In mid-2014 I started watching all of the Classic Who episodes on Amazon Prime, with the intention of breaking each season/Doctor/Companion down, much like I did with my friends leading up to the 50th. Welllllll...that didn't happen. But I found my notes this weekend (after getting excited about it at Gallifrey One!) so here are my thoughts in outline form. (Real talk: I wish I'd found these before Gally1 because there are some ribbon-worthy quotes in here.)

Random early season stuff:

William Hartnell: Four part Aztec episodes from Season 1

Jim Varney-esque, Phil Hartman-esque
Barbara, Susan and Ian
Changing cultures/judging; Is this normal? The Doctor tells them not to interfere with the old way of life, but he’s not very emphatic about it. The companions seem a lot more strong-willed, and in a “oh, poor old man” sense than even Amy or Donna. Is this normal? Also, I think Susan is an idiot.
“You failed to save a civilization but at least you helped one man.”

Patrick Traughton: Four part Cybermen episodes from Season 5

Digging it
“renewed” – he really does look like a younger William Hartnell

Jamie and Victoria

Earlier episodes weren’t available on Amazon Prime – what’s the story with Victoria’s dad?
I could see that these Cybermen episodes would be AWESOME for little boys in the 60s!

Patrick Traughton: Season 6

Jamie and Zoe

WTF is happening? The Doctor sees the companions, and not Gallifrey (because it hasn’t been destroyed yet, I guess) or another place. That’s adorable. This reminds me of the Felicity episode when we get to see what’s in Megan’s secret box.
Episodes 6-7: These are more like episodes of the Twilight Zone. THE MASTER!!!
They are REALLY dedicated to having the Scot in a kilt. I’m guessing The Doctor picked him up from an earlier time than the 60s, too?

eps 8-10: inside books!

Medusa is an early weeping angel, basically
"I have yet to see a robot that... Can climb!!!" The Qmaster isn't gallifreyan - but supposed to be the same character?
Disintegrate!

Season 7

ep 1 - 4:

more than halfway through the show and haven't seen his face; regeneration!!!
This doctor recognizes people immediately!
What do you think of my new face? Could be useful on the planet Delphon where the communicate with their eyebrows. - this is a modern doctor!
Speaking of modern /@- same type story as nines introduction
gun hands! These are exactly the same! Now I want to hear what nine has to say about it during his intro
Unit!!!
actual window dummies are coming to life! This makes nines intro all the more brilliant. That would've been almost a generation apart. 35 years
Is this the beginning of the sonic screwdriver, and does that make it earth technology? Units?
Smith, ER, doctor john smith
Companion Liz

Season 10

episodes 1-4: Three Doctors

Back at unit. Quite right, too. When I tell you to run, run!
Bessie the car - what's that about?
So far this so reminds me of the electric light parade
Companion jo
An entire room full of gallifreyan to help 😞
And fake William hartnell reminds me of Glinda - fake?
Oh you're my replacements are you, a dandy and a clown?
Omega the time lord "I should have been a god!"
At some point Pertwee got a sonic screwdriver

Carnival of monsters 5-8

Finally not in earth!
Bermuda Triangle? This reminds me of the x files. I'd love more Bermuda Triangle episodes
THE DOCTOR IS FIST FIGHTIng

Episode 14 green death part 6:

I'm over multipart stories. I miss nine
So many costumes for 3!
Nancy. In her robe? It's threes company up in here
Ugh and Jo's still here. The worst.
Unit and the car!
Jo is leaving to marry this Russian figure skater. Who is this guy?
How much travel was done in the tardis? Vs this car?

Season 12 ep 5:

Ooooooh title sequence and logo! And Tom Baker!!! The face in the intro is a throw back, not a moffatism
The scarf!!!
Sarah Jane!!!
In love already
This Harry is already the worst.
This has odd Logan's run qualities
MICROFILM!!!
Tom baker reminds me a lot of nine
"Fancy a member of the fairer sex being the top of the totem pole!" Ugh, Harry.
It might be irrational of me, but human beings are quite my favorite species.
This is the first story that hasn't been 100% happy at the end.

Season 13

eps 9-12

This feels like such a modern doctor. And Sarah Jane gets to have her own ideas. He is nine!!!
There is a man in a fez on my tv that isn't a doctor.
I think in about to see them build k9!
If Sarah jane is wearing Victorias dress, then the doctor just has all these old relics of past companions all over the place in the tardis. How sad!
This isn't near as fun as when the doctor was possessed by Cassandra
No K9 😞

Season 14

episodes 17 - 20

I'm tired of the multiple episode stories, but this seems to be the norm and how things were judged (in stories not episodes)
Companion Lela! She is from the far future? She looks like a cave woman
Shirtless actors!
"A simple thank you would've been sufficient."
"well yes you've failed but congratulations! Failure is one of the basic freedoms"
I get the Tom baker thing now
If leela is from the far future and it's primitive, then why don't we see that time again?

Episodes 21 - 26

Yea! Back in time! And he's Sherlock!
Puppets. Nightmare ville
It's Jack the Ripper and Sherlock!!! Mrs Hudson!
Puppets and ten foot rats, yay! I do like leela using her knowledge in this ep though
Elementary my dear light foot - I bet people DIED at that line
Are these the same pig people as in later seasons?

Season 15

Still leela

Horror of fang rock eps 1-4

This feels like another Sherlock story even though it isn't. Or Poirot actually.
Leela is more likely to go off and do things on her own - and she's capable. The patronizing tone of the doctor is pretty annoying
Rutan, that's the empty rhetoric of a defeated dictator, and I don't like your face either.
Everyone has died but leela and the doctor!
These bad blob guys were defeated by the sauntaurans!
These stories are starting to feel more modern - the bad guys fighting other bad guys with earth as only a stopping ground or vantage/strategic point

Season 16

episodes 1-4

New companion!
And K-9!!!
This is surely a bad trip. Colonel Sanders is here. The white guardian. Beware the Black Guardian.
And he's going after the gems of the glove to create a tesseract?
Whoa! An ASSIGNED companion.
Ramona looks like Wonder Woman
I love the mixing of times - Edwardian meets James Bond
Ramona looks like the heAdless queen from return to oz
If this Robin Hood?
"So you live in ?Shire??" "No, we come from the North."
Is this ENTIRE season going to be finding these stones? Sigh. Multi- part episodes.
I feel like they stumbled across the old bbc sets for Shakespeare and Classic plays. It's like the tempest up in here.

episodes 5 - 8: The Pirate Planet

I feel like I've come in during the middle of a story. What is happening?
I'd somehow completely forgotten about Ramona. She does look like she should be on Saturday Night Live. Like a mixture between Gilda Radner and Lorraine Newman.
So, what makes a TIme Lord able to drive a TARDIS? If The Doctor is teaching Ramona...? But she said she's read a book. Speaking of the TARDIS, it's SO BRIGHTTTT and the console room is even BIGGER than usual. I like when it's rounder and a little comfier.
"Good looks are no substitute for sound character."
His scarf in this season looks felted, which makes me question everything I though I knew.
I want to see this set - it looks like something that was found out and about, and not built just for this episode. I need the story.

I watched all of the classics, but stopped taking notes when I thought I'd lost these earlier ones. You're saved!

Feb 19 Classic Who: An Outline