It's been nearly two years since the last thread was created in November of 2010 (you know - this one). Time flies, doesn't it? Well, here we are again - a little older, none the wiser. Ever hopeful about what's to come, ever cynical when we get it. Unless it's written by Neil Gaiman, of course.
I'll keep it short and sweet - here's to you, WhoGAF, and another fantastic almost-two-years.
For the newcomers, have a glance at the trailer for the series ahead (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrEUBl2pacU) and feel free to join in. We're a friendly bunch, honest.
Spoilers regardinging episodes not yet aired are to be spoiler tagged. Discussions about episodes that have aired in the UK, however, are not to be spoiler tagged. Not only does this prevent the thread from looking like a giant barcode - which benefits no-one - but it allows members to pick out real spoilers from plot points about episodes they've already seen.
This isn't an effort to be unkind and exclude people, it's simply an issue of practicalities.
Thank you.
Copied and shamelessly pasted from the previous Doctor Who thread, with some minor - but essential - modifications.
What is Doctor Who?
Essentially - and this is hugely underselling it - it's a British sci-fi show that began in 1963 and, a sixteen year gap aside, continues to run into its 33rd series and 785th episode this year. Those good at maths will have noticed that next year - 2013 - will be the show's fiftieth anniversary. More specifically, it's a show about a 907-year-old alien time traveller and an assortment of companions travelling through time and space, going through genres as quickly as they do historical periods and saving the world, the universe and, if they have the time, Space Florida time and time again.
Will I have to do a ton of catching up if I want to get into it then?
The short answer, no. The long answer, no, you can get into the show at any time - even during the series - thanks to the lead writer intentionally dispersing "getting on points" throughout episodes; but there's a lot there if you do want to watch up. There's the 32 previous series - divided into 26 'Old Who' series and six 'New Who' series - two spin-offs (The Sarah Jane Adventures for the young'uns and Torchwood for the, ahem, 'more mature' audience), a TV movie, books, audiobooks, boardgames, a videogame and, well, pretty much everything you can think of.
What's the format of the show?
Thirteen 45 minute episodes a year, accompanied by an hour-long Christmas special, which airs later in the year, surprisingly, at Christmas. This format can change slightly but by and large remains the same. This year, as it was last year, the series will be split into two - one half in 2012 and the other in 2013.
If I were so inclined, what is the recommended watching?
Different people will give you different lists, but generally, if you're going to watch New Who, this is the cream of the crop (or just the ones with important story elements, whatever). Series finales and openers are always included - because they're important to the story - but they can be of questionable quality. The best episodes will usually be within the series:
Series 1 (27):
- Rose
- Dalek
- The Empty Child [Part 1]
- The Doctor Dances [Part 2]
- Bad Wolf [Part 1] [Series Finale]
- The Parting of the Ways [Part 2]
Series 2 (28):
- The Christmas Invasion
- Tooth and Claw
- The Girl in the Fireplace
- The Impossible Planet
- The Satan Pit
- Army Of Ghosts [Part 1] [Series Finale]
- Doomsday [Part 2]
Series 3 (29):
- The Runaway Bride
- Smith and Jones
- Gridlock
- 42
- Human Nature [Part 1]
- Family of Blood [Part 2]
- Blink
- Utopia [Part 1] [Series Finale]
- Sound of Drums [Part 2]
- Last of the Time Lords [Part 3]
Series 4 (30):
- Partners in Crime
- Silence in the Library [Part 1]
- Forest of the Dead [Part 2]
- Midnight
- The Stolen Earth [Part 1] [Series Finale]
- Journey's End [Part 2]
'The Specials':
- The Waters of Mars
- The End of Time [2-Parter] [Series Finale]
Series 1, 5, 31, 2010 or Fnarg (31):
- The Eleventh Hour
- The Beast Below
- Time of Angels [Part 1]
- Flesh and Stone [Part 2]
- Vampires in Venice
- Amy's Choice
- Vincent and The Doctor
- The Lodger
- The Pandorica Opens [Part 1] [Series Finale]
- The Big Bang [Part 2]
Series 6 (32), Part 1:
- A Christmas Carol
- The Impossible Astronaut [Part 1]
- Day of the Moon [Part 2]
- The Doctor's Wife
- The Rebel Flesh [Part 1]
- The Almost People [Part 2]
- A Good Man Goes to War [Series Finale]
Series 6 (32), Part 2:
- Let's Kill Hitler
- The Girl Who Waited
- The Wedding of River Song
What are the basics of Doctor Who lore?
The expanded Doctor Who universe is as - if not more - massive and daunting as something like Star Wars or, um, Star Trek. Or Stargate.
The basics then: The Doctor is a 900ish-year-old (it changes depending on who you ask - and he's aged a few hundred years since the start of the series) Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. He has two hearts, a sonic screwdriver that does almost everything - but it doesn't work on wood - and can regenerate when fatally injured, which handily explains the eleven (canon) actors who have portrayed him. He can supposedly only regenerate twelve times, and has used ten of these up [UPDATE: it's been confirmed there is now no limit on regenerations]. Time will only tell if he can escape this death clause [he has]. Aliases include John Smith, Doctor Who (as in "The Doctor? Doctor Who?") and his real name, *inaudible whisper*. He is the last of his kind; his species having been destroyed in the Time War with the Daleks, which is time locked... although both sides have found ways to escape the conflict on numerous occasions.
He travels in The TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space). Its chameleon circuit malfunctioned, leaving it stuck disguised as a blue police telephone box. The TARDIS is bigger on the inside than on the outside, with sprawling staircases and corridors, a swimming pool, a library... most of which you oddly never see on-camera. It travels in space and time, impressively - and has also been known to inconveniently pop into alternate dimensions. Oh, also, it's kind of sentient. Doesn't say much, mind you.
Traditionally, The Doctor travels with a 'Companion' or 'Assistant'. In New Who, he'll usually have a primary female companion and occasionally a male supplementary companion who'll tag along for an adventure or two. Currently, The Doctor travels with young, attractive, ginger Amy Pond and her new husband, Rory. Or alone. That's not as boring as it sounds by the way.
The enemies/monsters are part of what makes Doctor Who. There are the iconic pepperpot-shaped Daleks, the steel-coated Cybermen, the growth-stunted, potato-headed Sontarans, the inanimate-only-when-you're-looking Weeping Angels, the dastardly bastard that is The Doctor's fellow Time Lord, The Master - who's dead... for now. Oh, and yes - there's the Silence; a sort of alien illuminati who you forgot about when they're out of sight. Basically, it's a long list and you wouldn't want to read it in its entirety. Probably.
How does time travel work in Doctor Who?
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey... stuff. It will pay to remember this.
I'm American. How do I watch the latest series if I don't want to torrent it (like a monster)?
Yeah, uh, wait and see on that one.
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