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Stories you loved on first viewing but liked less and less on rewatching
saladfingers81
12-10-2013
With props to Allen Who and his original thread it got me thinking and thought I would reverse the question.

So which episodes have you really loved/liked at the time of broadcast or first viewing that you have since fallen out of love with?

The Unicorn and the Wasp- really enjoyed the tone of this first time around but has become highly skippable on rewatches. Some good humour but pretty lightweight for the most part.

The Bells of St John - enjoyable enough but i now find it very weak, flimsy plotting, rubbish central idea, another half arsed villain/monster, pointless inclusion of the GI. Despite a few whizz bang moments this is the worst 'companion intro' episode of New Who (allowing for the fact we have seen Clara previously).

The Stolen Earth/Journeys End- thought this was the finest thing in history on first viewing. Blame drink, hype and excitement about all the fan service. On reflection its flaws get more obvious everytime you watch. Some appalling dialogue. A pathetic resolution. The ruination of Roses story and desecration of Bad Wolf Bay. Its still watchable in the extreme and I would never say it was bad. But i thought it was a DW masterpiece and that has changed!
bp2
12-10-2013
The Web of Fear purely because part of the enjoyment I had when I first listened to it was guessing who helped the great intelligence. It is still an enjoyable story in my opinion though and my enjoyment of it didn't decline after listening to it for the third time.
rwebster
13-10-2013
Journey's End is probably the ultimate example for me. Absolutely thrilling on first viewing, but it's... kind of overwrought and corny! It's by far my least favourite finale.

Anything else? Um, A Christmas Carol sags more in the middle when I know what's going to happen, but I still think it's absolutely brilliant. The Angels Take Manhattan feels a little more cluttered and unpolished, but still very good.
Pointy
13-10-2013
Turn Left. It engrossed me upon first viewing, however subsequently on re-watching it I felt less than enamored with it. In fact, I find it kind of dull.
Antimon_Bush
13-10-2013
Victory of the Daleks - it was third story I watched. Then I was fascinated with everything I saw in Doctor Who. Few weeks ago I rewatched some episodes and realised that it is not so good episode.
allen_who
13-10-2013
oooooo this is a toughy. I did't think of flipping the question around - good one!

I think maybe the love has now gone for WW3 and Aliens of London. It's just childish for me now but at the time I found it a good old 'classic who' type of story and enjoyed it
November_Rain
13-10-2013
Blink - I still like it but sadly it hasn't been the same on repeat viewings. I try not to watch it that often because of this.
daveyboy7472
13-10-2013
I think for me The Web Planet has deteriorated in interest everytime I watch it. Initially it had that very alien feel to it that made it stand out as one of the more other-wordly Hartnell stories.

Now it it's just one big snorefest with Zarbi bumping into camera's, people shouting ZAAArrrbbbbiiii!!!!! all over the place, plus the pace is agonisingly slow and the only thing good in it is Hartnell himself, even with the hairdryer thingy!

It's one of those rare stories that I think should be a one time watch only. (But I still watch anyway on a run through!)
KezM
13-10-2013
Originally Posted by November_Rain:
“Blink - I still like it but sadly it hasn't been the same on repeat viewings. I try not to watch it that often because of this.”

To me that is the ultimate example of an episode that should never be rewatched or at least very rarely. It is clever and scary and it is a brilliant. But once you know what is going to happen you can minus out the clever and the scary that are such a part of it on first viewing it is bound to lose a little of its sparkle.
November_Rain
13-10-2013
Originally Posted by KezM:
“To me that is the ultimate example of an episode that should never be rewatched or at least very rarely. It is clever and scary and it is a brilliant. But once you know what is going to happen you can minus out the clever and the scary that are such a part of it on first viewing it is bound to lose a little of its sparkle.”

Yes, I can't disagree with that.
Abomination
13-10-2013
Blink is the ultimate victim of this. The occasional rewatch works, but it relies so heavily on a very simple scare premise that is diminished when you know the scares are coming.

I enjoyed Victory of the Daleks on first viewing...not on subsequent ones. Though it's not as bad as most would suggest.

Journey's End is more dull with subsequent rewatches, and it was dull to begin with. A shame that it lets the powerful The Stolen Earth down so much.

Both episodes of The End of Time are even worse.

The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People - I was just about interested the first time, but now it's just boring.

A Good Man Goes To War falls apart after about fifteen minutes. I know how disappointing the rest is now so don't care enough to rewatch often.

The Wedding of River Song is disappointing. Shallow and reliant on special effects, with a rushed and unsatisfying conclusion to one of the best ongoing story arcs.

The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe has always been a bore but I can't even sit through it all a second time - the only episode I can't in fact.
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