Poll: Doctor Who, which season should I start with?

[stranamente]

From time to time I see news on the escapist and blogs about Doctor Who, but since this show was never brought to Italy (at least, that I know) I never watched it. Now I understand it seems quite good and I was interested in watching it, but I read somewhere that the first seasons weren't that good.
I would normally begin from the first, but since then some doubts crossed my mind.
So I ask you, which season of Dr. Who is the best to start with or at all, and possibly why should I start with it in particular?
Or, if you are so inclined, why shouldn't I start following it?

edit:
It looks like I knew even less than I thought. So pardon me if I ask: What's the difference between old and new Doctor?
And (but this seems quite obvious from the first comments) can I see the new one even if I didn't see the old one?

 

[Heathrow]

Season 1 of the new series I assume? That's a good start. Chris Eccleston is great.

You can go back into the really old Who, but I don't recommend it without finishing the new series first.

 

[Woodsey]

The one with the time machine, I guess. And the coat. Oooh yes, the coat.

(But series 1.)

 

[MercurySteam]

I was considering starting at the series with the new Doctor. He plays the role really well and the episodes that I've seen so far are great.

 

[Satosuke]

You're absolutely best off starting with the first season. Seasons 2-4 reference a lot of things that happened in it so you'll be lost if you don't. That, and that's the only season with the 9th Doctor, and The 9th Doctor was the best. God damn I miss Chris Eccleston.

 

[erbkaiser]

For New Who, start either with Eccleston (Series 1), or with the first Matt Smith series (Series 5).
The Eleventh Doctor is a kind of break in the series again, whereas 10 directly follows 9 even with story arches.

 

[Axolotl]

The beginning and then watch everything in order. All 772 episodes.

 

[KingSofa]

Nothing like the good old Tom Baker episodes.... David Tennant I thought was a good second choice...

 

[Alfador_VII]

Either start with the first Chris Eccleston one, or with David Tennant.

Definitely worth watching from at least there onwards.

And if you fancy watching any old Who, just watch anything you can find

 

[Cormitt]

The beginning and then watch everything in order. All 772 episodes.

But if you're lacking the time to watch all 772 episodes (but you really should find it) then you need to start with Season 1 with Christopher Eccleston. (Really too bad he only got one season btw.)

 

[cWg | Konka]

The beginning and then watch everything in order. All 772 episodes.

you do know that over 100 episodes are missing after being wiped/destroyed

 

[GeorgW]

I'm gonna watch them from 1 and forward, so I would recommend the same for you.

 

[stranamente]

The beginning and then watch everything in order. All 772 episodes.

Well, at least that should keep me occupied for a while, or until a new season of Firefly is out...

 

[Mad1Cow]

Series 1 or 5...since 5 was technically another reboot, aiming more at a new look and just starting all over again without David Tennant having a sob about that one girl that was sorta cool, which is a shame because David Tennant was the bomb and the episodes with Billie Piper were some of the best, outranked only just by the Catherine Tate ones. Matt Smith is good, but when you're following up from David Tennant, it's eating a big mac after just having a gourmet burger...still bloody tasty but it just doesn't have the same, finese...

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

It looks like I knew even less than I thought. So pardon me if I ask: What's the difference between old and new Doctor?
And (but this seems quite obvious from the first comments) can I see the new one even if I didn't see the old one?

Doctor Who started in the 1960s, if I remember correctly. It ran for over 20 seasons, going through 7 actors in the lead roll of the Doctor, and finally died (due to some terrible casting and writing during the 6th doctor and other issues thereafter) in the early 90s.

It was reborn 6ish years ago as the "New" Doctor Who, starting with Season 1. There was also a terrible made-for-TV-movie done by Fox that we shall never speak of again.

 

[BreakfastMan]

I would say start with Season 2. That is when they actually get a good doctor. Also, there is really no continuous story to the show like in Babylon 5, so it does not really matter which season you start with. You can get into the story and the lore from any of them.

EDIT:
To address your edit: there is a great deal of difference between the old and new shows. The older shows have really terrible special effects and are much more campy than the modern ones. Personally, I prefer the old show (NO ONE CAN BEAT TOM BAKER!), but I would not think viewing the old one would be required to watch the new one. I heartily recommend the old one though...

 

[joebthegreat]

Season 1 of the new series of course. You won't understand a lot of what's going on with David Tennant's Doctor if you haven't seen the first season, and he's a lot of people's favorite.

If you mean season 1 of the old series... good f***ing luck.

 

[kickyourass]

The first one? That's sorta the best way to do this sorta thing, start at the start.

 

[erbkaiser]

It looks like I knew even less than I thought. So pardon me if I ask: What's the difference between old and new Doctor?
And (but this seems quite obvious from the first comments) can I see the new one even if I didn't see the old one?

"Old" Who ended in 1989, after which a crappy TV movie was made as a failed relaunch attempt. Asides from the stellar actor in it, the less said about it, the better. Doctor Who continued in books, as audioplays, and in other formats until the relaunch with Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor.
Old Who started as a kiddie show and had an extremely low budget, even compared to other BBC Series of the time. The writing was excellent though, as was most of the acting.

New Who has a much larger budget. The series has many references to Old Who for example some old companions turn up here and there, and storylines are referenced, but it stands on its own very well. It is a bonus if you know what it refers to but not necessary to understand the plot: because the Doctor is traveling with companions who don't know the world they've landed in, anything that needs to be is explained in the episodes themselves.