is so much material in Doctor Who, I think you should give yourself permission to start with the recent series.  It's what people are talking about anyway.  Do you want to have to watch 20+ years worth of programming (some of it crap) before you can comment on the last weeks episode? 

Though I admit you're friend's collection sounds like a real treasure.  I commented above about how it's hard to find a coherent collection.  Someone should transfer those beauties to digital.

[Heradel]

I watched some of the old ones as a child when they were on PBS here in the States, but stopped until I started watching the Eccleston series via grey market means when they started airing.

(Note: As I have not really be posting recently, but feel that doing on topic on it would really be overkill, I'll say here quickly that I just started a new summer internship that has been sucking up time and requires me to get up early and actually work (ie, not spend hours on the forum during the day).

[stePH]

Although a friend of mine just told me she has soemthing like 90% of all original series episodes on VHS she is willing to loan. (time to acquire a working VCR).

Though I admit you're friend's collection sounds like a real treasure.  I commented above about how it's hard to find a coherent collection.  Someone should transfer those beauties to digital.

I wonder what form the "lost" episodes are in on said tapes.  Does Talia's friend actually possess intact copies of the Hartnell, Troughton, and Pertwee episodes that the BBC wiped?  Or are they the reconstructions from audio and telesnaps?

[davedoty]

NO!  Avoid, avoid, avoid!  This one is weapons-grade SUCK!  I would watch "Delta and the Bannermen"* again before I watched this one!

I don't like it much, either, but you have to admit it's very popular amongst many fans, and if I'm trying to help someone get into the show, I'm not comfortable turning them away from something that might be a good "in" for them just because of my personal tastes.

This is complicated Particularly since i have something of an neurosis for needing to start from the START of a series, and not skip all around. No matter how sucky some may be

Well, in fairness, if you had prefaced your request for starting points with "the very beginning is the only answer I want to hear," that's probably the answer I would have given you.

But if you start from the beginning, you should know that if you don't like slow-paced 50s-sci-fi type shows, you're talking about over 250 episodes before you get to the "good part!"  I do like those early ones, but they're a very acquired taste, especially considering how padded many of those early stories are.

Also, many of the stories from the first 6 seasons are now missing, either entirely, or missing one or more episodes out of a multi-episode arc.  They have the audio tracks because of a diligent 60s listener who held a tape recorder up to the TV, but no video.  Those missing or incomplete stories have been released as audio CDs, with a narrator added to describe visuals that are essential to the story, but that will complicate things.

(There are also reconstructions creating a new video track using still frames, scraps of surviving video, scrolling text and other devices, but I find those almost unwatchable and prefer the BBC audio versions.)

[Sgarre1]

Everyone is right in that seeing all of it isn't neccessary and could actually be counterproductive - the show has changed a lot over the years.  Best to sample bits of each Doctor before starting the new one, with the understanding that the old series drags it feet in overextending storylines, while the new series, IMHO, rushes storylines far too quickly at times.

TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN, SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE (or TERROR OF THE AUTONS), THE DAEMONS, TALONS OF WENG-CHIANG, IMAGE OF THE FENDAHL, SEEDS OF DOOM, PYRAMIDS OF MARS.... oh, there are lots of fun ones to see.  You should probably see some of the Gallifrey-centric episodes before diving into the new series, so the scope of the changes in the show during its hiatus/cancellation become apparent.

It should also be kept in mind that the show's origins as a children's TV show inform the series to this day.  DR. WHO has a sense of whimsy, humor and adventure, even when scary, and is not a hard sf show and does not have a tone like, say, the original STAR TREK - many American SF fans didn;t like DR. WHO during its initial PBS wave simply because it was not what they wanted or expected out of "science fiction" (and they had no experience of the BBC's "characters/story over budget/effects" approach)

[Talia]

Hmm, interesting.

(and yeah, my need to watch things in order might not work out in this case. Hehe)

[davedoty]

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.)

So my recommendation would be to either try a little of each (I and others list plenty above), or to take a look at those "golden age" seasons.

Not that I necessarily want to discourage a straight watch-through; I love the classic series, from the very beginning to the very end.  But I wanted to warn you of what that could entail.

ETA: the very first story, An Unearthly Child, features an unbelievably excellent standalone pilot, and an eye-bleedingly bad 3 parter in caveman era, packaged together as a 4-part story.  So it might be worth watching the excellent pilot as a starting off point, then jumping ahead somewhat if that doesn't fill you with a desire to watch all 700 in order.

[deflective]

i've just started rewatching the fourth doctor from the start (stirring up twenty year old memories).  i think android invasion is a good one for a new viewer for the unusual reason that it's pretty much unexceptional.

it's four episodes that will give you a very good idea what doctor who is all about and doesn't really rely on any back history.  the pyramids of mars was good too but it starts slower than androids (if you wind up watching it: yes, this is a faster moving doctor who episode).  it's a hundred minutes to watch either of these story arcs and either one will give you solid impression of the old series and whether or not you want to watch more.

[stePH]

i've just started rewatching the fourth doctor from the start (stirring up twenty year old memories).  i think android invasion is a good one for a new viewer for the unusual reason that it's pretty much unexceptional.

it's four episodes that will give you a very good idea what doctor who is all about and doesn't really rely on any back history.  the pyramids of mars was good too but it starts slower than androids (if you wind up watching it: yes, this is a faster moving doctor who episode).  it's a hundred minutes to watch either of these story arcs and either one will give you solid impression of the old series and whether or not you want to watch more.

But anyone watching the Tom Baker (fourth Doctor) run from the beginning, should not let Robot put them off.

[davedoty]

But anyone watching the Tom Baker (fourth Doctor) run from the beginning, should not let Robot put them off.

Very true.  For some reason, the Exec Producer and Script editor for the previous Doctor stayed around for the first story of the new Doctor's season, doing a by-the-numbers bit of drudgery.  Then, the new guys came in to launch a great new direction.  Terrible decision.

[Russell Nash]

I hate you guys.  This thread made me curious enough that I started watching the first season of the new series.  It is such camp and at times is really just bad.  I'll probably end up watching the whole series and it's all your fault!

[stePH]

I hate you guys.  This thread made me curious enough that I started watching the first season of the new series.  It is such camp and at times is really just bad. 

That's part of its charm.  (The severely low-budget special effects of the classic series even more so.  )

[deflective]

there's some gems in there, wait for episodes by Steven Moffat.  he was always too good for a sit com, doctor who gave him a chance to cut loose.

[stePH]

there's some gems in there, wait for episodes by Steven Moffat.  he was always too good for a sit com, doctor who gave him a chance to cut loose.

Come on, I loved* Coupling.  It was like Friends, only funny.

* the first three series, anyway.  It wasn't the same after Jeff departed, and I didn't care much for the story arc of Susan's pregnancy.  And the less said of the execrable US remake, the better.

[deflective]

don't get me wrong, coupling is one of the few unanimated sitcoms i'll sit down to watch.

you can tell that there's strong writing behind it but it's constrained by the format.  since there always had to be simple jokes and plot points (not really a bad thing) he wound up doing fantastic things with the structure or timeline.  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 turned a relatively mundane sitcom plot line into something fresh and engaging.

once the sitcom constraints came off in doctor who he just does some truly memorable work.  he's deservedly gotten awards.  the girl in the fireplace and forest of the dead will be with me for a long time.

"hey, who turned out the lights?"