Just start at the beginning of any season. Each season will have an over arching story line and all of the episodes will play a part of that seasons story line. Each Doctor is different and each companion is as well. Everyone who watches the show has opinions about the writing, the acting, the production values. The only opinion that matters will be yours.

It is British (or Welsh for the reboot). They hate guns over there. No surprise the Doctor doesn't like guns, even if he is a Time Lord