I’m late to the TARDIS party, but at least I finally made it.
I’d seen a handful of Tom Baker episodes when I was little, but the show never clicked with me the way Star Trek and Blake’s 7 did. Recently, John was watching his favourite episodes with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker and I really enjoyed them, so I wanted more. I was also curious about the newer episodes. But - with thirteen Doctors and hundreds of episodes, it seemed like the Everest of TV series to try and attempt. Where to start?
Fortunately, I have friends who are superfans and the lovely Mark Morris curated a list for us of “New Who”. So we watched a few Eccleston and Tennant episodes (I’d already seen the legendary “Blink”). And then Matt Smith arrived. From there we watched his entire run. Then Peter Capaldi’s entire run.

You know how they have different viewing orders for Star Wars or the MCU? Release order, chronological, etc? I think my personal experience is the River Song order. Because now I'm travelling backwards to catch up with the rest of Tennant and Eccleston, whilst interspersing it with the Baker and Pertwee stories John shows me. What better way to watch a show about time travel? All the pieces drop into place eventually, just never in chronological order.
I was psyched about a female Doctor before I was even really curious about the show. You can imagine what it means to "us" (women in general) to see things changing, but it's also incredibly dismaying when there's so much resistance and backlash, especially when it seems mostly gender-centric. I have to confess I shed a tear during WONDER WOMAN (her solo charge across No Man’s Land), and that scene in AVENGERS: ENDGAME ("She's got help") where the screen literally fills, and fills, and keeps filling with all the female heroes - I was unexpectedly in floods in the cinema, and every time since. It never occurred to me when I was a little girl to know what I was missing, or all the things that were denied. Women were the "companion", the supporting act, the eye candy. And so - the idea of a female Doctor was thrilling to Grownup Kate, and that excitement travelled back in time to Little Kate, who would probably have been a fan way back when if she'd had what little girls today have - representation.
BUT.
Oh dear. I love Jodie Whittaker, and thought she was a brilliant choice, but the material really let her down. She was more "the Doctor" in interviews just as herself than I've seen her be on the show. John said it all feels more like Quantum Leap. It does feel hugely different from the Tennant/Smith/Capaldi era. Worst of all, it feels dumbed down. There are some good episodes, but they’re outweighed by the clunkers. (“Tsuranga” was just embarrassing. Pting? Really? I was playing a game throughout - trying to imagine which Doctor could have made that story work. Matt Smith would have made it fun, but it still would have been lame, and Capaldi could have gone all Malcolm Tucker, which would have been hilarious.)
As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I have some experience with shows taking 3-4 seasons to hit their stride. And while that kind of grudge-watching loyalty to reach the good bits should be a thing of the past, I can't jump ship when it's time for a female Doctor to have her day at last. I’m looking forward to more, but I’m not very hopeful that she’ll suddenly get her share of instant classic stories to truly shine in. Ah well. Maybe the next white male Doctor will be better. LOL Seriously - I want Idris Elba!
In the meantime, I’ve got tons of episodes to revisit and my next geeky fan experience will be the true River Song journey - watching her episodes in HER order, backwards to us and the Doctor.
Nobody really understands where the music comes from. It's probably something to do with the precise positions, the distance between both towers. Even the locals aren't sure. All anyone will ever tell you is that when wind stands fair and the night is perfect, when you least expect it, but always... when you need it the most... there is a song.