I did have a cursory glance but didn’t see anything so apologies if this has already been brought up.
Over on Twitter it’s a binfire as we all know but there’s a lovely wholesome* thread going on over there at the moment. A Matt Smith fan who has never seen Doctor Who before has come to the show for the first time and is watching from Eleventh Hour onwards. Currently on the Series 5 finale.
It’s really interesting that it was long enough ago and Matt Smith has had enough of an ascendence that people can be Matt Smith fans without being Who fans and seeing one of these react to Series 5 having never seen Doctor Who before gives long-term fans like ourselves pause to consider something we’re so familiar with and view it through new eyes for the first time.
If anyone hasn’t seen it and wants to - it begins here
*It is a bit sweary. Still wholesome though, I promise
I love these kind of people. About a year ago I followed someone that was watching from Rose. It was fun to rediscover Doctor Who through someone else. I’d got destroyed after a while when someone spoiled it for him by telling him who River Song was.
Brings me back to when I first watched Series 5 as it aired live. I was so ridiculously excited and involved, reading theories and speculating who River Song is.
Still a wonderful thread. Insights we never would have had as fans. Even watching the first time never having seen the episodes, we still followed the show and knew about impending cast changes etc.
One thing I’m really enjoying is that without the knowledge of which monsters are returning ones, she doesn’t immediately know the names of some of them and some of her alternatives are great.
And in a fandom where it sometimes feels like assumed knowledge isn’t a thing (like if you decide not to mention that so-and-so is a returning guest star from a story in 1968 because it isn’t really important, other fans assume it’s because you don’t know and are desperate to point it out) or where it sometimes feels like other fans are desperate to find a tiny fault so they can correct, it’s really nice to see someone talk about Gladiator Bots (Cybermen) and Potato Sweet Guy (Strax) and have nobody, “Errrrmmmm actually!” in her direction.
It’s become a really positive shared experience and a great representation of fandom, which has been incredibly welcoming of a newbie. And when cynical old me sometimes thinks this fandom leaves a lot to be desired (on the whole, not here) it’s a huge tonic to see the best of it.
Watching her react to the exit of Gillan and Darvill and return of Coleman has been fantastic. Obviously we knew Coleman was coming back and the surprise was her appearance in Asylum. Here, it’s the other way round.
I missed a bunch out because I couldn’t find it, but saw all the River Song stuff and it’s such a brilliant thread. River’s story was so much fun to experience for the first time!
I’ve been following this thread for a while and can concur that it a really great read and it’s nice to see somebody just having fun with the show after such a long spell of cynicism in the fandom.
And to all the miserable bastards whining about Jeje’s enthusiasm, kindly piss off.
Thanks for doing this! I don’t have twitter so I can’t read threads. I love the poster’s enthusiasm about his era. Their reactions are great. It’s nice to see someone new interact with the show.
