1. Its A Great Entry Point To The Classic Series
If youre a Whovian addicted to the new series and want to get into the older stories but are daunted by the sheer volume of them, The Ark in Space can be a very good place to start. Its engaging at almost every point if you find it on a random TV channel and very easy to marathon on Netflix or on DVD due to its excellent pace. If youre a fan of the classics trying to get your friends who only watch the new stuff interested, then its a really good example of all there is to love about the old show - brilliant stories, the exploration of sci-fi concepts, scary monsters, charismatic lead actors... It's pretty much got the lot. In fact, the story even shows how the bad effects that pervade early Doctor Who arent necessarily a game-breaking problem. After all, theyre really just part of the charm, arent they? Theres a new Doctor finding his feet and building up to an iconic portrayal that will pervade pop culture. Theres a new companion disconcerted by travelling in the TARDIS, gradually becoming accustomed to new surroundings, creating a sense of accessibility about the whole thing. Furthermore, theres a familiar face in Sarah Jane Smith so there's a character that 2005+ watchers will have met before and be able to latch on to. The story itself is also really accessible, given that Davies and Moffat have both covered similar ideas at various points, and the similarities to Alien mean that there are a lot of familiar ideas at play. If you need a summation of why you should watch, try this. Its Doctor Who does Alien, four years before Alien hits cinemas, with the winning charm that only Doctor Who at its best can do. Sounds good, right?
What did you think of this list? Do you agree that The Ark in Spice is a good entry point for new viewers? Let us know in the comments section below.