Doctor Who is a 50-year-old powerhouse institution. Where can a newbie start without weeks of commitment? Let us help.
Committing to a new series, especially a popular one can be daunting. You want to catch the wave of excitement, and watch in real time. The downside is that you don’t want to feel totally lost. Fortunately, it’s not necessary to watch 50 years worth of episodes to catch up on Doctor Who.
First off, though purists may disagree, you don’t need to know a thing about what happened prior to the reboot in 2005 to understand what is happening now. Additionally, no matter when you join in watching, the concept is a simple one. A Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, the Doctor, travels all of time and space utilizing his space ship called the tardis. The tardis resembles a police box that was commonly used in the U.K. in the mid 20th century, only it’s much bigger on the inside. The Doctor gets lonely, and travels with human and non-human companions as he rights the wrongs of the universe. He stands up and says, “no” when no one else will. The Doctor is able to cheat death by regenerating into a new person every so often. He retains his memories, but every incarnation has a new personality.
Now obviously there is more to the series than the summary above, but honestly that’s all you really need to know to get you by. Since Peter Capaldi is a new Doctor, it’s the perfect time to jump right in as there is a lot that gets repeated whenever there is a new Doctor or companion. Trust us, start watching on August 23, there’s nothing holding you back.
If you still want to get your feet wet early, we’ve selected five episodes that give you insight into who the Doctor is, and what this series is all about. These episodes are all readily available on Netflix so it’s easy to see them.
The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler vs.The Daleks
Season 1, episodes 12 and 13, a two-parter, entitled “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways,” are a great place to get to know the Doctor. Not only do you see the Doctor go up against his major nemesis, the Daleks, but you also get to see some of the very best script writing the series offers. Rose Tyler explains very clearly why traveling with the Doctor is worth it, and the better life she’s been shown. You also get to experience a regeneration from the Ninth Doctor into the Tenth.
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