Plot
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord - a time travelling, humanoid alien known as the Doctor. He explores the universe in his 'TARDIS', a sentient, telepathic time-and-space-travel machine that flies through the time vortex. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, a common sight in Britain in 1963, when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, the Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilisations, help ordinary people, and right wrongs.

Who is the Doctor?
The Doctor is the last surviving member of a race known as the Time Lords from the planet Gallifrey. He travels through time and space using a craft called the TARDIS, usually with a companion (or two), averting any crisis he comes across using science, technology, and wit. As a Time Lord, he has the ability to regenerate, or change his appearance and personality when mortally wounded. Although the series is titled Doctor Who, this is not the character's name: he is only ever referred to as The Doctor and his real name has never been revealed. (You may see the usage of Dr. Who in the cast credits of the original series: this is a longstanding error that the BBC never corrected until the 1980s; it was repeated in the 2005 series with Christopher Eccleston being credited as "Doctor Who" but it was corrected when David Tennant took over.)

What is the TARDIS? And why does it look like a 1960s police box?
TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. It is a spacecraft time machine which the Doctor stole from a museum on his home planet of Gallifrey. Because the doctor stole the TARDIS, he does not fully know how to control the Semi-sentient control system, causing the time travelling capabilities to sometimes go off course. Although it seems too small and cramped for a multi-person time machine/spacecraft, the interior occupies space in another dimension meaning it is bigger on the inside. The exterior became stuck after a component of its cloaking device, the chameleon circuit, was damaged in the first epsiode (Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child (#1.1) 1963) while assuming the shape of a police box to blend in with 1960s Earth. One other thing: the TARDIS is alive, though it cannot communicate with the Doctor in traditional manner, which has been a plot point on a few occasions dating back to 1964, and continuing into the current series.

What is Regeneration?
When a Time Lord is mortally wounded or hurt, they are able to use a process called regeneration. Regeneration is a process in which all the cells in the body are replaced with new ones. The result is a completely new appearance. Since the brain cells are revived, a change in personality usually occurs. Even though the Doctor has changed several times, he still retains the same memories of his previous selves and remains a force for good, even though his priorities sometimes change.

According to the 1976 storyline "The Deadly Assassin" (and since reaffirmed several times in the 1963-89 series and 1996 TV movie), a Time Lord can only regenerate 12 times, for a total of 13 incarnations. With the current series now on the 11th Doctor, it is assumed that this limit will be dealt away with at some point.

Where should I start watching Doctor Who?
Both the first episode of series 1 (Rose) and the first episode of series 5 onwards (The Eleventh Hour) were designed with the purpose of introducing new viewers to the show. These are two of many "jumping in points" created over the years for new viewers, as there are almost no carryover storylines from previous series, and in both instances the whole cast and show runner complete change, creating what is essentially a new show with a new tone.

It is not necessary to know anything of the stories, the movie or series before Season 5 to understand the shows current arc. But as they are all connected, eventually viewing some of the earlier stories becomes almost mandatory, especially those from the 2005 to 2010 era.

Old Thread
Series 5 Trailer

Gj on excluding old Who (¬､¬)

Good tread, Count_Duckula. I think you did a good job in explaining the series to those who haven't seen it yet, even if you did exclude the old Doctors, ect.
In all honesty I would probably do the same thing when introducing friends to the series.
I once introduced a friend to the series and advised not to start it from the beginning. He would end up in an seemingly endless cycle of catching up to the current series that it will seem more like work than fun. I simply told him to watch the current season and let the previous episodes from previous seasons flow to him when he seems fit to do so.
I originally started watching Doctor Who in 8th grade, sadly there was a massive gap in my viewing from 9th to 11th, and I'm currently getting back into it. I must say, it is a delight to view older episodes.

>>2 >>3
I copied the question off the FAQ section on IMDB. I definitely think if people want to start Doctor Who they should do it from New Who. Although good, Classic Who has aged quite a considerable amount and I doubt the first episodes of it would grab any new fans. Not to mention it's size would put people off. Doctor Who has no continuous plot so there's not much reason to watch it all start to finish in the correct order.

This is my favorite show right now.

Can't wait for this to come back on again. After the christmas episode, I got really bummed out cause now we have to wait more. :( *le sad.

They've announced the next episode is coming out 30th March but disappointingly the 50th anniversary is only going to be celebrated with one 60 minute episode.

I love this show so much!!!!!<3 <3 <3 The 11th doctor is actually the first doctor I saw and I'm slowly going back to watch and watching it all(yes even the first doctor even though the acting and graphics suck e.g. most of the doctors but that doesnt matter). I've been getting all my friends to watch it and they all love it (we're all science fiction/fantasy junkies). This is an amazing show that deserves so much... <3
P.S. I owe my mom's boyfriend for telling me this.... hes so cool T-T

I love this show so much!!!!!<3 <3 <3 The 11th doctor is actually the first doctor I saw and I'm slowly going back to watch and watching it all(yes even the first doctor even though the acting and graphics suck e.g. most of the doctors but that doesnt matter). I've been getting all my friends to watch it and they all love it (we're all science fiction/fantasy junkies). This is an amazing show that deserves so much... <3
P.S. I owe my mom's boyfriend for telling me this.... hes so cool T-T

Always love some Doctor Who.

I saw some commercials back in 2005 but I wasn't interested (the commercial itself was misleading, made me think the main character had amnesia)until the day before Matt Smith started his first season. I saw a special on the show and the monsters, the mythology, the history-it was perfect!

I watched the first episode of Eleven's new season the next day and I've been a fan ever since. I wanna go back and watch everything since 2005, but alas: No time, shitty downloading speed, and no money for DVDs. ):

At best I catch some Tennant era episodes on reruns. The Waters of Mars scared the shit out of me.

My brother told me about Doctor Who a few years back and I just LOVE The Doctor!! I feel like I'm the only one who understands him!! Lol!!

I found out about Doctor Who through memebase.com's fandom section. I didn't care much of it at that time, but it kept popping up with Doctor Who memes. Sometime after that my cousin started and recomended it to me. So I finally sat down and watched some episods and thought it was amazing. I couldn't be more happy that I found the show :D

David tennant was my favorite Dr.

They killed Amy and Rory I'm very sad

>>14 Technically they were sent into the past and lived out the rest of their lives normally. Uh, it's not really 'killed'.

Anyone else looking forward to the anniversary ep? All the doctors are going to be in it :D

>>16 That hasn't been confirmed in any way and is actually impossible considering the first 3 actors are dead now.

U have to watch all the seasons!! its just not the same if u watch only season 5 onwards! i admit that matt smith is certainly the best doctor so far but c'mon, David tennant rocked too! plus the arcs in the previous seasons were awesome!
Also The character river song has been introduced before season 5 not to mention almost all the main monsters!
Anyhoo, to end this... All i would say is if u even enjoyed a single episode of dw somewhr in s5 then u must watch all the seasons because they are as epic!

>>18
WHAT. No, no, no. David Tennant was definitely the best doctor.
Matt Smith is okay I guess, but no one has truly beat David Tennant. In my opinion at least.
And. Why do people forget Doctors 1-8? Then again, this is the 2005 thread. *shrugs*

Also, some people skip Nine because it's just one season and they hear too many good things about David Tennant. Don't skip Nine, Christopher Eccleston is awesome.

And having watched old Trek, maybe I'll start watching more old Who at some point too.

Bump
(I challenge someone to type out a TARDIS)

TARDIS

done

>>23 I meant that in a way where it's the shape of the TARDIS.

>>24 No.

Nyaaaaa i adore doctor who!!! one of my fav shows :)))) i wanna live in tardis x.x like, watch anime in it, make private parties and come out of it and be like sup ppl, i just finished my phone call, whos next? xD

So Matt Smith will be leaving the show after this year's Christmas special.

I can't say I'm particularly emotional about this news. Mostly because the name I'm waiting to hear leave the show is another one.

I like Matt as the Doctor, but my enjoyment of the show has gone through /a lot/ of ups and downs recently and I wouldn't mind in the lest to have a new person in charge. Steven Moffat has had his run - good, great, questionable, however you feel about it - and after the 50th anniversary and Matt leaving it would be a great time to let somebody else play in the sandbox.

Other than that though, I really feel for people who had Matt as their first and favorite Doctor. It's not easy seeing 'your Doctor' leave :(

Has anyone who seen the last episode of the season thought of this?
They Introduced John Hurt as the Doctor, and they make you think he's the next doctor.
But what if, as 11 had said, "I said he was me, I never said he was the doctor"
HURT: "What I did, I did without choice. In the name of Peace, and sanity"
Smith: "But not in the name of the doctor!"

11 clearly knows who he is and what he did. How can he know if it's his future self?
Clara found his real name in the Tardis's library, in a book called "The Last Great Time War"...

I don't think he's the 12th doctor, but the regeneration in between the 8th and 9th doctor.

The one who ended the Time War and committed the Genocide of his own people.

That's who I think John Hurt's character is.

that's my theory anyway, thoughts anyone?

Amanda Bynes for the 12th Doctor!

i really want to start watching doctor who...but there's so many seasons!!

Lol I still haven't watched The Name of the Doctor. I probably will before the anniversary episode comes out, I'm just kind of afraid of it, not in an excited way, more in an apprehensive way.

Kinda Bashing it, but so what))
@40 There isn't much to be excited or worried about, because the episode... lets say it let me down. I'd just watch it and get it over with.

>>42 well, yes, it does explain a lot, but on the other hand, they were building towards that moment since the last season and I think a lot of people had high expectations because of that, myself included. It's a good episode and all, but it's not even the best one of the season and it could have been done a lot better.

>>42 I hope that's a (not very successful) joke, because having blind faith in a show is silly. Of course you're allowed to feel disappointed.

And you have no way of knowing that >>44

We can only hope. John Hurt sounds promising. And then there's that special coming up, the one with David Tennant. Should be fun :)

Yeah, but even a short appearance is something to look forward to. Wonder who the next Doctor will be...

>>39 i think jhon hurt's doctor is the first doctor, before the regeneration to become the first one, before looking at the time vortex in Gallifrey

My favorite Doctor is David Tennant (The 10th Doctor)and it forever will be. <3

**possible spoilers**

I'm going to watch the 50th Anniversary before I cast judgment, but at the moment I am far from happy with the new 9th Doctor business. And I wasn't sure how Ten would be roped into this and I just feel uncomfortable with where Steven Moffat is going with it.
Although I am intrigued by a quote I saw involving the episode "Don't Blink." Ten was running through the street when he sees Sally Sparrow, then says, "Gotta dash. Things happening. Well, four things. Well, four things and a lizard."
The main "team" right now is composed of five members: Eleven, Clara, Strax, Jenny, and Vastra (lizard woman from the dawn of time, as she says). This could also be John Hurt's Doctor, Eleven, Clara, the new threat, and Vastra.
And apparently in the released screenshots, Tennant is wearing what he wore in that scene, but that doesn't really mean much since he sort of wore similar outfits throughout his run.
So until the episode comes out, my theory stands that the 50th anniversary episode takes place during that strange scene in "Don't Blink" for Ten.

>>53 Hmmm I went and looked at the scene you mentioned in Blink and some pics from the anniversary episode filming.

This and this is him in Blink. He's wearing a brown suit, it's striped even though you can't really see in the pics because I was too lazy to look for something more HQ. His shirt is also blue, but he isn't wearing a tie. (On a different note how many layers is he wearing my god)

The big difference is that in the set photos he's wearing a tie with blue roses on it and doesn't seem to have his coat. It not really conclusive either way.

In Blink they were also saying something about lizards hatching, so that can't really have anything to do with Vastra. But the biggest thing that doesn't fit with the episode taking place at that particular point in time is that Rose is supposed to be in it, but the Doctor doesn't see her at all between Doomsday and the end of season 4.

I'm sorry for this, I must be bored.

>>54 Oh yeah, now I remember something about Billie Piper being in it. You're right, that doesn't make any sense. There goes my continuity theory. Now I'm kind of dreading this episode.

>>56 Didn't Riversong say that just before her archeological trip, the Doctor came to visit, seemed very sad and gave her the screwdriver before he left?

I always fall in love with an episode once "I am the Doctor" starts playing in the background. Who is one of my main fandoms. ^^ Though, Classic Who seems interesting... but I can't find it anywhere online!

>>59 I think a chunk of Classic Who was destroyed, too, if I remember right. The BBC is trying to compile them together from viewers who taped them or other countries' broadcast copies, but I know they lost at least 100 of the original copies sometime in the 1970s.
In short, Classic is hard to find.

I found a torrent of the original classics way back when. But due to hardware failure i lost it all. Don't know if the torrent is still seeding or not. But after seeing this post, I kinda want to find them again.

The dr. Is awsome

The new Doctor is Peter Capaldi, bbc has just announced it. Looks promising so far...

God bless Peter Capaldi. If it weren't for the fact that I'm absolutely tired of anything Moffat chooses to do with this show, I'd actually be excited.

I'm just pretty done giving second and third chances, I just want somebody else to write it so that I may try to like it again.

I began watching from Season 5 when my friend let me borrow his dvds...I've been hooked ever since. Matt Smith is my favorite doctor and it will be sad to see him go, but I am also excited for Capaldi and feel confident he will be a good doctor since he himself is a whovian

Peter Capaldi is coming on... I've been a fan since about... 2011? I haven't watched Classic Who (since I can't find it online...). I just love it. Matt Smith is definitely my favourite doctor. Capaldi seems interesting... I wonder how he will turn out? I actually really want to know how he will dress o.o

feels! david tennant is amazing. that's why i recognized him. he was the fake mad eye in harry potter 4. AMG. SPAZ.

i anticipate series eight even though im not yet finished with series seven. xD

Doctor who > every single tv show in the world

>>67 and he can also come back in any of the newer series they make as his human clone XD

I love this show so much! Who's ready for the 50th?

>>70
I AM! *raises hand*

I'm pretty annoyed that 1D day is the same day as the Doctor Who anniversary.

I don't care about 1D, I like them, I just don't want everyone to forget about Doctor Who. D:

>>72
I highly doubt anyone will be forgeting the 50th anniversary.
At least not us or every tumblr user ever.

Whovians here? Am I in heaven? :D
Oh I am so happy :DD

Oh my bajesas I love Doctor Who so muchh but its too bad Matt Smith isn't there anymore

I know. So many people seemed to hate Matt Smith, but i really don't see what the problem was. The latest series was a bit hit and miss, but Doctor Who always is, isn't it?

I love Doctor Who ^^ Theres gonna be a new doctor and i dont think i like him :( but I cant wait for the Doctor Who 3D Movie ^^ :3

New Episode coming soon, takes him back to the Last Great Time War and The Moment!!!!!
sadly my cable bills were too high and had to get rid of it, now I don't have BBC America!!!!!!!!!!!! crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaapppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!

AHH~ I literally can't wait for the new episode!!! I'm gonna miss Matt Smith though...

If you guys wanna see the new episode of the 50th anniversary of Doctor who you can watch it at this website for free .w. !!
http://www.cokeandpopcorn.ch/watch-doctor-who-season-7-episode-16-online.php

Use the internet links you can also watch other tv shows here !! And no it's not a virus.

I LOVE DOCTOR WHO!!!!!! Yes I just had to do it.. AHHHHHHH

I watched the day of the doctor episode the day I came out. With everyone else in the house. Yup, psyched for the new doctor.

ha GAY

A pretty good article about why people might have a problem with Day of the Doctor or Doctor Who in the last few years in general.

I just rewatched The Fires of Pompeii and cried like an stupid baby. It was made to mirror things we knew of the Time War on purpose and it was pretty effective.

The Day of the Doctor had some nice fuzzy feelings in it and probably felt very satisfying for many, but in retrospect I can't accept it. It would have been so much more powerful and cathartic if the three of them had pushed that button together. As acknowledgement that the burden belongs not to a single doctor, but to all of them, as acceptance that as terrible the act was, it was indeed the decision that needed to be made.

If the intention was to move The Doctor away from the Time War and from the angst that characterized him for the most part in New Who, this would have been enough. Acceptance as a final stage of his grief and moving forward. In fact, Eleven barely mentioned the Time War at all and seemed for the most part to have moved on, his angst came from supposedly other sources.

Bringing Gallifray back of course opens up a whole world of possibilities for the show, but considering how bendy its rules are, tampering with an event that stood at the base of rebooted Who was not really necessary in order to bring it back. And speaking about rules, who knows how many of them, that the show had established at one point or another, were nonchalantly broken in this massive interference in the Doctor's timeline. (And it just adds to the Doctor's all-powerful image, which he didn't always have; there were many things he could not do and had to live with, but this episode opens up the possibility that it would be in his power to undo, redo and change anything in the universe if given the right circumstances, he is a lot less fallible than he has ever been).

And sitting down and thinking about it, the Doctor's sympathy for Gallifray and the Time Lords seems at least a bit odd in retrospect. How terrible they had become is mentioned in New Who in The End of Time, but in The Day of the Doctor only the innocents of Gallifray are brought up and nothing is said about its leaders and their plans. And so it's not just about New Who, even though I have very little experience with Classic, the Doctor never seemed to be fond of his home planet as seen in >>80. The Doctor left Gallifray to travel the universe because he didn't really like it there, he was a rebel, an eccentric, a renegade. Painting Gallifray as his ultimate destination, as "home" is odd. Though, I suppose, not entirely unacceptable if it gets further developed. He's been through a lot, so "home" as a concept might look really good to him at this point in his life.

I feel a bit bad for being negative. The 50th special was pretty good as a standalone, it was hopeful and exciting, but when considered alongside the rest of the show more than a few things don't really fit well with one another.

And I think it's entirely reasonable to be critical towards a retcon, I mean, they're very rarely seen as good things in general.

Personsal Favorites of the recent season:

When they sing the song while Ahknanten is waking(The gaint parasite star).I LOVED the Doctor describing the things he has seen over his long life.

Next up, When the doctor goes into his own timeline to save Clara and he tells her WHO the mystery man is. Quote:"A name is like a promise,the Doctor is the promise I made those years ago!...Hes the one who broke the promise..." Quote 2: "What I did, I did for the peace...""BUT NOT IN THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR."

Honestly that episode had many good intense quotes...

And finally...the 50th aniversery special...by god,can I simply call this episode genius? So many things in this episode honestly made me leap in excitement.

Oh...and I have a friend leaving a message for you next,enjoy :)

Hello Boys.

Now normally I would probally say Spoilers.Not this time,Im leaving you with a 'little' hint.

The Doctor saved Galifrey, and the Curator said he had alot that would be coming soon...heres a hint. If Galifrey stands, well...some old enemies will be coming back.

It was as he was departing from the gallery that housed Gallifrey Falls No More that a sudden thought hit him. The actions of the High Council of Gallifrey had not been wiped out by his saving of the planet, because the planet had gotten moved and moved back before he had frozen the planet and lost it somewhere. Since those actions hadn't been erased...
Since those actions hadn't been erased...
"Oh crap! I think I just saved Rassilon and the Master."

I spelled Gallifrey wrong.... haha please hit me.

Yeah I really wonder what he's gonna do about the fact that the planet is populated by a quite a lot of assholes >>89

As a total whovian myself, I AM LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF THIS! Also gonna miss matt smiths departure as The Doctor.

I think everyone should give this show a chance it has many different views on humanity and it's just fantastic!

Am I one of the only person who looks at Colin Baker's (6th Doctor) multi-coloured coat and go... "Yep, I would wear that. Anywhere and anytime" Seriously, it's 'Brilliant'. (I know it's way off the 50th gajabber but idc)

Y'all should totally check out The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, if you haven't already. It's a behind the scenes spoof for the 50th anniversary starring Peter Davison (5th Doctor), Sylvester McCoy (7th Doctor), Colin Baker (6th Doctor) with cameos from a lot of other people involved in the show and in the anniversary special. It's really fun even if you're not familiar with most/any of the pre-9 Doctors and the whole thing is available to watch on the BBC website.

Another thing related to the 50th that I watched recently is An Adventure in Space and Time, a docudrama about the creation of the show. Unlike The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, it's feature film length, but it's a really good watch and got me really emotional towards the end. Here, I'll even give you a link to it!

Was the Christmas Special really an episode of a tv show, because it felt as coherent as something my mind could come up with in a fever dream.

I'm working my way through all the seasons. I'm at the eighth season now, i.e the third doctor. I'm still a bit sad about seeing 2 and Jamie go, because wow they were so married it's not even funny. Also, Jamie was the bee's knees, am I right?

Thoughts on how the new doctor will be after Matt Smith leaving?

I've actually stopped watching Doctor Who religiously now because of how Moffat is writing the story. I just really hate what he's doing to it because he's screwing around with canon so much to the point where he makes the huge-ass plot holes which give him the excuse to go back and use it to change so much of what Doctor Who already established. I just want him gone tbh.

i am also interessted how they will explain all the paradoxons moffat created in the 50th aniversity

>>103 Well you say "they", but it's still just Moffat. Judging by how things have gone so far, chances are it's just going to get handwaved.

God damn Capaldi is too good for Moffat's increasingly shitty writing. I can't pretend to be moderate about it anymore I just want him gone.

^

I'll just leave this here.

9th was my first doctor. He was fantastic.
10th was the 2nd, but he was brilliant.
11th in my opnion, was just hilarious and awesome.
and I can't wait for 12th's performance! :D

9th was my first doctor. He was fantastic.
10th was the 2nd, but he was brilliant.
11th in my opnion, was just hilarious and awesome.
and I can't wait for 12th's performance! :D

>>1 The TARDIS is Time And Relative Dimension In Space

the feels were too much when Clara would say " 11th's hour is over now, the clock is striking 12" 11 was my favorite doctor. I also like how they tried to incorporate rose into his final episode.

>>110 Did you even open the thread in another tab to see the complete OP text? Obviously not as this is probably the best made thread on this site and he answers his own question far better than you have. But claps for you because you know what TARDIS stands for you genius

When is the new season due to come out?

I don't think it's been officially announced yet, but sometime in autumn probably >>112

>>112 >>113 august, but no more specific than that

I was watching "The Fires of Pompeii" (E2S04) when in the minute 4 with 44 seconds a Wild Peter Capaldi appears...

Steven Moffat to remain Doctor Who showrunner for series 9

Why this. Why me.

I LOVE dr who

Wow this thread is still on the top of the list huh.

I can't wait for the next season.

I get why everyone likes the 10th doctor, but I personally like the 11th best (not to offend anyone or their opinions) just because he was my first doctor.

√2

boop I haven't seen anything of the new season yet, I don't know when I will :/

Hm, I can never decide between 9, 10, or 11 on who my favorite is because they all have their own unique personalities during different points on the Doctor's life. I'm even warming up to 12 from the couple of episodes of the new series I've seen. Though I still say 3 and 4 will always be my first two favorites from the older gen. :)