Dr. Who, could someone explain the deal with it to me?

[DevonBasedMan]

The doctor saw Queen Victoria and he was attacked by werewolf's.
He visited Shakespeare, and their were real witches.
He hung out with Vincent van Goth, giant invisible monster.
Venice, aquatic vampires.
The moon, rhino mercenaries.

Also the future, the past, aliens, time travel, hot female companions!

if you don't understand why all of the above is awesome then maybe your just dead inside.

 

[Doom moose]

im watching an episode right now its amusing and interesting enough why must there be a deal it has an old following that has been revived as parents get their children to watch it in the hope they enjoy it as much as they did in their youth effective stratergy so its a popular show.

 

[Vie]

It's like someone thought "Us Brits must have our own scifi series"

Quatermass proves you wrong there.

Go back and watch American TV Scifi from the same era as Dr.Who, if you can find any, then watch some of the first doctor shows. Then tell me which is better, if you can avoid choking to death on the anti-socialist propaganda. Lets not forget that the big names of US scifi came in some time after Dr.Who had been going.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Campy B movie series with a non violent trickster lead character. Its more brainy that Evil dead but in the same scope of good lulz productions.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Yup. And I hated it. I've watched the first ep of the last few series and that's all it's taken me to just say "No, it's still shit, and I still hate it."

Well, hate to think you weren't giving it a fair chance.

And as far as I can tell, it hasn't really changed at all, bar having a new doctor.

OK, you're 19...so Ecclestone, you would have seen when you're 13/14... and in those 5 years nothing's changed?

If you'd have also read the rest of my post, you would have been able to work out I'd seen it.

I did, you really didn't. I mean, fair enough if you don't like it then fine, but coming to a thread to say "I HATE IT!" seems a bit harsh.

 

[LostTimeLady]

I'm sure most people have pointed out the major reasons why it's so popular i.e. what's not to like about a 900 year old time traveller in a police box battling evil in time and space/ the stories are good/ it's all escapism and it's a joy to watch/ it's quinticentially British etc etc

But the reason why people emotionally invest in it is along these lines (in my opinion):

The concept of a hero with 1000 faces. Here is a man who can change his face and possesses all the heroic qualities that most people look for, self-sacrifice, corage, hope, wisdom and wit. And yeah lots of other (sci-fi) shows have characters like that but none have the history (closest rivals being probably Star Trek and Star Wars). When people watch Doctor Who they are escaping to a landscape almost as richly created as Tolkin's Middle-Earth (I say almost, nothing can touch the great master of Hobbits, Elves and Halflings, I meant it alogorasly as Tolken spent his life creating middle-earth, DW's been going for nearly a life time now too). It's a home away from home.

Yeah, the effects are low budget, the acting's sometimes off and the writing does vary in quality, but people love it 'cos it possesses a certain j'ne se qua that they identify with.

And for those that don't like it, that's fair do's. This question applies to almost everything with a loyal fan base, it's not unique to DW I'm sure.

 

[KaiRai]

And as far as I can tell, it hasn't really changed at all, bar having a new doctor.

OK, you're 19...so Ecclestone, you would have seen when you're 13/14... and in those 5 years nothing's changed?

If you'd have also read the rest of my post, you would have been able to work out I'd seen it.

I did, you really didn't. I mean, fair enough if you don't like it then fine, but coming to a thread to say "I HATE IT!" seems a bit harsh.

First of all, my dad watches it. He has tried in vain to get me into it with the older ones with no joy. This is old video box sets from eons ago. Please don't assume. I watched the newer series from when I was about 16, and when I was around 14 my dad was showing me the old box sets. Yes we have a VCR too, that's how I watched them. All I did was give my opinion. I don't like Dr. Who. End of.

 

[Daffy F]

I dont see why this show is as big as it is, could someone help me out?

From what i get, a guy that changes faces every season so the studio can save money goes through time to fight what looks like trash cans with egg beaters and a head cannon on it, i know its wrong but htats about all i got, so please help me out.

If you don't like it, you don't like it. I don't think I can change any of that.

 

[FightThePower]

All I need.

Seriously though, I just enjoy it. The quirky personality of the Doctor, the stories are mostly well done or at least decent. I'm not really sure.

 

[Nostalgia Ripoff]

Why don't you just watch it and see for yourself if you like the show? Start with the first 2005 episode ("Rose") and continue as normal. Much easier.

That's exactly what I did. I was in the same predicament as this gentleman so I decided to go to netflix. When I found out that it started back in the 60's, I immediately said "Fuck that nonsense." Then I saw that there was a 2005 reboot, and I am currently on Season 3. Sadly, my TV provider doesn't have BBC America so I can't watch Season 5. Does anyone know when they're on DVD?

 

[RobCoxxy]

The main appeal of Dr.Who is that it keeps the golden-age feel of TV sci fi. You know, the Flash Gordon, Perry Rhodan, Raumpatroullie Orion. The 2005 series did give it a slight paintjob, but for the better.

I was horrified when i saw the new doctor promo-stills. I thought:

"Oh no! They -updated- the series into teen, gritty, emo drama!"

But i was wrong, everything is as usual.

If you never liked golden age TV sci-fi, or cant find the appeal in cheesy but epic and thought provoking plots, don't watch it.
Its not Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5.

Dr.Who is like Charlies Chocolate Factory, crazy and sometimes creepy, but mostly a load of fun.

I appreciate it exactly for that. I have had enough "serious" Sci-Fi since neoBSG made the fad that everything needs to be shaky-cam and rusty.
I miss shows like Stargate Atlantis or Farscape that were just really good old fashioned fun!

Pretty much sums it up.
If you like it, you like it.

If you don't, a million Brits frown at you.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Sorry...what were we talking about again?

 

[Tim_Buoy]

the awesomeness can't be explained, it must be experienced

That's a really conveient excuse. I've been hearing about this tv show ever since I've been on the internet but I've never seen a single episode. I have a season set on netflix but I wouldn't know where too start. Could one at least set up some sort of guidance and where to jump into the series to at the very least see what the hubub is?

probably you best bet is to start of with the first season of the revived series in 2005

 

[DSK-]

I agree with OP, I had to watch it with family one christmas (it was a christmas special) and I didn't really like it at all. I don't see what was so special with it.

I used to watch the old ones with John Pertwee when I was younger. I thought those were quality - but my tastes have undoubtedly changed.

 

[hawkeye52]

doctor who is a cult hit in briton and it stays like that for the same reason that some celebrities (like paris hilton) are famous for nothing more then being celebrities.

there are some good doctor who episodes though but it does get rather annoying in the fact that nearly every season ends with the daleks popping out after the 10th time being blown up

 

[a Soviet Pie]

Hey buddy, don't worry, there's nothing you're missing. Doctor Who is a TV show that, at least in my eyes, is a show a person either likes or doesn't like. A lot of viewers have been watching the show since its first season, so they have a reason to be used to it. It is basic, but you come to like it, assuming of course you like the genre. I can't blame you. It took me a while to get it. Some like it, some don't.

 

[Quaxar]

Why don't you just watch it and see for yourself if you like the show? Start with the first 2005 episode ("Rose") and continue as normal. Much easier.

That's exactly what I did. I was in the same predicament as this gentleman so I decided to go to netflix. When I found out that it started back in the 60's, I immediately said "Fuck that nonsense." Then I saw that there was a 2005 reboot, and I am currently on Season 3. Sadly, my TV provider doesn't have BBC America so I can't watch Season 5. Does anyone know when they're on DVD?

If you don't mind BBC's strange packeting you can buy the first three quarters on Amazon already (if I am correct) although I personally would wait for them to release the full season at once thing tha should come out once the whole season 5 DVD release is done.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I agree with OP, I had to watch it with family one christmas (it was a christmas special) and I didn't really like it at all. I don't see what was so special with it.

I used to watch the old ones with John Pertwee when I was younger. I thought those were quality - but my tastes have undoubtedly changed.

yeah, avoid the Xmas specials, they're usually pretty naff. Grab yourself a beer, watch one of the good ones and don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead.

A lot of viewers have been watching the show since its first season,

First season was sometime ago...I started watching at season 12, and I'm quite a big fan.

 

[Geekosaurus]

I was under the impression that Dr Who was exiled from the group of the five W's; consisting of Drs Who, What, Where, When and Why. It was once their goal to team up against the evil Dr How. True story.

 

[Pegghead]

It's about a magnificent man in a time machine saving the universe. What's there to get other than it's awesome?!

I really like doctor Who. I'm part of the TARDIS crew, I own some of the DVDs, when it's on air I don't miss an episode, I have a replica sonic screwdriver (Matt Smith one) and Cyberman figurine (They're my favourite Doctor villain) and recently I dressed up as Matt Smith's doctor for my high-school's walkathon.

But probably the best thing about it is that it's able to balance intense, edge of your seat action, cheesy sci-fi, a complex but easy to get into Heroes type lore (You know the kind, you want to explain one single thing from one single episode that was really great but to truly do so you have to backtrack through every little hint and plot twist that led up to it for half an hour) and real emotion (Some episodes have you cheering as the Doctor saves the universe, others literally have you in tears. I'm looking at you recent Vincent Van Gogh episode.).

Oh and sorry to keep coming back and editing this post but it's also started more in-jokes and universal memes than Valve's entire back catalogue combined (Cake, peelz and sandviches meet jammy dodgers, jelly babies and fezzes).