re: Dr. Who - How many episodes until it is palatable?

I was a fan of the old series (and yes there are a lot of crap episodes and filler in there) but only found maybe... half or so of the new stuff entertaining. Found myself wanting to strangle most of his companions.

New series episodes I liked: Dalek, Father's Day, Tooth and Claw, Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel, Impossible Planet/Satan Pit, Gridlock, 42, Blink, Unicorn and the Wasp, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, Midnight, Stolen Earth/Journey's End, Waters of Mars, Beast Below, Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone, God Complex, Town Called Mercy, Cold War, and Nightmare in Silver.

There's really no problem with watching episodes out of order as most are self-contained and the season-long story arcs are mostly in the background or, quite frankly, uninteresting and resolved in ludicrous ways.

I'd actually suggest Midnight for a new viewer. It doesn't really rely on any prior episodes nor give away any spoilers/events of them. All around good acting and a tight story that highlights what the show is about (when it's at its best): a super smart dude solving problems with his wits. It's also one of the darker episodes of the new series.