The Classic Series vs The New Series

[carmen_lj]

There's a curious discussion going on at teh OG just now (worry not, kids, this is nought to do with shipping or beloved companions) that's a general back and forth snarkorama over whether Classic or New Who is better. The answer, course, is that both are rather smashing and 'betterness' is so ridiculously subjective (and, indeed, Lambert is as different from Letts as Adams is from RTD, that viewing the whole Classic series as single entity is silly anyway) that it's an almost meaningless discussion.

Anyway point is that someone said that no-one who's got into Who through the New Series and then gone onto Classic will prefer the Classic one. So I was curious (and I'm pretty sure at least one person on teh flist has pretty explicitly stated that they do) and will thus discover truth by means of that Ultimate Skientific Test, the LJ poll.

[Poll #1041361]

I have reluctantly provided a cop-out choice. I will Totally Judge You for picking it.

Comments

[samantha2074.livejournal.com]

I wavered between Classic Series preference and filthy neutrality. The New Series makes me a lot madder, but part of that is its immediacy. The Classic Series benefits in part from the glow of nostalgia, but even its really rubbishy bits don't grate on me the same way as the New Series' do because they're not accompanied by a PR blitz telling me how awesomely genius-y the whole thing is.

To put it another way, I think that in general the New Series strives for a higher standard (this is a gross generalization, of course). When it achieves this standard, it's fantastic. It often doesn't. The Classic Series, on the other hand, more often reaches its more modest goals.

So, yeah, there's stuff I love in both and stuff I am highly critical and judgmental about. I figure it evens out. Or will in a few years time when some of my bitterness fades.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

Pfft, I still totally have my self-respect. Presumably. I hope.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

OMG!

[calapine.livejournal.com]

Ma flist is a big bunch of old skool freaks; I didn't think there'd be quite so many coming from New Skool, luvin Old Skool more.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

The PR blitz can be a little...nauseating, yes. I enjoyed things a lot better when I started skipping the Confidentials.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

On the one hand, Classic Who had Romana and Leela and Ace and Nimons and pants-ripping.

On the other hand, New Who has Martha and Donna and Weeping Angels.

...Actually, tallying that up, Classic wins on the grounds of wardrobe malfunctions. But you may judge me for my neutrality anyway.

[evil_plotbunny]

YAY FOR IMPROBABLE PAIRINGS!

[calapine.livejournal.com]

You are, naturally, judged. MOST SEVERLY.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I AM PROUD TO BE A FILTHY EVERYTHING-LOVING NEUTRAL!

[pextheunalive.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't really use that as an excuse either. It's fairer to say I never took myself all that seriously to begin with, so I don't think I'll start now either. I'd rather have fun than be right in the head any week of the day.

[steverogerson.livejournal.com]

I watched the classic series first then the new series and think both are as good as each other, it's all one big long story.

[kseda.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to get the term "Middle Skool" to catch on for Eight and all the related spin-off media. If you think about it that was an awkward and rather juvenile time, so it kinda works.

[some-stars.livejournal.com]

YES exactly. 'cause like...sure, you get stuff like the UNIT guys in The Invasion asking to have Zoe around because she's much prettier than a computer--but she still got to SAVE THE DAY with her GENIUS MATH BRAINS and be appreciated for them. SO much stuff like that. or how, yeah, Romana has to be young and pretty (and 'young' in-text too) while the Doctor can be experienced and funny-looking--but you know, Rose and Martha had to be drop-dead beautiful and much younger, adn they didn't get to DO or GROW half as much. I hate the backlash :( but meanwhile, I watch old TV a lot!

[calapine.livejournal.com]

YOUR SHAMING ADMISSION IS NOTED.

[codenamecarrot.livejournal.com]

Having just finished (yesterday!) watching through your top picks for each doctor I am both a) totally in love with-old school and b) going to trust your episode recommendations beyond all reason.

Just two questions - which episode(s) have the most exploitative best shots of the brigadier's bottom person? and which has the giant clams?

[calapine.livejournal.com]

Aye, and there's Jo being all sweet about being told to stay safely at base and then sneaking off to help out anyway, All The Time. And Zoe and her friend being told not to go into the sewers and doing it anyway in Invasion. And Sarah snapping at anyone who dares say anything sexist to her, and Anne Travers snarking sweetly to the soldier who asks why a prety girl like her would become a scientist.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Spearhead for the Brig's bottom - I believe there are actually comments made about that on the commentary. And Genesis of the Daleks feaures the Giant Clams.

(Time Monster is terrible, terrible, I says.)

[glinda-penguin.livejournal.com]

Yes! My favourite much maligned neglected ship!

Grace, clearly greater than Rose, Jack and Martha as the TARDIS resurrected her just fine after his psycho ex killed her in a fit of jealous rage without any of this becoming immortal nonsense! :D

[immelmanturn.livejournal.com]

I'm probably a terrible person to claim to prefer the Classic series, as I haven't seen too terribly much of it. I've read some of the books, though, and have discovered a preference for WACKY SPACE HIJINKS over DEEP EMOTIONAL DRAMA AND PLOT. The New Series (or its fans, at the very least) need to stop taking things so seriously~)

[calapine.livejournal.com]

And that's despite her killing the Doctor! Oh, oh, Eight/Grace was my favourite pairing the year before the New Series came on, yes.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

I'm really surprised by the number of New Old Skool fans who prefer the classic one. Wack space hijinks FTW!

[calapine.livejournal.com]

Quite so. If I'm dividing it up into bits, it makes more sense in my head to do it by producer era.

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

I chose the "new series but prefer the old" but, dammit, I came to them both at the same time! Never watched Who as a kid, but watched semi-regularly when the ABC started repeating all the episodes they could (there was problems with the Daleks, apparently) at 6pm weekdays. Started watching far more regularly (with more intent, given that the other people in the house didn't want to watch the show and it was on over dinner) when I started to hear about the new series from my flist. So technically I think I came to it through the new series, but I prefer the old.

Sometimes these things aren't that clear-cut, dammit!

[calapine.livejournal.com]

I am v sorry I did not consider people in your SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES when constructing teh poll. However you should take some pride in that you did not cop-out and become a NEUTRAL like so many of my much beloved flist.

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

I am told that I'm very good at having unique circumstances *g* And I know! How many people are being all neutral and boring! They won't make it onto f_w with that attitude.