(no subject)

[camwyn]

Hoo, boy…

One of the people in my office is something of a fledgling geek. He's younger than me, though not by much, and I don't think he got the advantages I did of strong geekish reinforcement. He's very enthusiastic, though- very proud of finally having tracked down the entire run of Thundercats on DVD. Recently he asked me to help him find the GI Joe movie on DVD. He's ordered a few things from Thinkgeek, and I'm training him as a substitute computer person for when I’m not available.

Anyway. Point is. He's fond of Star Wars and he remembers the old Voyagers TV show, but he's never seen Doctor Who. He only barely caught a few commercials on the Scifi channel. I told him a few of the basics today ("time traveling space alien who looks just like a human, usually he's got someone from Earth with him as a traveling companion, that blue box is his ship and it's bigger on the inside, that's a Dalek and that's a Cyberman"), and he made a squeal of glee and awe when he saw that the series had existed from '63 to '89 just to start with. He's even cool with 'I'm serious, they had about enough money in the FX budget for a couple of boxes of tinfoil for a lot of the series'. But he's still never seen it.

Where do I start him? I'm thinking of handing him the first DVD from the Key to Time box set- have y'all got a better suggestion?

Comments

[ebony14.livejournal.com]

Maybe the Four (is it four, I can't remember) Doctors Special? It's got a bunch of the regulars, and it's a nice isolated story.

[sundre.livejournal.com]

I am watching this space with interest, as Dr Who is in my list of "Why haven't you watched this yet?"

Don't worry, I'll get to it.

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

I think Key to Time is a GREAT way to begin.

[isustrikanda.livejournal.com]

Ribos Operation (key to time #1) should be good--decent mix of scifi and horror, tightly put together, and even fairly well-produced.

Don't know what you've got around, so it's hard to tell--Horror of Fang Rock would also be a good one if he likes horror, Face of Evil for a decent scifi.

Curse of Fenric is a little involved, but one of the best ever. Five Doctors is a bit silly, but a decent introduction to everyone; I've started a few friends on that one just 'cause it's almost a primer on the series. I'd stay away from anything Dalek-, Master-, or Cyberman-heavy just 'cause they tend to focus more on the past, etc. than on the current storyline.

.....and I have just proven my geek cred, haven't I? oh, dear.

[maxineofarc.livejournal.com]

I thought I was the only person who remembered the old Voyagers TV show. O_o

[derien.livejournal.com]

Face of Evil is the first one with Leela, isn't it? And Horror of Fang Rock has her, too. I totally love The Talons of Weng Chiang for her, also, and her interactions with him and that other doctor they meet.

Curse of Fenric was completely confusing to me, but it did have Ace, and she, like Leela, kicks ass. I really liked the surrealism of those stories - the one where the Victorian house was really a sample-gathering space ship was good, but they might be a little difficult for a first timer. Perhaps the one where everyone is forced to act happy might be better?

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

I'd start him with YOUR favourites. Some of the episodes are very boring. And of course you will give him the five daily episodes that compose the story, not just a bit of the story in between. I've never seen the DVDs, but assume they contain entire stories.
Which Dr Who was your favourite?

[isustrikanda.livejournal.com]

Happiness Patrol! that one was fun! Ghost Light--the ep with the victorian house/ship, is probably a little too dense and incomprehensible for a first-timer.

face of evil sounds good for a second choice, but ribos is still good for first.

[the_croupier]

I'd go with Key to Time, even though I have no love for 'The Pirate Planet.' But otherwise it holds up well. I still think Four is a good Doctor for someone to start with.

I like the multi-Doctor eps, but I don't think I'd start someone off with one of them. I don't think they have their full, goofy impact until after you've had a chance to get invested in the series (not to mention Gallifreyan history).

But that's just my two coppers.

[quintus.livejournal.com]

Pyramids of Mars :-)

(The voice of Sutekh is the same guy who voiced the Beast in the latest episode "Satan Pit")

[taimatsu]

The Wolves of Fenric and The City of Death are stories I (as a fledgling Dr Who fan myself) found easy to get to grips with and not too long. I have a little more background than your chap, though. do show him the first episode at some point - but maybe not first!

[taimatsu]

D'oh, Curse of Fenric, obviously. Black Orchid is also great, if not typical.

[crispengray.livejournal.com]

Having been in a similar situation -- I saw no Dr. Who until about 3 years ago -- I can say I really enjoyed Tom Baker's run.

And the new run is fricken awesome.

[ymfaery]

Wasn't the star on that show the one who was playing Russian roulette with a gun filled with blanks and ended up brain dead?