View Who?

Doctor Who was something I watched only occasionally as a child. I'm not really sure why. I suspect one TV, four channels and six people had something to do with it.

When new Doctor Who started in 2005, I made the decision to hold off watching it til I ran through all the old episodes. I eventually started doing just that, a year or so ago, and from time to time continue on from where I left off. I still have quite a way to go.

So I made the decision recently to watch in parallel. Continue with the old Who, and start on the new Who. I also decided to do my research, to find the viewing order for each of these series, specials, spinoffs, and mini-episodes.

I figured it would be quite easy. Surely in fandom someone would have sat down and worked out an easy-to-read viewing order for every single piece of Who that has been shown. Well if they have, I've yet to find it.

I found several where fans have constructed an order for the bits they want to include. Some were very detailed indeed. But I wanted a simple plan. I wanted one where I could, for the most part, switch between entire series of Torchwood, K-9, Sarah Jane and Doctor Who rather than alternating single episodes. And so I've started constructing the order I plan to watch them in. I still have some work to do on my order for old Who.

On the menu to the right is a Doctor Who tab. You'll find my viewing order there. It is a work in progress, as I'm sure I've missed bits.

Oh, and for an Whovian experts out there, I would appreciate any ideas, comments or inclusions.

Sources:

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/a-viewing-order-for-all-episodes-in.html
http://screenrant.com/doctor-who-viewing-guide-episode-list/
http://wibblywobbly-timeywimeystuff.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/doctor-who-torchwood-viewing-order.html
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/46562/what-s-the-viewing-order-for-new-doctor-who-episodes-and-minisodes
http://rothwell.im/etc/doctor-who/

Old Who.

I never really got into Doctor Who as a kid. I can recall watching a few episodes, and possiby being scared by them, but mostly it clashed with something else my family wanted to watch. In the 80s I saw some of Tom Baker, then many of the Peter Davidson episodes, but that was about it.

And so I recently decided to bring my viewing up to date.

I've started watching from the beginning. William Hartnell, 1963, and 50 years of episodes to catch up on.

The sets are a bit wonky, the dialogue is naff at times and the characters undeveloped as yet. I've been told the next story, The Aztecs, is the one where the actors start to find their way.

But there's something there, and I can see why people started to watch it.

I missed it first time around. I was in the UK, but I was about 4 months old. And I suspect my parents weren't fans.

Will it reach 100 years? I doubt I'll be around to see it.

But you never know.

Continuum 9: Contraindicators.

Have you signed up yet?

Continuum is an annual Melbourne speculative fiction and pop culture fan convention celebrating creativity across genre and media. From hard-edge science fiction to high-flown fantasy, comic books to film noir, high culture to sub-culture… we sink our teeth into it all!

Continuum is run on a not-for-profit basis and all revenue goes towards venue and equipment hire, transport and accommodation for our guests, and other convention specific expenses. The Continuum conventions are supported by the Continuum Foundation and we are grateful for their support.

Continuum 9 will take place on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend, June 7 — 10, 2013.

Our guests of honour this year are Waris Hussein and N.K. Jemisin. Supporting them will be a wide range of other speakers and panellists in a fabulous line up of panels, presentations and special events.

To contact the convention committee, please email info@continuum.org.au. They’ll make sure your query gets to the right person!

(And yes, I stole this from their website. It's ok, though - I'm on the committee.)