Doctor Who? Part Deux

As I said earlier, there is always the option to start from the beginning. In the case of Doctor Who the beginning is an episode from 1963 titled “An Unearthly Child.” This story, like most of the Doctor’s early adventures, is actually told over the course of several 23-24 minute episodes. Featuring the First Doctor (William Hartnell), this is the episode that introduced the world to Doctor Who, so no one would be expected to have any prior knowledge of the show in order to understand it. However, being from the ‘60s this episode is also clearly much different from how the show is today. You may want to start with episodes from the more modern incarnation of the show and come back to the earlier episodes if you like what you see.

From 1989 to 2005 Doctor Who was absent from television. When it was revived in 2005 it featured a new format of hour-long episodes that typically encompassed an entire adventure. However, this revival was not a reboot of the franchise. Instead, it picked up from where the series left off. So instead of beginning again with an all new First Doctor, the episode “Rose” features the first appearance of the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston). Being the first episode of the revival series, this episode is meant to appeal to fans of the old series as well as brand new ones. We are introduced to a girl named Rose, who meets the Doctor for the first time, just like the viewer. Because of this, there is nothing that can’t be understood by a first-time viewer, but there are plenty of things that will be familiar to old viewers. While it seems like a great starting point, this episode is actually one of the weaker early episodes and not very indicative of what the revived series goes on to become. So if you’re just testing the waters you might want to watch a different episode first. But if you’re already planning on sticking around for a while, this would be a great place to start.

From second season of the revival series, “The Girl in the Fireplace” is an episode that covers some of the basic problems the Doctor faces in his travels through time; mainly the attachment he feels towards people who don’t live outside time like himself. This episode begins when the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) discovers a window in time and meets a young girl. However, when the Doctor goes back through the time window and then returns only a few seconds later, he finds that months have passed for the girl, not seconds. Throughout the episode the Doctor visits the girl at multiple points throughout her life, discovering along the way that she is Madame de Pompadour. Because of the time-hopping nature and the emotional weight of this episode, it is a great candidate to be someone’s first experience with Doctor Who. It truly captures the essence of the show and conveys the fact the Doctor’s ability to travel through time can be both a gift and a curse. If you like this episode, you may want to begin watching from the beginning of season two (which is when the Tenth Doctor starts his run on the show).

The season three episode “Blink” is widely regarded as one of the best episodes of Doctor Who, and has won multiple awards. It is also one of the most accessible episodes of the series. This is due to the fact that it is what’s considered to be a “Doctor-lite” episode, meaning that the Doctor and his companion have relatively little screen time compared to most episodes. The focus of the episode is instead on a character who has no knowledge of the Doctor or time travel, which is a plus for a new viewer. In this episode the main character is a modern-day girl named Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan), who must help the Tenth Doctor and his companion when they are stuck in the ‘60s by following instructions that have been left specifically for her, all the while keeping safe from a dangerous alien foe. Steven Moffat, the current head writer for the show (and the writer of this episode), has said that writing a successful episode of Doctor Who means that you can no longer write a movie about that same story. “Blink” is definitely a success by those standards; it would make an amazing feature film even if it didn’t feature the Doctor. The fact that it’s set in the DW universe and features its characters only adds to its charms. So if you watch this episode and don’t care for it, Doctor Who just might not be the show for you.

This episode is the first episode of the show’s fifth season and is the first appearance of the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), which is the current incarnation of the character. This episode also features the introduction of one of the Doctor’s most popular companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), another instance in which a person is learning about time travel and who the Doctor is. The Doctor and Amy must locate an escaped alien prisoner before an intergalactic police force called the Atraxi (who are in the form of giant eyeballs) destroy the Earth in order to stop it. This episode is a great place for a new viewer to start because not only is it the start of the current Doctor’s tenure on the show, but it is also the first show with Steven Moffat as showrunner, marking a slight change in style which the show still maintains.

If you just want to jump right into the show and see if you like where it’s at now, you can always start watching when the newest episode, “The Bells of Saint John,” premieres on March 30. However, be warned. If you plan to do this, you’ll most likely be confused. This next batch of episodes promises to continue a storyline that has already been established. I’d recommend starting at one of the other episodes on this list and getting at least the Eleventh Doctor’s adventures under your belt before watching the newer ones as they premiere.

Hopefully this little list has been a help to you. With the background knowledge you already have about Doctor Who, any of these episodes should be a good starting point to help you decide whether or not the show is for you. But if you enjoy these, you’re sure to enjoy the rest of the series. Happy viewing!