Once viewed by many TV lovers as a niche sci-fi program, Doctor Who and the TARDIS have been popping up with increasing regularity on television screens around the globe. In the past few years, the cult British staple has become a full-on global phenomenon. These days, being a Whovian is, as the eleventh Doctor (played by Matt Smith) would say, “Cool.”

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However, with over six seasons of the Russell T. Davies 2005 series relaunch plus three spin-off shows (Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and K9) available online and in stores, it can be an especially daunting task to get started – and that’s not even taking the hundreds of classic Doctor Who episodes into consideration.

Fortunately, we’ve put together the following handy guide to help viewers figure out which episodes are a good barometer for whether or not someone will enjoy the series, where to find the show online (in addition to retail shelves), as well as a complete list of Doctor Who episodes, specials, shorts, prequels and tie-ins - including where the Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, and K9 crossovers fit in (assuming you want the “complete” Doctor Who experience).

doctor who david tennant matt smith Doctor Who Viewing Guide: Tips, Suggestions & Complete Episode List

That said, our guide will only focus on the modern series (starting in 2005) – since the copious amount of content in the classic chapter could be pretty daunting for most viewers who are new to Who. We recommend that interested viewers follow our guide and then, if they’re up for it, go all the way back to the beginning of the franchise with Season 1, Episode 1: “An Unearthly Child” (1963) – which featured the first, and grumpiest, iteration of The Doctor (played by William Hartnell).