Calling all Flisters. I need...I need...

[triedunture]

All right, you manipulative masses. I think I'm finally at the point where Doctor Who has grown on me. I watched the first 4 episodes of season 3 this afternoon, and they were ALL really very decent. More than decent. Even by American "let's throw money at every episode and blow our budget on huge explosions" standards, they were good times.

And although I can take or leave Martha at the moment (but I guess I'll always feel that way about the Doctor's companions) I'm feeling very protective of the totes adorable Doctor. I feel like he's a real character now.

So. I am willing to dip my toes into the ocean that is Who Fandom. Since I have no idea where to begin I will rely on y'all for help.

I don't really have a ship at the moment; in fact, I have a hard time seeing the Doctor as a sexy times sort of guy (although LOLZ @ Shakespeare/Doctor), so maybe I could play in the gen end of the pool for now? Unless there's some amazing fic out there that contains a ship that is near and dear to your heart, in which case, I might be persuaded to doggy paddle over to the deep end.

Please hit me with your best recs! I would especially be interested in seeing some awesome sciencey geekery or some well-spun last-of-my-kind angst or even some hurt/comfort where the Doctor gets bonked on the head or something. I dunno! I am clueless. Please clue me in.

(Strangely enough, this morning I finally decided to take the H_W comm off my flist because I haven't read a House fic in ages, except for those written by my flist friends. Am I now diving headfirst into a new fandom to replace an old one? THERE ARE ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL QUESTIONS THAT ARE DEEP AND STUFF.)

Comments

[blackletter]

All my favorite fics, especially those with science geekery, require knowledge of the end of season three... (Wait 'til you get to episode 8 and on. Then season three starts rocking like a thing full of rocks.)

I really want to rec *something* but I don't have a single fic saved that doesn't have season three spoilers.

*is useless*

[pinglederry.livejournal.com]

*points to above* What they said. Trust me, the end of season three is better than any fanfic, and incredibly good fodder for stories. You must watch at least up to there before jumping into the pool.

I totally thought your title was appealing to fisters for a minute or so there. *snerk*

[lady529.livejournal.com]

I'm as useless as blackletter, I'm afraid, the events of season 3 (and sometimes season 4 as well) is required for most of what I've read and liked..

The Lady 529

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

You've got to be kidding me! This fandom sounds like a lot of work! I was looking forward to instant gratification.

[starlingthefool.livejournal.com]

Heh, fisters.
Anyway, I tend to read more Torchwood fic, but sam_storyteller has a couple that aren't utterly, utterly filled with spoilers.

Wonders Never Cease. Shakespeare/Doctor! fic!

Gift of the Mad Guy. Christmas themed, but so very awesome. Actually, slight spoilers in that last one.

The Boy Who Killed Time and its remix.

There, that's something to go on with. But seriously, season 3 is awesome. Keep watching.

[lady529.livejournal.com]

Think your problem is that you're coming to this fandom after 4 seasons of geekery.. Which can't be helped, but hopefully you know what I mean. If you were asking for a quicker fandom fix, I'd suggest Torchwood, but not everyone likes that, so.. I kind of do, though.

Just out of curiosity, how do you watch a new series? I'm one of those people who can watch a 24 episode season in about a day and a half (or less, if I'm in the mood and don't have work or uni getting in the way), today I've re:watched season 2 of Torchwood (13 episodes, about 50mins each) without it being any hassle (meaning I do whatever I need to do while watching, I don't sit on my arse for some 10 something hours). Does mean I can gobble down a show rather quickly if I need/want to, which I do like. With New Who (the 2005 onward series) it's different, 'cause I watched the original series when I was little, and Doctor Who's more cultish than Star Trek. So I really didn't need much encouraging to start watching it..

I'd have hoped the Doctor himself would be instant gratification..?

I'll stop now, I know I'm rambling.

The Lady 529

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

I am also one of those people who can devour a series in a few days! I did all of Doctor Who season 2 this week, and because I'd heard from several people that season 3 would make it all worth it, I watched half of that today! I never start a series without having a good chunk of the season on DVD or available somewhere. I don't think I've ever started watching a show one week at a time. God, who can DO that?

But yes, you're right, I should stop whining and put my fannish nose to the grindstone. I assume it will be worth it!

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

UM READING SHAKESPEARE SLASH RITE NAO KTHNXBAI.

[lady529.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I know that feeling. I tried to follow something in that once a week when it's on the telly kind of way, by the second week I'd forgotten when it aired. I swear by downloadables and DVD box sets that preferably contain the entire series, thank you very much *pets Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster box sets lovingly*

I really think New Who S3 is a lot better than the first two, there are a lot more episodes I like (although 3x10 Blink scared the Weevils out of me. Don't watch it the first time in the dead of night when there's a storm outside and you're ill and in no shape to defend yourself against the Doctor's enemies!) and the bit of it that ties in with Torchwood is rather neat. Esp. if you like TW, hehe.

The Lady 529

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Hee! (Enabling Brewster is enabling, muah ha haaah. XD)

I haz a noo comm for yoo! Good fics in the Who fandom are recc'd at calufrax. They're a whole hodgepodge of New (post-2005) and Old (pre-2005) Who, but they all come from the same site: A Teaspoon and an Open Mind.

[favoritedarknes.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever started watching a show one week at a time. God, who can DO that?
Oh I am lame, I really am (or have a serious psychological condition). When I first started with House I watched the whole season 1 in one week and that's like 23 eps, people O_O

As for recs, we are in the same boat I'm afraid.

*depends on your flist for answers*

[willdew.livejournal.com]

W-ell, I thought this one was cute:

The Polar Bear's Golf Club (http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=17054) Rose/Ace friendship. Two Companions from diff eras hook up and save their respective Doctors, and it is funny. Not smut so much as wacky times on Gallifrey and a kickass sense of humour.

As for the rest... geez, the Doctor Who fandom is big. I would suggest you go to whofic.com, choose which Doctor you want to read about, and then do a search by other characters/genre/rating in order to find what you want. Or visit the LJ rec comm Calufrax (http://community.livejournal.com/calufrax) so you can find exactly what you want.

I say this because you've just started S3, and my fave pairing only makes sense if you've seen the season finale. (Doctor/Master = drool. Two of my fave writers, Paristani and Versaphile, write that pairing a lot.)

Granted, I've read and enjoyed Nine/Rose, Alt!Nine/Rose, Ten/Rose, Nine/Jack/Rose, Ten/Jack/Rose, etc. but it seems like you aren't exactly /into/ Miss Piper, so I don't know if there's a point in reccing those fics.

The Martha-centric ones I've read have been short and introspective as opposed to multi-chaptered and epic, but it's been a year or more since I've looked, and I bet there's some stuff written that does more credit to her sciencey abilities than the show managed. (I always felt her character was under-utilised in the series, making more of a point re: her "omg I have a crush like every other companion" thing than the fact that she's a med student visiting new worlds where she could actually make discoveries or come to conclusions on her own.)

There are some pretty hot Sarah Jane ones around, too. Mm, my first ever TV MILF crush. <<; *cough*

p.s. -itude

[willdew.livejournal.com]

...btw, it may seem like a lot of work /now/, but if you're getting addicted, I can almost guarantee you'll end up finishing watching the New Series before they put out any more, and you'll be left with that empty, ravenous feeling.

And then you'll start wanting to watch the old eps.

Now... don't get me wrong... when you Love The Doctor, each one (and their Companions) have their own merits, but when it comes to Strong Female Role Models Who Kick Ass, you can't really go v. wrong with Romana/Four.

The Tom Baker years are long, but lemme just say that Romana I and II, being Time Ladies and not the average squeaky scantily-clad sort of women who needed to be saved ALL the time, (well, maybe sometimes) were refreshingly smart and kickass. She gets her own sonic screwdriver eventually, she corrects the Doctor on occasion instead of always praising him and viewing him as the brains of the operation, and when she leaves it's because she wants to strike out on her own and be all feminist and such, not because something horrid happened to her. :/

In the first season, the Companion Barbara is pretty tough, too. And the v. first season has, like, old-timey Daleks that are hilariously old fashioned and help you understand the New Series so much b/c of the in-jokes. :)

[cadeira.livejournal.com]

*whimpers*
But oddly enough I´ve been a bit sniffy about the community myself lately. Weird stuff popping up every day.
But good for you for finding a new fandom. I haven´t dared to touch DW yet...

[cestlavieminako.livejournal.com]

The greatest thing about Who is, there's plenty of it to catch up on. I started out with the newer seasons, but I've delved back into 40 some odd years worth of episodes as well. You'll definitely be done with the newer series before series 5 comes out...but there are the miniseries episodes this year, plus "The Next Doctor" from Christmas. More than likely you can find them on Youtube or a torrent if you try.

But as far as classic Doctors to recommend: Tom Baker, Peter Davison, and Sylvester McCoy. Next month they're releasing a 4th Doctor boxset, as well as Battlefield (Seventh Doctor) in the US. Between stores and the internet, you'll find plenty of Who to love. And there are tons of novels, too.

*end fangirlish nerd ramblings* Sorry, it's been so long since I've flexed my Who-nerd muscles. I have to find Planet Of The Dead today! I crave new Who. Oh, and you will really enjoy series 3 and 4. I loved 4, it was brilliant. :D Unicorn And The Wasp FTW!!!!!!

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

These phrases mean nothing to me, but I assume they are fan favorites, because while scanning comms it seems like every other fic is labeled "spoilers for *those episodes*" so they must be great.

Ugh! I hate being just on the cusp of knowing enough to want more, but not enough to participate.

[cestlavieminako.livejournal.com]

Well, then you need to watch more so you can participate! :D Once you finish series 3, you just have to watch series 4 to be caught up, really, since they're taking a "break" till 2010. The specials are coming out intermittently, so really you have plenty of time.

I think I need to watch some Who tonight...I suddenly have a craving for the end of series 3.

[theempress14.livejournal.com]

Of Bad Ideas & Sonic Screwdrivers - Some cracky Doctor-cest 9/10 [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] wrote me for christmas, only recommended because of time paradoxes with sexy results.

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

God, you KNOW how hot I think clone sex is, and this is DANG close to being clones! *looks around empty office*

...I better wait to read it at home.

[theempress14.livejournal.com]

Wait. I DO? I mean, of course I do! You've told me many a time about you clone fetishism. *laughs hollowly*

I concur. It's dirty and sexy and wonderful!

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry. Clones don't often pop up, so I guess I don't have many chances to mention it, but I thought I was wearing a giant CLONES YUS sandwich board 24/7.

WELL NOW YOU KNOW.

[theempress14.livejournal.com]

AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE.

GO JOE.

I'm so sorry for that. Knee jerk reaction

[georgeodowd.livejournal.com]

I am still vastly uninitiated into Whodom (mostly because its vastness terrifies me), but I think I am a somewhat unabashed 9/Rose shipper. Nothing has quite compared to Season 1 for me, sadly. It's all good times, but those last two episodes were just... magic.

[soophelia.livejournal.com]

Well I ship Doctor/Rose (and Doctor/Master) so I know I won't be much help in recommending gen fics. I also highly recommend watching season 1, 2 and 4 of the new series. (I personally think season 3 was the worst season).

If you ever feel like reading it, I HIGHLY recommend Disheveled (http://rabid1st.livejournal.com/90769.html) by rabid1st