This is not a thread about stories or episodes you actively dislike but more about stories that no matter how many times you watch them, you just never get to grips with it.

I've just been watching Fury From The Deep and this is one of those stories. Now admittedly this is a telesnap only story and that doesn't help. However, even when I used to listen to this story as an audio, it never came across as a story I could get into and it's hard to pinpoint why. Maybe it's because it hasn't a set monster in it or because it's not as enthralling as the other stories of Season 5. I always get this feeling if it was to be rediscovered I would feel exactly the same watching it.

It isn't just missing stories I have this issue with. The Mutants, Colony In Space, Underworld, Frontios. These are just some of the stories I find difficult to get into but don't really dislike.

In the New Series it's The Impossible Planet/Satan's Pit and 42, and I won't even get started on the Moffat Era or I'd be here all day......

So does anyone else have these types of stories that like watching but just find it hard to get to grips with?

Interesting that most of the stories you mention involve being underground at some point. Not sure what the psychoanalysts would make of this, but there's definitely a pattern emerging!

For me, no matter how hard I've tried, I still can't get into much of Colin Baker's era. It's not Colin - he's generally very good, it's not the production team's approach which was basically the same throughout the 80s, it wasn't even the scripts - CB had his fair share of clunkers it's true, but so did SM and PD. It must be a weird combination of all sorts of things, but I simply don't engage with most of the sixth Doctor stories. My favourite, and the one I enjoy rewatching, is the Dalek story, which is the most atypical of this era!

As you know from the Polls Threads though, I love The Web Of Fear, so it isn't that!

I actually love the CB Era as a whole, probably as there's so few stories to watch. If anything it's Mindwarp I have an issue with but that is because of what happens to Peri, and the whole feel of the story......though I notice it may possibly be classified as Underground!

Keeping away from the Moffat era, yes I would be here all day too. The audio of the space pirates and on dvd the leisure hive, horns of nimon, the twin dilemma, time and the rani, ghost light.

Not sure how this differs from a least favourite story request but in trying to get into the spirit of the question I will say:-

Caves of Androzani

Everything about it tells me it's a classic. It is a great script by the single greatest writer in the history of the show imo, the acting is as good as you will see in Doctor Who, the director is one of the best in the history of Doctor Who and the production values (monster excepted) are very good.

But I do not enjoy it. I think it's a little too brutal for me. Which is odd because I like Earthshock.

So if I was asked to name the 'best' Davison story I would probably say Caved but it wouldn't get into my top ten of favourite stories from his era.

Hope that's ok.

I prefer earthshock to caves too.

I can't really get into Caves of Androzani either. Don't get me wrong, I think Doctor Who gets a lot worse, but I really can't see why it's held in such high regard. It seemed very slow in places and I never particually felt much threat, excitement or moral lessons which I like about Who, and parts of it seemed very stereotypical. Having said that, I do like the final sequence where the Doctor saved Peri, but I think this seems very rushed

State of Decay (I didn't find it interesting at all)

So, that's two 'keeping away from the Moffat era, I'd be here all day..'s so far, including the OP. Glad to see it's not the intention to make it another Moffat bashing thread....

I didn't 'get into' certain stories because they bored me! :-

The Ambassadors of Death
Doctor Who & The Silurians (terrible title too)
The Caves of Androzani

Other ones were ALL of the 7th Doctor's stories, except Delta & The Bannermen, Remembrance of the Daleks and Curse of Fenric!

Oh - and yes - I too don't get any of Matt's series apart from the last couple of specials....but that's just me!

The Aztecs is obviously a great story, but beyond that I just can't get into Hartnell/Troughton Historicals. Had I been around in the 60s, no doubt I would have been one of those pesky viewers who caused them to die out.

Three reasons really. First is the Shakespearean sort of dialogue they all talk in. If I read a transcript intently I can just about understand what they're saying, but otherwise I've got no chance.

Second, is the subject matter itself. I can't even make sense of contemporary British politics, so 17th century French Politics is completely beyond me. I suppose you're going to tell me that's proof of education dumbing down since the sixties

Thirdly, the names of the characters. Funnily enough, characters in the past and in the future in Doctor who both have equally bizarre names, but the historical ones always elude me the most. How can I make it to the end of the Abominable Snowman if I can't keep track of who Khrisong, Thomni, Rinchen and Sapan are!

The Keys of Marinus
Web Planet
Dominators
Mind Robber
War Games
The Mutants
Time Monster
Carnival of Monsters
Frontier in Space
Face of Evil
Most stuff from the Graham Williams era bar Destiny and City
Meglos
Four to Doomsday
Terminus
Trial

Surely you mean The Reign of Terror?

You misunderstand me. I said "The Aztecs is obviously a great story, but beyond that I just can't get into Hartnell/Troughton Historicals." I'm saying Aztecs is the exception to the rule. 17th Century France refers to both The Reign Of Terror and The Massacre. The reconstruction of The Massacre is possibly the worst recon there is, due to no surviving footage and very few pictures but I don't think I'd 'get it' even if Philip Morris recovered all four episodes in 5.1 surround sound!

Hearing 405-line TV recordings, with AM sound in surround sound . . . *shudder*!

Well that's why I didn't list any Moffat Stories. Feel as if I've made my opinion clear on them, didn't see the point of saying it again and there is more to Doctor Who life than Steven Moffat....

A lot of the 5th Doctor serials are like that for me. I don't feel strongly about them but I just find my attention drifting from them very easily. My best guess as to why that is the case is that i just don't find Peter Davison's Doctor, or his companions, to be interesting or engaging. Normally, during an average or mediocre story there is still a level of entertainment from simply watching the Doctor, because he is interesting and charismatic in his own right. I just don't really find that to be the case with Davison so there's nothing to prop up an average story really, especially as I don't particularly care for any of his companions (Tegan and Adric I find particularly irritating in fact).

With other Doctors, I have only ever watched the Sensorites in full once; all rewatch attempts have been curtailed due to waning enthusiasm. I would say most of the Chris Bidmead 4th Doctor stories probably fit the bill too. I guess I just don't like a straight down the line Doctor.

Of course, this can happen with reconstructions. There's one or two I still don't feel I've ever given a fair crack of the whip to, because I couldn't get into the reconstruction. 'The Space Pirates' is one in particular.

Also, most Daleks serials, post the Troughton era. I don't feel any of them are really bad (except the Ogrons one), I just get tired of seeing them over and over again.

There's a fair few Tenannt era episodes like that too I guess, although my tendency is to find myself disliking his weaker episodes rather than being indifferent to them. I put 'Tooth and Claw' on the other day and it was so tacky and irritating. And nothing happened at all, except being chased around by a werewolf and then having a sudden brainwave to use the telescope. So I think I'm growing to dislike his era where I used to be fairly indifferent to it.

I haven't been able to bring my self to watch Matt Smiths's dinosaurs or vampires episode in full, or Tennants Miss Marple episode.

Vampires is utterly mediocre but I find the other two a lot of fun to watch (assuming you mean Agatha Christie for Miss Marple :P)

Oh yes, Agatha, the one with the big bee attacking Donna? Ah yes, "The Unicorn and the Wasp"

Naturally what I've highlighted I totally and utterly disagree with!

However, I do agree with you about The Space Pirates. As with Fury From The Deep, I think if this story was rediscovered, I'd still find it a difficult watch. Based on the surviving episode it simply crawls along and the fact The Doctor and Co spend most of their time of that episode locked in one room tells just sums up how slow this story is. Sometimes you can see in Troughton's performance that he was maybe tiring of the role at this point, something he admitted himself in later interviews.

So we don't agree too much, I think Tooth and Claw is a great story. Whenever I watch it it makes me realise what's been missing in the show over the last few years.

The "Ganger" two-parter from series 6.

The time of the doctor - watched it three times and cant get into it.

Same with Daleks in Manhatten, have yet to finish watching the second half, doubt I'll ever bother!

Despite them being part of a great era, I've never been able to engage with The Masque of Mandragora or The Hand of Fear. Not sure why, they just don't draw me in. A number of Pertwee stories have that effect on me, but Monster of Peladon and The Time Monster spring to mind. As regards C21, with a few notable exceptions I haven't really got on too well with repeat viewings of Series 2.

Time-Flight to be honest.