Doctor Who General Request:

[Galahad]

So I have this friend who occasionally flirts with SF and even flirted with B5 for a while (went off it in early season 4 though as he didn't like the twist with the Vorlons and Shadows).

He's toying with the idea of watching Doctor Who... unfortunately he has a young family who were terrified by The Waters of Mars... he didn't like that episode either.

However I think he is intrigued by the character of the Doctor and "wants" to like it.

He's therefore asked me if he could borrow some of My Doctor Who DVD's. Now i should point out that I don't have all the DVD's (I've only bought episodes from series 3 onwards, that I particularly liked to date... and ones that I could use in seminars).

So I guess I'm asking which from the following you think are worth lending him... and which extra ones I should scuttle to get... I'll highlight in bold italic the episodes I'm particularly keen for him to see based on my preference and things i think he'll buy into:

3/1 Smith and Jones, The Shakespeare Code, Gridlock
3/2 Daleks in Manhattan, Evolution of the Daleks, the Lazarus Experiment, 42
3/3 Human Nature, The Family of Blood, Blink
3/4 Utopia, The sound of Drums, Last of the Time Lords

Voyage of the Damned

4/1 Partners in Crime, Fires of Pompeii, Planet of the Ood
4/2 The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky, The Doctor's Daughter, The Unicorn & The Wasp
4/3 Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead, Midnight.

I think I should get a hold of 4/4 not too fussed about the latter specials.

I think I need to get the Series 2 Finale and highlighted suggestions for S2.

I may stretch to Ecclestone too, in which case the final two episodes and Father's Day would be excellent choices.

As a side note I am now planning the assassination of Shia LeBoeuf who I understand is now dating Carey Mulligan!!!!!!! GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lucky man... but he shoulda stuck to Megan Fox!

[Kribu]

I think I'd go for 3/1 - Smith and Jones, The Shakespeare Code, Gridlock.

It's a good set of decent episodes (even if none of them are probably the best in the series), with an introductory episode and a mix of past/present/future. 4/1 would be another good bet for the same reason; I just prefer the 3/1 episodes that little bit more myself.

Some of the others, 3/4 in particular, are probably better enjoyed once one has a bit more knowledge and experience about the series in general already.

[Chilli]

I'd go for 3/1 or 3/3. 3/3 has the better episodes, in my opinion .. but if being scared was a negative thing for this friend, trying to start him with Blink is probably not the bestest of best ideas.

Smith and Jones has the additioinal bonus of being a season starter, and the first episode with a new companion. It has an "introductory" feel around it.

[vacantlook]

I must advocate for a specific episode: "Blink". That episode really got me interested in watching more Doctor Who. Before watching that, I would stop on Doctor Who if there wasn't anything else on, but after watching it, I tend to watch whenever I see it on. I think "Blink" is so well directed.