Classic Doctor Who can seem intimidating to dive in to for those who haven’t so, what is the best way to do it?
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I love the Hartnell era, it’s actually the Pertwee era that put me off a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I love 3 as a doctor, but his stories aren’t always my thing. So if you don’t like Pertwee, try the 4th Doctor, “Planet of Evil” then go on from there. Or bounce around all over the place, which is what I did. The only problem I had doing that was I found myself finding certain eras I wanted more, so I’d focus on those, and then I’d completely ignore other eras that I would’ve enjoyed if I’d gone in order (for me I basically ignored 3rd, 6th, and 7th for the longest time, even tho now I love them). What got me into the 3rd Doctor for example was “The Time Warrior” because of the first appearance of you-know-who that I actually wasn’t aware of going in.
My introduction to Classic Who was Destiny Of The Daleks. After finishing the 9th and 10th Doctors’ runs, I wanted to see what the classic series was like, and I really like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. As a result, I got Tom Baker’s sixth season on BluRay, since Douglas Adams was involved in writing that season.
I’ve tried multiple times to start Classic Who from the beginning. Because it’s so 60’s paced (and even for the 60’s it’s padded), I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. I genuinely liked it fine, but I also burnt myself out trying to binge it. Made it as far as the Keys of Marinus, then The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Besides that I’ve seen The Three Doctors, Genesis of the Daleks, and to prep for the 60th, I watched the Celestial Toymaker. Trying again, just starting with Dalek Invasion onwards, and I don’t want to go out of order, but I don’t know how much to limit myself. To fast and I burn out again? To slow and it takes me years. Any advice?
My first introduction was in 1984: The Pirate Planet. It’s towards the end of Tom’s time, and in the middle of a season-long arc, and I think that just added to the attraction: realising that I was toeing into the edge of something epic. Written by Douglas Adams, it’s also just a fantastic story by itself.
I’d also say that if you possibly can, get the older stories in episode format rather than spliced together. The pacing is very much designed for that.
I have a very vague memory of the vervoids bursting out of their pods in the trial of a timelord from when it was first on TV. After that my first classic stories would have been: Day of the Daleks, Terror of the Zygons and the Seeds of Death on VHS, then Time and the Rani and McCoy’s first season on TV. I suppose that’s why I’ve always loved the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Doctors the most, they were essentially my first Doctors.
Doctor Who is on Tubi in North America.
I recommend starting with tenth plannet,
Them straight to the pertwee years and go from there , obviously go back to hartnell and Troughton when you getting your dr who wings 😊
When I was a lad, to start watching classic Doctor Who you just turned the telly to BBC1 after the football results on Saturday afternoon…
At the moment, if you’re in the UK, you can get the available episodes on the BBC iPlayer (except, for some reason, the original story).
Personally, I would recommend people start with Spearhead from Space and watch the series from there.