Doctor Who dilemma

[firecat]

I'm about 1.5 seasons behind on Doctor Who. The last episode I saw was 259 / 9.9 / "Sleep No More". Capaldi is OK. I strongly dislike Moffat. Should I watch the rest of season 9 and season 10 before starting the current season? (No spoilers please.)

Comments

[lilacsigil]

I skipped all Capaldi episodes after the first and had no trouble enjoying and understanding the first episode of the current season.

[sqbr]

I've watched about the same as you, maybe less, and my husband (who has watched all if it) said I'd be fine.

[flippac]

I suspect there's going to be the same kind of "continuity break" that happened between Tennant and Smith - the writer handover means some of the old elements stop being a thing.

I gather there's some interesting/fun stuff in Capaldi's run, but Moffat pissed me off enough with That Christmas Special I never saw any of it.

[noelfigart]

Sleep no more is probably the worst Capaldi episode. It does get better.

However, how Moffat treats female characters and characters of other identities was MILDLY tooth-grinding to me, even if the characters were often amazing.

I loved Capaldi's last female companion. ADORED. His regeneration episode was a tear-jerker, so if you're sentimental, you'd probably enjoy it.

Husbands of River Song was my absolute favorite, though.

You won't be lost, however, if you don't watch the rest of the seasons and just go on to the current Doctor, who I really enjoyed.

In fact, it is even a good jumping on point for a new Whovian.

[jenett]

The new season is definitely a reset, so feel you can jump right in.

(I just finished watching everything - starting with Classic Who - up through the end of Capaldi, um, about an hour before 11 aired, and I liked Capaldi's last season a lot more. Bill's great, and there are lot of interesting bits in the episodes.)

[firecat]

Where are you getting Classic Who?

[jenett]

BritBox - streaming (I think 6.99 a month?)

They have almost everything that has any surviving copies. (There are a couple of Dalek focused serials that weren't in there, I am guessing for some particular rights issue)

[sabotabby]

It won't affect your understanding of the new season, but season 10 is fucking amazing.

[alexcat]

Capaldi made an excellent Doctor. Some of the best bits in the entire series were in Season 10.

[bcholmes]

I skipped all of season 10 because of Moffat-ness.

[ironed_orchid]

I love Capaldi, but you can start from the latest episode with no problems because it's a whole new cast.

[julian]

On the one hand, his last season has a queer woman (who's a PoC), who is really great.

On the other hand, it is *very* Moffaty.

And any given regeneration is pretty much designed to be a jumping on point, this one in particular given as the entire cast changed.

[submarine_bells]

I loathe Moffatt but I watch it all anyway because Reasons, rolling my eyes through the the most Moffatty bits. I'd suggest skipping the rest of season 9 - even though there are some strong bits there, the remaining eps are very Moffatty, and your teeth will bleed from all the gritting by the end of the series.

On the other hand, I do recommend season 10. The Xmas Special (Return of Dr Mysterio) is skippable, but the first ep of the season (The Pilot) is IMO one of the best Doctor Who eps in a long time. The new companion, Bill, is queer, black and really well-written; it'd be a shame to miss her. I love her to bits. The mid-season 3-parter is rather Moffatty (Pyramid at the End of the World/Lie of the Land/Extremis) but other than that the series has blessedly little of Moffatt's narrative bullshit, and the climactic 3-parter is seriously good. I'd give it go, if I were you.

[ladythmpr]

I only watched about the first half of the Capaldi seasons, and was able to jump into Season 11 and the new Doctor with no problem. (and Loved it!)

[silveradept]

I'll echo the opinion of the room. If you want to see how Clara turns out, you'll have to slog through 9.

If not, skip ahead to 10 and try a few episodes with Bill. If you don't like Bill, there's nothing (save Missy) that will likely keep you in 10, and you can skip up to 11.