Doctor Who- this might be the last straw even for me.

How have I never seen this? I had a massive crush on David McCallum at one point thanks to repeats of the Man from Uncle.

Thanks everyone. Films added to the list and had a look at that link (nice thoughtful piece of work going through all the episodes) and early Tom Baker seems to be a good bet. Though I liked it I was never a massive fan as a child as it shades too much and too often into horror which is not my thing. I did literally have to hide behind the sofa.

ETA - WarGames.

Yes, I really enjoyed that film. I can't believe that I forgot it! Definitely one to add to the 'when they are older' list.

'Shall we play a game?'

We watched Sapphire and Steel recently - definitely still stands up. Not for young kids (both boring and scary!) but good for thoughtful teens and adults.

War Games?

"Oh and old sci fi films they've loved include ET and Short Circuit. We watched the Star Trek whales film with them pretty early on and that was a hit too. They're 6 and 8."

'Flight of the Navigator' (U) springs to mind if they haven't watched it yet.

Maybe when they are a bit older, 'Batteries not Included' and 'The Rocketeer' (both PG).

Early Tom Baker with Sarah Jane is probably a good jumping on point.

I love some of the old Troughton stories.Tomb of the Cybermen is brilliantly creepy.

Now I understand the BBC’s motivation to commission it,

I actually haven't watch much orginal Dr Who with the DC though we did recently watch Pyramids of Mars with Tom Baker and our teens liked it. Seen much more orignial Trek wiith them for some reason.

Someone here has gone though - rewatched and offers jumping in points and series to avoid.

https://longish95.blogspot.com/2020/06/how-to-bingewatch-classic-who-skipwatch.html

Bit older than 6 and 8 mine were really into Eureak and Warehouse 13 so think we saw more of that than older classics.

All the Pertwee stories are set on Earth* which might be a drawback. I think Liz Shaw was a great underrated companion but I couldn't do with Jo Grant who was quite the contrast. Therefore, I'm going for the obvious answer (because he was my first doctor and had the best companions), Tom Baker.

*he had a great car though

So my question is, what old Doctor Who episodes would you start with? Nothing too scary.

I started in the Jon Pertwee era, maybe him? He's pretty avuncular and the Brigadier is a plus. Though I think there are cybermen, I could cope with Daleks (they couldn't do steps in those days and the plungers were obviously hilarious) but cybermen were back of the sofa stuff.
Weirdly I've never seen any of the Patrick Troughton series.

Reporting back: dh now says "almost all star trek is good" after having watched section secret seven.

Also, he is working through original series with the kids. Yesterday they watched the Harry Mud one and were doing all sorts of weird stuff afterwards to try and disturb my android mind apparently. No idea what they're going on about as I don't remember the ep. They also claim I am a vulcan every time I mention logic.

So my question is, what old Doctor Who episodes would you start with? Nothing too scary. My oldest is a bit sensitive, even the silicon monster in star trek was too much (bizarrely until he found out it was a mother protecting her young and then it was fine).

Oh and old sci fi films they've loved include ET and Short Circuit. We watched the Star Trek whales film with them pretty early on and that was a hit too. They're 6 and 8.

Ha ha pretty sure it was already there! Dudley Clarke was, as it was termed then, a cross dresser.

Tbh most soldiers I've met like dressing up in women's clothing from time to time 🤷‍♀️

But that mucks up the story completely. Rationalization of characters in that way spoils the series. And what was the rationale of Barak marrying the Scarnsea woman? A second series would have allowed the real marriage - but maybe they intended killing off Barak's wife? But apparently there will not be another series?

Only half Indian and darkened his skin to play the role. But appreciate not the best example to highlight.

There are plenty of others, though.

Johnny Depp, Elizabeth Tailor, Angelina Jolie, Ben Affleck...

It was an episode of Dr Who, set in the time of Restoration and highwaymen.

Cadfael, otherwise good, when so much depended on botanical knowledge, I never once saw identify something correctly. Goosegrass does not have large seedpods with spikes, creeping gromwell are the two I particularly recall. If they don't grow in Hungary, take a sample over and keep it in quarantine. And don't take sides over the anarchy. Maud/Matilda was named as heir by her father Henry, who got the barons to sign that they would support her,so all those who kept their word being named traitors is a bit harsh. (Pity they couldn't keep Sean Pertwee as Beringar)

Thank you - I'll look out for these.

One was modern attitudes and another was modern idiom, patterns of speech and accents.'

I think language it's a real art form to invoke past speach patterns but not to point of being off putting to modern audiences.

I randonly stumbled across this - running up the hill in Orm's English, which is from the late 12th century - early middle English.

Silo is a good adaptation of the books so I think you might enjoy that as well as enjoying For All Mankind. And See is also interesting post-apocalyptic scifi, with Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard.

Yes. The English spoken by Jane Austen would sound very rustic to today's ears. We're used to actors in Pride and Prejudice speaking RP and not sounding like West Country farmers. But it would really break the suspension of disbelief if Lizzy Bennet started talking about the heteronormative patriarchy.

Modern attitudes slightly more jarring that slightly modernised speech. Faux Medieval English is a pain. Medieval women being feminists is totally jarring.

I haven't seen Shardlake. So Barak doesn't marry the woman he does in the books? Weird.

Curious said: 'One was modern attitudes and another was modern idiom, patterns of speech and accents.'

Yes, this can be really jarring!

But I'm a mother (woman, mumsnetter etc insert appropriate label for people with no clue to project their bizarre reality-free factless fantasies onto), what do I know?

I think I watched sister Boniface recently and gave up because several things were too jarring. One was modern attitudes and another was modern idiom, patterns of speech and accents.

I also didn't notice in things like Cadfael. (Note to self, rewatch this). I suppose I'm older now so notice the prevailing accent (eg upwards intonation and increased glottal stops. Not judging, just saying I notice.) It's safe to say that I know it's a made up world inspired by the past.

I don't mind made up stuff and I also like documentaries. What I can't watch is certain blends like scripted reality or faux history. I don't mind alternate timelines.

I also don't mind exploratory fiction and I don't mind something didactic. I don't like the one pretending to be the other. Like ideology masquerading as science. Or waffling pretending to be expertise (that probably belongs on the Shon/kumar/coco? thread.)