W.T.F. is ‘Doctor Who’?: first four episodes you need to start
By Sam Callahan
There we have it! A beginner’s guide to starting Doctor Who.
The best episodes to show his soul, his relationships with others, his badassery… The episodes that best introduce you to who he is and what’s important about the show as a whole.
“Blink” taught us about his reach through time, his influence on everything around him, while also gently guiding us through simple time travel.
“The Beast Below” is when we learn what it is to be alone in the universe and immensely kind.
“Vincent and the Doctor” shows how fixing one problem doesn’t necessarily fix all of them, but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep trying.
“The Girl in the Fireplace” demonstrates the depth of his love and, consequently, the depth of his hurt.
It is really difficult to dwindle it down to four stories, especially without talking with you all personally.
We haven’t even gotten into my favorite character, River Song: a fellow time-traveling companion who shows up once or twice a season.
Or “The Girl Who Waited,” from season 6, which is a beautifully tragic episode highlighting the love between Amy and Rory, the Eleventh Doctor’s companions.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the two episodes written by my personal favorite author, poet, screenwriter, Renaissance man Neil Gaiman “The Doctor’s Wife” in season 6, and “Nightmare in Silver” in season 7. The first I can’t tell you about without completely spoiling it, and the second is a fun Cyberman revival episode set at an amusement park in space.
Wait, wait, I should stop– the whole point was to not overwhelm you, right?
Well, there will be other slideshows and other lists I can make for you, add to this list, and continue the journey together.
The Whoniverse is huge and at times overwhelming, even for me. It expands out to novelizations, podcasts, radio dramas, comic books, and museums.
Next: What you need to know about the new Doctor Who showrunner, Chris Chibnall
Most of all, it is filled with people who revere the Doctor for his compassion, his fairness, and his strength. We are a loving and welcoming group, and we will guide you through as best we can. Together.
