DW definitely has its dark moments -- the end of s4 and the specials before s5 are some of the lowest points of the entire series -- but ultimately it's more a show about hope and optimism. As Craig Ferguson says, it's about the triumph of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism. :D
And if you want to avoid the terrible stuff that happened to Donna, you could always just start with s5. S5 is essentially a reboot of the entire series: new Doctor, new companion, new head writer, completely new stories and new feel. It's a return to the outright happy!Doctor, and you don't need to know much background on the show before you begin -- most of the need-to-know stuff is explained within the episodes themselves.
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And if you want to avoid the terrible stuff that happened to Donna, you could always just start with s5. S5 is essentially a reboot of the entire series: new Doctor, new companion, new head writer, completely new stories and new feel. It's a return to the outright happy!Doctor, and you don't need to know much background on the show before you begin -- most of the need-to-know stuff is explained within the episodes themselves.
:D