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DoctorRy β Sarah Jane: Project Who 50
Published: 2011-04-20 10:34:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 780; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 7
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Elisabeth Sladen1948 - 2011
RIP Sarah Jane.
Project Who-50: [link]
The younger Sarah is here: [link]
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Comments: 48
I told you I watched the Invasion of the Bane which was good and the Revenge of the Slitheen which was also a good (in a standard sort of way). I preferred Invasion of the Bane. Then I watched Eye of the Gorgon, same standard brand of good. I love how RTD-ish and happy these stories are. Good ol' fashion adventure and happy.
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Revenge of the Slitheen is good because it introduces Clyde, but Bane was probably better overall. Gorgon is awesome - great cast and nice references to Sontarans. There's definitely an optimistic RTD feel about SJA, but there are some darker episodes as well that will surprise you - the show actually takes a few risk which is part of what impressed me about it. Plus there's some nice continuity not just with Doctor Who but within the series as a whole.
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RIP Elisabeth Sladen. <3
I actually have a question. Has Sarah Jane passed away, as well, or is she still alive off screen despite Elisabeth Sladen's passing?
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Sarah Jane is, happily, still alive. Rather sweetly the last episode of "The Sarah Jane Adventures" has the caption "and the story goes on...forever"
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That's very sweet. I've never really followed Doctor Who, and I was only introduced to 11 by a friend. I only really watch the show for River, But I'm HUGELY obsessed with Torchwood. What I've seen of Sarah Jane, I love, and I was quite saddened to hear that Elisabeth Sladen had passed away. Thanks for the reply, and I love your work, by the way.
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Thank you so much 
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Thanks for the link. Great work, once again. Even though I'm not a Whovian per se, I have been checking out some classic and nuWho. So far, in terms of classic companions, I adore Sarah Jane and Dodo (she so kooky XD), and I'm also a fan of Leela and Zoe.
I got into nuWho through a Whovian friend because of 11 and River. I love those two. And Jack and Martha, of course. I can't BLOODY STAND Rose and Amy, though. Any classic who companions you would suggest I check out?
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More than welcome
Not sure if you'd class him as a companion, but the Brigadier was wonderful, and I have a great affection for the original Romana, though that may have something to do with the fact I was madly in love with her for a very long time
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Well, Mary Tamm wasn't exactly hit with an ugly stick. XD
Thanks again.
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Hahahah
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I finished the Visitation. Was alright. I don't have an opinion on it because honestly? I was sort of multitasking homework and more listening to it. I'm not sure if that lizard outfit was really good or really bad and the android's face was a neat design, but the rest too busy. That's all I can say besides it reminds me of the Slitheen story. Oh and the highwayman was kind of nice to have around because he had no idea what was going on. Well he wavered between that and being an annoying comedy character.
On the other hand, I watched the Black Orchid. I was surprised it was only two episodes and very happy at that. Definitely a good story and for once it wasn't about aliens. With the tenth so much like the fifth, this story reminded me a lot of the Unicorn and the Wasp but good. Same kind of setting, family secrets, love, etc. The dancing music had a very happy atmosphere that was a good change in pace. Also thought it was great when the Doctor was trying to explain his case and then just says "Oh I give up."
Also I'm glad the Doctor didn't stay accused for long- that plot cliche can get old. What was funny was the cricket. Such a funny coincidence that there was a Doctor, a Master, and a cricket game. Honestly though, besides that it involves a ball, bat and is called cricket, I've no idea about the game. I cracked up because I had no idea if the Doctor knew how to play cricket or if he was even doing it right. Though apparently he's pretty good.
Is that really how one plays cricket? The way he flailed his arms when he threw that ball...
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Shame about The Visitation. I have to admit I've always quite liked the design of the Terileptils, but was never completely sold on the actual android face. Worked well as the grim reaper, but not quite as the android. And for Mace...mmm...I know what you mean.
Black Orchid is great - though oddly enough (and I only recently discovered this when the DVD was released) the regular cast hate it! I was shocked. It is a really great, pure historical, and the Doctor gets some great lines (Why do I *always* let my curiousity get the better of me?)
The cricket thing was brought in because Peter Davison is really good at cricket. And yes, clever lines in the show definitely
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Huh cricket's a funny thing. I didn't realize the Doctor's outfit was from the 1800's. I really like it. But why is it called cricket??
I'm starting part three of Earthshock. Definitely liking. Though the cybermen have silly voices. I still can't help laughing at them. "More powahhh!" I still like the sing-song cadence of the originals.
As for Adric, he's not so bad here. It'd odd that fight they had. I've never noticed what Adric points out but considering the real life actors and the fans, it makes sense. So I'm glad they got it out in the open and made up. Too bad this is the one where he dies, right?
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I have no idea why it's called cricket
Well, the Cybermen will have those voices for the remainder of the classic series
It is strange that Adric actually becomes most tolerable in his final story (which, of course, was written by the script editor, so maybe Eric Saward had finally gotten the hang of the character...). But it was nice that he and the Doctor sort of got their problems out in the open, and as I recall, there's a nice moment where you sort of get a hint of what it all comes from, and that is, Adric just doesn't respect the fifth like he did the fourth.
One day I might sit down and write about the companions motivations
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Oh no. Those two guys are the Cybermen for the rest of classic?! They sound way too human. But at least Banks is into the part.
Yeah I thought Adric's end was pretty ironic here. I did like how the companions addressed this though. They get lots more attention nowadays than back in the Hartnell times. Really like your insight about his difference in respect for the incarnations. Too bad they didn't expand on that.
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Yeah...I think Mark Hardy skips attack of the Cybermen, but David Banks IS the CyberLeader from this point on
Yeah, poor old Adric. Finally gets tolerable, and bang...off he goes. And it did seriously impact them which was nice. I like this idea that Adric deeply respected the fourth Doctor but had no time for the fifth (as displayed when he says that the Doctor's new incarnation is more immature than his predecessor), but sadly, the fifth Doctor was probably nicer to Adric than the fourth ever was. Adric's a masochist
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Hmm lately I've been thinking about drawing some Doctors. Very seldom do I get inspired enough to draw anything. I know I've got a half-finished Tom Baker drawing laying around somewhere. I'm really celebrating finishing Baker here. It feels like I'm now near the end of classic Who (despite several more seasons to go).
Also- did the Brigadier ever meet 10 and 11 (SJAs)? I know 1-5 and 7...
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Draw them, draw them!!!
No, sadly the Brig never met the 10th and 11th Docs 
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Wow that's quite enthusiastic. One day in the distant off future when I actually have time (or stop watching classic), I should.
I just watched Snakedance. Honestly? I have to say that the story this time around was even better than Kinda. Haha, it was brilliant! It drew me in, the "effects" worked, they were eerie and withstood the test of time (or technology, either one). The only bit I thought was odd was the whole flashing between the faces in the final episode, but it worked fine when Tegan came back to herself so I guess the first time around was just a fluke.
The thing I like most about this story is the attention to cultural detail. The jail cells, the way the prince guy dressed especially. Sure it looked a bit, well gay, but it was a good costume and the style he wore was a little odd (being alien) yet it worked... somehow. The crew really went to town on those sets as well! That six headed helmet thing was pretty awesome and the acting I also loved.
Definitely liked the conversation between the Doctor and Dogin...or however his name is spelled. It made me think about the fifth. He really is the most human and vulnerable of them all so far.
It's kind of hard to tell because sometimes I feel like classic Who is like watching normal tv through a thick glass sheet. There's a lack of clarity as to the characters and their emotions. Maybe because it's not as played up or dramatic, or the music, direction, and all that isn't tuned to creating a single emotional effect. Or, at least, not as well as it is nowadays- mainly due to tech advances.
Well tech advances and having a screen that's got a good enough resolution where the lines on their faces aren't thicker than a crayon's. Or maybe it's a cultural/generation thing. I mean sometimes I find the way the companions talk to be oddly formal. Maybe the way they say yes or thank you, or "What are we to do now?" sort of thing. It sounds old fashion. Do you know what I mean? Or what I'm trying to say? Or is it just me?
Anyways, I loved Snakedance. The only real thing I could argue is that we're told the crystal was manufactured and tuned to the human mind's wavelength. So how did the Doctor use it? He's not human.
So now's Mawdryn Undead! I've heard so much about this one. I think the Brigadier is even involved... I hope!
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Extremely enthusiastic about seeing more of your art
I don't think Snakedance is as good as Kinda (I don't think it's as clever as Kinda, mainly), but there's a few people out there who rate Snakedance above Kinda, so what do I know?
Yeah, I really like the sets of Snakedance, because they offer a different sort of culture, but it's interesting that Janet Fielding, for instance, thought the jail sets were stupid because the bars were at an angle, which made no sense for her. For me, when I see things like that, I just accept the fact they are, and wonder what the reason was behind it. I think, in some ways, there's different approaches to sci-fi; you either have a theory and moan that things don't fit it, or you create and adapt your theory as things appear on television. And maybe the prince guy was gay?
The emotions are certainly not as over the top as they are nowadays. They are all much more subtle, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not there, and certainly doesn't mean that the actors weren't trying to create them. Times have changed, and so we get bombastic music to signify what is happening, whereas that used to be reserved for horror movies
As for the way the companions talk - well, it's not generational, but BBC. For pretty much the entire run of Doctor Who the actors were expected to speak in, what is called, received pronounciation. Which means, basically, "formal accentless English" (yes, yes, I know they'll have an English accent, but it's a generic English accent rather than a specific one). When Dodo was first introduced in 1965 she had a cockney accent (South London), but was quickly told to change to RP for the next episode because the audience wouldn't like that accent. So it's definitely not you - there is an element of old fashion-ness to their speech.
In answer to your question about the crystal being tuned to the human mind and how could the Doctor use it...there was a story where the Doctor made mention of finding "the correct alpha wave" which was established as the waves of the mind. So presumably the Doctor can alter his "alpha waves" to match those of a human and use the crystal. Or human could be slightly more generic - after all, the Manussans weren't human, they were alien.
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For me the culture in Snakedance is what wins over Kinda. Sorry
Too true about the emotions. Though sometimes I wish the screen direction would cue me in. Music is the main guide, but that's fine with me if it isn't used. But sometimes if they would edit the shots more it would be nice. That being said, it's an infinite improvement over Troughton times. Also again, the pixels. If I had better resolution, I might've picked up on the third crying...or the cardboard cutout Daleks. Or the pants ripping in Horns of Nimon. Which I'm now rating as one of the cheesiest episodes of DW I've ever seen. With the Web Planet and Power of Kroll.
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You don't have to be feminine to be gay, that's true, but some gay people are feminine. There's also the fact that he wore his ear ring in his right ear, and in the 80s that was a secret signal to indicate you were gay...hmmm...makes you think
You do get a lot more editing in the 80s, but it's one of those things where time has changed the way things are done. Not suggesting that Doctor Who was a deeply moving drama in the 80s, but if you saw a deeply moving drama in the 80s you'd probably still notice the editing differences 
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Was the earing that significant? Oho! Seems like someone had an agenda. Very cool to know- thanks for sharing.
Deeply moving drama? Well classic has made me grin and jump for joy like an idiot, and a bit sad, but never crying. So I have to agree there. Do you still notice a progression of this when one gets into the 6th and 7th Doctors? Because fandom always makes it seem like modern progression stops at 4.
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Yeah, apparently on the gay scene in the 80's the earring was very significant
I shed a tear when Sarah Jane left, and when Jo did, actually...
Fandom tends to make brash judgements against periods it hates, and at the moment, fandom hates the 80's, so anything after season 17 is rubbish, apparently. It's also total pants, because there is a huge progression with the seventh Doctor. In fact, in some ways, the last seventh Doctor story seems like it was made to lead directly into the 2005 series
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Really? Survival? I heard that the show was unexpected, indefinitely, put on hiatus. Meaning they didn't get to give the show a sendoff. But if that's the story that ends with the crazy paving quote (don't tell me if I'm right) then I see what you mean. 1996 movie? Great bridge.
It must be weird for your wife to watch Sarah Jane...
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Yeah, Survival is quite modern, actually. And the show was just put on hiatus because they didn't want the drama the last time they cancelled it
I actually think the new series has been strongly influenced by the 1996 telemovie...lots and lots of way
Uhm...I think Saz only gets annoyed when I put on my Tom Baker voice and bellow "Come along Sarah-Jane!!"
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You think it has been influenced by the Whovie? Do tell!
Hiatus is a good way to shut the fans up... I'm surprised Britain didn't riot or anything. But I guess ratings were down.
I always imagine myself going back and safeguarding the show from day one. Protecting it from major continuity clashes (but I'll keep in the contradicting ages and such- just not the half human)... I'll tell them to fire Michael Grade, give the show more budget, tighten up their quality on writers, modernize Hartnell and Troughton direction, DO NOT TRASH THE EPISODES, do not try an "American" Doctor Who- it loses some of its charm, ermmm make sure all Doctors have three full seasons (but try to stick to original years of actors)...change Colin's coat for god's sake. I love that thing, but it's a sort of painful love-hate relationship. Technicolor Dreamcoat!
Change the TARDIS interior for Invasion of Time, stop having so many medieval or obviously Earth-culture-derivative stories...well just focus on subtle alien-culture more (Snakedance). Oh! Do not make any story exceed 7 parts! And make sure that McGann does the series as well (whether it would be after a movie in the 90's or a continuation 1989, no idea-because I don't have a time vortex in my head).
So there. If I was to nitpick and change out every little thing in the show that popped into my head, it'd be that. I'm definitely not firing any Doctors or making any big changes.
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Oh there's nothing wrong with the half-human
I'm not sure about your changes...it would be nice, but ultimately Doctor Who is what it is because of those things. If Michael Grade and Jonathan Powell hadn't been around to cancel the programme, then we wouldn't have got the McGann telemovie (no McGann????) and then maybe no RTD series...Eeep!
Everything is what it is for a reason, Daniel-san. When you are on the river of life, it is best if you float like a leaf that has fallen onto it, rather than fight against it like the frog who yearns to return to where he came from...
Ooo, I like that
Right, so tonight I'm going to write my Doctor Who telemovie article and put it up on my blog. I'll send you the link and you can read my thoughts there
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Well the whole "no McGann, RTD" is sort of why it's a hypothetical. Because I don't have a time vortex in my head to see what would happen if I changed things. But if I had the power to change some things without disturbing others...well I'd do it! McGann would stay in that movie...might even keep it American. But must fix goosnake Master. And the torture device-regen stealer.
Daniel-san? I just facepalmed. Majorly.
I'll definitely read that. However I'm going to sleep about now. No idea what time it is in Australia...
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OK, so here's my blog entry about the telemovie: [link]
It's actually Part 1, cause I've found I have heaps to say about it
Man you facepalmed The Karate Kid?? You have no taste
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Hey I like the Karate Kid (not the new one-ew), but just...sometimes I have to facepalm at the sheer dorkiness of these references. It's sort of like when a kid's parents purposely get slang wrong to make them cringe.
Definitely agree about how they should've started the Whovie. Same with namedropping, the corridors, companion dynamic and anything else I donβt disagree with further down this post. What's funny is that I just reread Lungbarrow and caught that Whovie reference!
What do you mean by deathworm? Did Dicks decide that the Master should look like that? And what about changing into any species? I definitely donβt remember that bit. Even with that logic, it's weird that we've never really seen *any* Time Lords that didn't look human. As for the operating scene...ehh. I can't share your passion. It was just sort of odd for me.
The Doctorβs regeneration worked pretty well, even if it was a little cliche. But they paralleled it with Frankenstein so it wins points. Same with the clock scene, which I prefer over the regen scene. As for "Who. Am. I?!" I'm sorry but I find that absolutely just...ugh. No. If I could delete any bit of the Whovie it would be that one.
I think the difference in our opinions is because I grew up when all the direction and "modern" ideas of the Whovie had already become cliche by then. It was dated. And not like old tv-classic Who dated, but some awkward place stuck between being old-in-a-good-way and modern. I judge it by modern standards because it feels recent enough, versus classic Who which I really try to give lenience towards. Very few classic stories do I truly cringe at less than I did the Whovie.
Thinking about this later, I realize that there are a ton of older movies than the Whovie that I liked better. Maybe because British tv was starting to lean toward the American format it felt new to people, but not me. That American person.
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Hmmm...maybe I should start telling you when I facepalm at your comments and what they sound like to me
In the novel The Eight Doctors, Dicks objected to the idea that the Master could regenerate into a CGI snake and changed it to him putting his mind into a creature called a deathworm. And the fact is, we have seen a Time Lord regenerate into something non-human - Romana.
But I'm sorry you don't like the movie. Probably best you don't read the rest of the Retrospective, cause I doubt you'll like it
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Yes, do tell me when you facepalm. It'll make me laugh.
Well yes, Romana. But we never see them stick around in the alien bodies. I mean, if they can change into any species, they're not really one specific species are they? They just happen to like hanging around in the bodies of aliens who have two hearts and look like humans. Where was this stated anyways?
As for the whovie, don't worry. I mellow over time. I'll definitely be reading the Retrospective because I like it a lot. Maybe I should've mentioned this, but it's a great refresher to the usual comments of "Oh god that was the worst movie ever". I mean yes, it makes me want to cringe, and I'd never show it to anyone lest I get laughed out of town, but like a lot of classic Who, the Doctor makes everything worth it. That and I have this idea, okay:
Since I realized that maybe I do just plain like old 60's sci-fi tv, maybe I like 90's sci-fi movies as well and I don't know it yet. Or I can convince myself that I do until it becomes true.
After all, I knew what kind of horrors I was jumping into when I started at 1963 and I'd seen lots of clips of rubbersuited aliens in the many Doctor eras so I was prepared. Contrast the Whovie where I said, "1996? That's not so bad!" and then immediately youtubed. So, any other movies out there that are a good standard of 90's sci-fi? (British might help as you mentioned this Americanising stuff)
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Nah, I don't tell people when they make me facepalm. Not unless they're being outrageous idiots who clearly haven't got a thought running between their heads.
Well, they are a specific species, just a chameleonic one. This is the problem, really. We like the idea that Time Lords are two hearted humanoids, and so we rail against the idea that they can change species, even though it's been seen on screen and talked about in both classic and new versions. Perhaps, for much the same reason, fandom doesn't like the idea of the Doctor changing sex - we've never seen it happen, so in spite of the fact it's been suggested we don't think it does.
I didn't really watch many sci-fi movies in the 90's. Was too busy watching sci-fi television (like Babylon 5!!! Awesome series
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But again, again. Where is it stated that Time Lords can change species? Don't slide past this one. Or is it not really stated, it's just Romana's scene (at which point I think it would be pretty easy to write something up to explain it ala temporal grace). It is then just another case of the unsaid assumption + Occam's Razor. But I am hoping.
As for facepalming, do you only do so when people are being idiots? I just facepalm whenever I think something is really silly, or dorky, or just "so bad it's good" cheesy.
Babylon 5? I've heard about that show. Never knew much about it. I hear that all the seasons were planned out to form one huge story but they never got around to it. Oh and, Sheldon Cooper, heard of him?
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In the telemovie the Doctor specifically responds to Grace's question about so you can change species, with yes. (Well, actually he replies something like "only when I've died" or something, but essentially he says yes.) The ninth Doctor tells Romana that there is a variety of things that could when he regenerates, including regenerating without a head. Now, yes, he might be saying the regeneration could produce a mutantation, but the point he seems to be making is that you can change species. And finally - and most compellingly - Romana actually does change species. She does it. Right there and then, she becomes a blue fish woman. You can try to chalk it up to whatever you like (not temporal grace though...that makes no sense), but Romana regenerates into a blue fish person. (Having said that, there's a short story that gives a different spin on that scene, but the Doctor isn't surprised by the blue fish woman - well no more than any other - so he certainly believes it to be possible).
Babylon 5 was indeed one big five year story and they did get around to it - all five seasons were produced. But the story changed a little along the way for a couple of reasons.
Sheldon Cooper? Err...Bazinga!
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Ahh I'll have to rewatch that. I just saw the end of Search for Spock which was awesome. When I mentioned the temporal grace, I just meant it would be easy to explain away the seeming contradictory nature of what we've seen (as temporal grace gets violated a lot and it's mentioned in LKH that it was a clever lie). Not like there's anything to disprove it, but considering you never see any Time Lords that don't look human, you have to wonder if it was some kind of exception /technicality /something else. Same with the half-human. Do you think the Doctor is half human?
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Search For Spock is a great movie. I love it...dunno why people heap shit on it
Temporal Grace is meant to explain why you can't use weapons inside the console room, and the Doctor's clever lie could be about being unable to fire the gun in the console room. Temporal Grace only ever worked on a staser, and in Arc of Infinity, Nyssa points out it isn't working anymore and needs to be repaired - which the Doctor never appeared to do
The short story I was talking about reveals that the TARDIS created an avatar and became Romana for a brief while, which was how she swapped bodies. The real Romana was locked in a room, struggling to regenerate. So, maybe that says something...
But I'm one of those people who believe if it's said/written explicitly then it's true. So, I actually go with Terrance Dicks' version rather than the idea that the Master regenerated into a CGI Snake. But if you don't accept the novels as canon, then you sort of have to accept what the Doctor says on screen - though arguably he could be talking about the Chameleon Arc...it's all so nebulous that you *could* spin it into something else. I don't believe the Master became the CGI Snake, but without The Eight Doctors I'd have to.
And yes, I believe the Doctor is indeed half human on his mother's side. I believe that the Doctor's mother is the only non-Gallifreyan Time Lord. But his phsyicality is still Gallifreyan, so ultimately it doesn't change much for me
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I liked the movie. And yes, even Voyage Home.
As for the snake thing, I don't see it as a CGI snake because, well even in the Whoniverse that makes no sense. You can't apply CGI to real life. I assumed that it was some silly looking ability of the Master's that had an unexplained explanation. Unfortunately.
If you think the Doctor's physicality is full Gallifreyan, how did the Master realize he was half human by the DNA-stuff in his eye? 0'o
Sometimes I wonder though about this half-human stuff. Spock is half human on his mother's side. Why are our alien protagonists being written as half human? Why would someone slip that in there decades later? At least the Time War is brought up a lot. But the Doctor never mentions being half human now. Not like it's necessary, but you don't have to talk about being in a war either...
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Well, no it's not a CGI snake, but I'm just calling it that cause I don't know what you'd call it. The Master regenerating into the morphant makes more sense than the idea he has an ability that no other Time Lord has.
Yeah fair point
Well, to not all of our alien protaganists are written as half human 
Look, I'm not saying in a million years that Verity Lambert, Barry Letts, Philip Hinchcliffe, John Nathan-Turner, Russell T Davies or Steven Moffat believe that the Doctor's half human, and that's why it's never mentioned or never been mentioned. But things change as a programme evolves. Verity Lambert never entertained the idea that the Doctor had two hearts or could regenerate, but we accept that because it was done and is part of the show...and it's convenient. The Doctor constantly banging on about the time war was annoying to be honest. Why *would* you talk about it all the time? Who talks about their Egyptian mother everytime they meet someone? It's just something that the Doctor doesn't mention much.
That said, there's hints in a book called "Unnatural History" that only the eighth Doctor was half-human...
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Oh I just read that part of The Forgotten! Haha that's a good explanation. We'll just never know will we? It's like the Doctor's age.
As for the Doctor, I never really thought he was supposed to be easy to identify with. He's an alien. What else would we need the companions for? Deadly Assassin went along fine
Only the 8th Doctor was half-human? Oh bother. Is there anything in the Whoniverse that isn't contradicted in some way shape or form?
I'm the Doctor. Just the Doctor.
-but actually I have a secret Time Lord name that is lost. But you can also call me Theta Sigma. Or Snail.
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Actually it is a great explanation. I'm in two minds, though, as whether to accept it or not. Because I don't consider the comics canon, I can't immediately take it on board...but at the same time, it would solve the half-human thing...
Ah, but in The Deadly Assassin, there is no companion, so you are most definitely identifying with the Doctor
Pretty much everything in the Whoniverse is contradicted at some point
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Hmm. Had an idea. Nothing is sacred, so even if we assume that Time Lords can change species just by seeing Romana and the Master, for all we know, it could be some strange unexplained...thingy. And then because we don't know, we can fall back onto the comics.
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I don't believe that Time Lords can change species
One day the comics might be canon for me...one day
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Ohh is that what Dicks was saying? I thought it was Dicks' idea that the Master regenerated into a deathworm. Gotcha now.
Also, when you get friends into Doctor Who, how do you go about it? Which story do you start with? I've got this evil plan set up just for the purpose. It's designed for people who generally frown upon sci-fi or know little about it (basically everyone within a 50 mile radius of myself
First: The most important choice as it's their first impression of DW: Blink
Since the person will be watching a lot of the Matt Smith stuff in the following weeks (unless they're completist) then it'll be best to expose them to each Doctor before you give them several of a certain Doctor in a row. It'll help break the concrete idea of one Doctor as only being the Doctor. It's not uber hard sci-fi, but yet it has some great wibbly wobbly in it to underly the kind of awesomeness DW is capable of. It doesn't require knowledge about the TARDIS or the Doctor being an alien...etc. You just know he's a time traveller, which is a nice ease in for the bit where you mention evil saltshakers and police boxes. It's a plain good story, and if you start off with a Smith episode you'll spoil them in the way of special effects and direction..etc. One of my friends doesn't like Eccleston because I started them off on Smith episodes.
Second: Ninth Doctor Stuff- Dalek: To get Doctor 9 in there and educate them about the TARDIS and Daleks. It's also one of the best episodes for getting a feel for who 9 is. Then after that is Empty Child/Doctor Dances for general awesomeness and more "getting to know 9".
Third: The Eleventh Hour. So they can see, well, 11. Plus it's a good solid relaunch introduction.
After these three the person now has experience and a feel for the three new Who Doctors. Then after that, since Blink is 10-lite and we need to introduce them to the River Song arc, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Now they've got a better feel for the three Doctors and are ready for River Song. (yeah I know this is all very Moffat-heavy stuff)
Fourth: Go watch series 5 and 6. Fifth: Go back and finish series 1-4
I also have a friend whose viewing goes in this order: Rose, The End of the World, Blink, The Eleventh Hour-Pandorica Opens, Dalek, Silence/Forest, and tonight, The Girl in the Fireplace. (I showed her Blink). And you know what? With that viewing experience she guessed that River Song is Amy and Rory's kid. Hasn't seen any series 6 yet. She said that during Silence/Forest. (I was keeping my face straight the whole time she theorized). Also she said Moffat's a distinct writer. He's all about misdirection. "~If the clock's broken, what's ticking? If five people are alive, why are there six in the room? Count the doors, count the shadows. And then she mentioned how the episodes are full of children, some of which the Doctor meets, dazzles, and then whisks away when they're older. She said Pompadour snogging the Doctor reminded her of Amy trying to get it on with the Doctor.
She catches onto things fast. Like the body parts in the ship- she immediately knew they were after Pompadour's brain. What I noticed upon rematch is that I liked Rose a lot in Dalek. I really felt for her. Also, in Silence/Forest, the parents of Cal call her sweetie. And in The Girl in the Fireplace the Doctor mentions cowboys in Pompadour's head, like the Eleventh Hour.
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Yeah, Dicks hated the movie, so he changed a whole heap of stuff he didn't like, and even has the Doctor think about how ridiculous it was...
An impressive and well thought out plan
I think when I want to get people to watch Doctor Who I choose what episode I think will appeal to them.
For my parents it was Rose, because there's a lot of London in it, and my parents adore London. That was enough to get them interested.
For my friend who hates sci-fi, I showed her "The Girl In The Fireplace" followed by "Vincent And The Doctor". I didn't expect her to want to watch more Doctor Who, just get her to a point where she would admit it has some value, and that worked. Have to choose your marks
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"You Know, Travel Does Broaden the Mind."
"Yes, Until We Meet Again Sarah."
Elisabeth Sladen
Born: February 1st, 1946
Died: April 19th, 2011
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