So you want to watch Doctor Who?

So your friends are geeking out about the new season of Doctor Who. They insist that you have to see it but the show looks strange and confusing. On top of that you’re not even sure where to start. That’s where this handy guide comes in.

Before we begin you should know a little about what you’re getting into. Doctor Who started in the sixties as a television series about a time traveling alien who liked to bring human companions along in his spaceship for shenanigans. The alien is called the Doctor, his spaceship is a blue police box called the TARDIS, and his species is time lord.

This is exactly the sort of shenanigan you can expect.

Instead of dying like humans do, time lords regenerate (code for turns into a new actor.) So when people talk about their favorite doctor they’re really talking about their favorite actor. The old Doctor Who that ran from 1963-1989 had eight Doctors. The series rebooted in 2005 and picked up with the Ninth Doctor. (For a list of the series in order visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doctor_Who_serials)

Since you don’t want to start watching in the middle of a storyline, it’s best to start with a new regeneration. Most storylines wrap up when one actor leaves and a new actor takes his place. Often the human companions stay the same for a season or two to help the audience transition to a new Doctor. Each actor brings different characteristics to the role and the writers frequently change so if you don’t like one Doctor you should still give the next one a try. Despite these changes remember that the Doctor is always the same man.

Option 1: The Ninth Doctor, Season 1 Episode 1 “Rose.”

If you’re patient and you don’t mind cheesiness then start with the 2005 reboot. I didn’t like it at first because...well...it’s strange. Now I love it the way a mother loves an ugly child, but at the time I arched an eyebrow and shook my head while silently mouthing “no.” By the time I made it to the third episode I found myself strangely entranced. It’s a show with plot holes big enough to drive a monster truck through, the CGI is ridiculous, and the bad guys are just robots with toilet plungers for arms. Yet there’s this touching optimism to it. Underlying every episode is the belief that humans are extraordinary, each of us is capable of heroism, and that we are worth fighting for. So give this season a fair chance.

Intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism--that the Ninth Doctor in a nutshell.

Option 2: The Tenth Doctor, Christmas Special “The Christmas Invasion.”

This is my favorite Doctor. He’s simultaneously goofy and dramatic. His seasons are unskippable. If you just can’t make it through the Ninth Doctor then this is a good place to start. It’s less cheesy, and the adventures are just cool, and funny, and sad, and all the emotions at once. If you suspend your disbelief you will go on a journey my friend.

Just roll with it

When I was going through a rough time with some medical issues I rewatched all of the Tenth Doctor’s episodes. I don’t watch a lot of television so it took me months to get through them. It did exactly what you want television to do: distract you for a short time and leave you genuinely happier than you were before. I credit the Tenth Doctor with dispelling much of the gloom that I was carrying around with me then.

Wedding or no wedding we have to save the world!

Option 3: The Eleventh Doctor, Season 5 Episode 1 “The Eleventh Hour.”

The Eleventh doctor is dapper.

Maybe you’re not interested in watching the whole series. Maybe you just want to catch up on the most recent Doctor. That’s fine. As always you can just start with a new doctor, blank slate. It’s a tone shift from the previous seasons since they have a new head writer. The optimism is still there, but there are fewer happy endings. It’s also the least cheesy and the plots are a bit tighter. So even if Nine and Ten weren’t your style you should still give Eleven a shot.

Charming and scary all at once.

Option 4: The First Doctor, Season 1 Episode 1, “An Unearthly Child.”

This one is for crazy completionists. It starts in the 60’s, the show is still in black and white, some of the episodes are lost, and Netflix plays them all out of order. If you absolutely love the show then go ahead and go back to the very beginning of Doctor Who, but I don’t recommend starting here.

Option 5: The Twelfth Doctor, Season 8 Episode 1, “Deep Breath”

This doctor seems a touch darker.

It premiers on August 23rd, 2014. We saw a glimpse of this Doctor during the big fiftieth anniversary episode, but he still remains a mystery. We know that this Doctor is older, less goofy, probably a bit darker. I’m excited to see a new Doctor, but it always takes me a few episodes to accept that this is really him.

This is an excellent place to start, you’ll be current, you can talk about it with your friends, and you can always go back and watch the older series later if you wish.

Whatever you choose, go in with the expectation that it will slowly make you a happier person.