Watch Doctor Who? Who me?

[Ana Canino-Fluit (Anacoqui- mod)]

So after many years of gentle and not so gentle prodding I have finally started watching Doctor Who.  In the past I have seen snippets of the new series, and generally walked away muttering “…alright …that was odd…don’t see much point in that.” However my friends BatMatt and Doc kept suggesting I try it (much the same way we kept suggesting Rich try watching Firefly…) and since I share a lot of tastes in
common when it comes to TV shows and comics a few months ago I relented and let Doc know that I had come to terms with fact that someday I would eventually ended up watching some Doctor Who but needed to know where to start.

Fast forward to two weeks ago when my father had me open a Netflix account so we could figure out why Netflix streaming wasn’t working for him (no streaming outside the 50 states and DC…you lose out if you live in a Commonwealth of the US it turns out…bummer).  Since I had started the clock on my 2 week trial I figured I might as well take advantage of it once we were back in Rochester.

So early last week I started out watching Season 1 of the New Doctor Who series, starring Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. The first 13 episodes are available via Netflix streaming, and I have watched 12.

If you haven’t watched the series yet…you might as well stop reading unless you want to be spoiled as to how I reacted…

[Ana Canino-Fluit (Anacoqui- mod)]

yeah...I will be. I think mostly I will be having them wait on watching them as I originally planned. They like the ideas of traveling, the find the Doctor funny, but many things are quite scary. They were fascinated and at the same time scared by the idea of the Doctor regenerating and being a different person.

The Baron said:

It hadn't occurred to me that the Sycorax might be freaky to a little kid. All I can say is that you may want to preview some of these before you let the girls watch them - "Blink" and "Silence in the Library" spring to mind, particularly.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

My girls have seen almost all of the new Who episodes. There are exceptions, though. In the second season there is a Werewolf story I don't think they're quite ready for. Although it's brilliant, "Blink" in the third season is way scary and not for the youngest kids (it stars Oscar nominee, Carey Mulligan). And it'll be a couple of years before they're allowed to watch Waters of Mars.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

First of all, I think you picked the perfect place to start: right at the beginning of the new series. Two things I took away from our weekend at your house were Buffy the Vampire Slayer (from you and Chris) and Doctor Who (from Bob). One day while Chris was at work and you were talking to Tracy, Bob and I sat in your kitchen discussing Doctor Who. I didn’t know a Dalek from a Tardis at the time, but I’ve since watched all four or the new series twice through and have seen most of the old series which is available on DVD.

I am really looking forward to reading your comments on the rest of the series!

[Mike Williams]

The Doc gives sage advice - The werewolf episode, Blink and Silence in The Library are defintiely PG rated. Two of the three are by Paul Cornell as well...

Doc Beechler said:

My girls have seen almost all of the new Who episodes. There are exceptions, though. In the second season there is a Werewolf story I don't think they're quite ready for. Although it's brilliant, "Blink" in the third season is way scary and not for the youngest kids (it stars Oscar nominee, Carey Mulligan). And it'll be a couple of years before they're allowed to watch Waters of Mars.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Oh, and I would like to second Bill's recommendation of The Sarah Jane Adventures for the girls.Tracy and I have seen the entire first season and plan to buy the second one of these days.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

Oh yeah...the monster(s) in Silence in the Library may be a bit much for young kids...thanks for reminding me.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

Two of the three are by Paul Cornell as well...


Are you sure you didn't mean Steven Moffat?

[The Baron]

The old show had a famous tradition of being scary so that kids would watch "from behind the sofa". I was about ten when I first watched the show, but had had a fairly steady diet of horror and sci-fi films up to that point. Also, with its better special effects budget, the "scares" on the new show are - to my mind, at least, somewhat more convincing.

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

Yeah, Steven Moffat--the OTHER Paul Cornell. ;-)

[Jeff of Earth-J]

What's your opinion, Ana, of the Tenth Doctor so far in comparison to the Ninth? Do you have a preference?

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

You just want to upset Tracy, Jeff.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Shh!!