Madman with a Box

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Doctor Who was one of those shows that I kept meaning to watch but was always daunted by the investment it required. I mean, it's a lot of seasons. Even if you just wanted to begin with the BBC reboot, like I did, that's still 9 seasons and a bunch of specials to catch up on. Then during my little Christmas week staycation, I decided to give it a shot.

Cut to end of February and I had binged through the whole thing and didn't regret it one bit. I fell in love with the Doctor (he tends to have that affect on people!) and the crazy life he led. It's not a show that's for everyone but if you like sci-fi, adventures, wonderful characters and don't mind suspending your disbelief (especially over fuzzy plot lines), you're in for a wild ride. I wish I could tell you every single thing I thought about the series but I could never do so succinctly and it's best to just watch it yourself. I do want to do two things with this post: share some tips for Doctor Who soon-to-be newbies (because obviously at this point I've convinced you to watch) and two, share my favorites in a non-spoilery way.

Tips

1. Know what you're in for! As per wikipedia: "The program depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called The Doctor, an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey. He explores the universe in a time-traveling space ship called the TARDIS. Accompanied by a number of companions, the Doctor combats a variety of foes, while working to save civilizations and help people in need."
2. Don't judge the show based on Season 1. It takes a while to hit its stride and cinematically, it looks very, very dated. But then the characters and the emotional hooks they begin to layer in start to surprise you and get you invested. At least in my experience! Season 2 made me a fan. 
3. Use this guide on what's the correct order to watch all the episodes and specials in. I didn't find this until I was almost done watching and it would've been so helpful to have from the beginning. Instead I relied mostly on friends (thanks Alexa!) and lots of googling to figure it out. 
4. It's only available on Amazon Prime but they have all the seasons and the Christmas specials. 
5. The Doctor regenerates. I knew this on some level but I mention it now because you will get attached to some more than others. I was advised to take 2 week breaks in between Doctors I really loved and it was definitely the right idea. (Even though I didn't always follow it!) 
6. Same goes for the companions. You will love some and you will absolutely hate some (I'm looking at you Clara Oswald and Martha Jones) but don't be discouraged by that. 

Favorites

Ten's smile, you guys

Doctor: Ten aka David Tennant
Companion: Rose Tyler (followed closely by Amy & Rory Pond)
Special category of her own: River Song
Seasons: 2, 4, 6 and 7 (first half only)
Saying: three-way tie between "Spoilers!" "Allons-y!" and how David Tennant says "What?!"

Episodes: [in no particular order & I am probably missing a bunch]
“Blink” (S3E10)
“Doomsday” (S2E13)
“Silence in the Library” (S4E8)
“The Stolen Earth” (S4E12)
“The End of Time” (5th Christmas special)
“A Good Man Goes to War” (S6E7)
“The Angels Take Manhattan” (S7E5)
“The Husbands of River Song” (11th Christmas special)

And with that, I won't say any more because..

Watch the show! 

Or fangirl with me if you're already a fan!