Doctor Who

[novangla]

Dear Livejournal,

I tried. I watched the whole first episode of the new version of the show, and I tried to convince myself that I would like something involving time travel, but I just can't.

Too much sci-fi.

Too much appalling use of bad cgi.

If it were from 1985 I'd forgive it, but 2005? Just to clarify, the show that I just watched was aired during

Comments

[papermint]

I argue that Dr. Who is not trying to be a real show, because it is silly. Yes, the CGI is bad, but if you're starting at the start of season 1 of the new Who it picks up mid-season a bit. Alex and I started watching it over Christmas break despite the exact same hesitations (though not so much for the sci-finess) and liked it anyway.

[novangla]

That's good to here -- all of these points. I guess I've hated a lot of shows on first watch (I wanted to quit LOST after the pilot, and haaaated the first half of the BSG miniseries (I mean she kills a baby for goodness' sakes), and had to give Robin Hood a few episodes before I got over the cheese factor -- or maybe before they cut down on it), so maybe I need to persevere and see if I don't start liking it after a few episodes.

[applespicy]

NGL, I felt the same way when I tried to watch. I enjoyed a couple of the Christopher Eccleston episodes because I like him, but all the things you mentioned stood in the way of true enjoyment (except the scifi bit, because I love scifi). I could never really get into it.

[novangla]

Yeeeah. It's not even sci-fi itself -- obviously I like LOST and Battlestar and I liked the new Star Trek (though I am not like, a super trekkie person, too lazy) and used to be a huge X-Files fan. I think it was the alien sci-fi aspect? And maybe because I was like YES TIME TRAVEL and then it seemed to be more about weird space creatures and otherworldly things than forays into the past. Like, I flipped through some episode summaries and kept thinking like... why does the Victorian age need werewolves? Bleh. I may give it another chance, we'll see, but... yeah.

I think I will for now focus on finishing Caprica and rewatching BSG before this new other prequel spinoff comes out.

[skirmish_of_wit]

I didn't start with DW at the beginning. I caught an episode in the middle of the second series and then went back for the beginning. If you weren't into Eccleston -- and if you feel like giving the show another chance, which you may well not! -- you might start with the latest series (5), which is kind of an entirely fresh start: new show runner, new Doctor, new companion. This past season has been far and away my favorite, in spite of my Tennant fangirlishness.

[novangla]

I was thinking of that, yeah. I actually had no problem with Eccleston -- he was funny enough (though the new person looks super charming!). I think it was the strange plastic monsters and ooze that made me go "wait for seriouses?" I'll probably give it a second chance because SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SO MUCH LOVE and I am talking about people that generally have good taste, so yes.

[oliveoyl]

Can I recommend trying some superior episodes to see whether you like them? I would suggest, for instance, the Empty Child/Doctor Dances two-parter from S1, which is just great storytelling, minimum of sci-fi. Or Blink, an episode from S3, which is also really interesting, and Doctor-light. Okay now that I'm doing this I notice that I'm just suggesting Steven Moffat episodes, and as of S5 he's the showrunner! So maybe I'm just telling you to watch from the last season on, because I think it's gotten way better. But I'd like you to like it, because it's kind of my favorite thing!

[bluestalking]

That's because Moffat isn't stupid. Ergo, Moffat. PS I agreed with you and then noticed you're someone I know and love. <3

[ninepointfivemm]

I've tried multiple episodes of multiple doctors, and I just... This show is so bad. I *really* don't get all the cooing over it, as I've seen the supposed "best episodes," like the Blitz episodes and the like.

I like campy shit.

I do not like Doctor Who. Torchwood, however? Torchwood got me GOOD.