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

I've heard you should start with season 5. Then, if you like it, go back and watch the other seasons.


Disclaimer, I have not tried this method, and I have had the same experience as you with the show.

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.

There really aren't any story arcs like you'd find in... Breaking Bad or Deep Space 9 towards the latter seasons. Usually it's just building up a big bad/situation for the season finale. I'd say season six is the only one where you'd be in danger of spoiling anything if you didn't watch it in order.

Skip to Tennant. He is Dr Who.

First episode syndrome, every series suffers from it. It'll get better, and the series really picks up once Tennent becomes the Doctor.

People pick on Eccleston but I think his best episodes are easily as good as the best Tennant episodes. At least he didn't spend every episode waving the lazy stick for half the episode.

Heck, the best Tennant era episode is Blink which wasn't really a Dr episode.

As bad as the Tennant era was with the lazy stick, the Smith era took it to a whole new level.

I've loved Who since the early 80s and I almost can't stand it anymore because the writers are pure shite and Moffat has not remotely lived up to the promise of Blink & The Girl in the Fireplace.

Heck, I was thrilled to see Davies leave but now I long for him helming the show. Moffat is a better writer when that is all he is doing.

End rant...

Answer to the OP is watch one season. If you don't like it, it will only get worse and it will only cost you 12 hours of your life.

Heck, I am still pissed at Moffat for pranking my arse in his first episode at the Helm.

Smith waves the sonic screwdrive over his head in the most ridiculous use to date and the thing blows up.

I was so fracking happy. I thought with that act, he realized the screwdriver was a lazy crutch and he was going to get rid of it.

Only to have the TARDIS create a new one at the end of the episode. He punked me. He punked me good and hard!

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I don't know man. I had a girlfriend in the early 90s who loved the old show. Don't know when the PBS playback was from at that time, I think it started in the 60s. But those old ones are incredibly bad.

I personally thought it was the worst TV show ever. I could not understand why she watched it. Beyond bad.

I hear a lot about it recently becoming good, probably has, but I cannot overcome those old ones I tried to watch, they've completely ruined me on the series. Maybe one day I'll start with the new Season 5 or something, but good lord they were so bad back then. I cannot even describe how stupid they were. Such bad acting and story lines, just everything was terrible.

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Thanks for making your opinion on this board completely invalid from now on.

This is why i prefer the Early years. The effects stunk but most of the time the story was written much better and it wasn't about galactic destruction every GD episode.

Giving the master super powers and the ability to FLY was just about the dumbest thing in the entire history of the show yet they topped themselves by having the doctor jump out of a moving spaceship and crash through a glass ceiling without injury.