Let me start off by saying that my husband, and other numerous family members are really in love with the Doctor Who show. My husband's side of the family are European, so they grew up with Doctor Who.
I have seen all the Doctor Who episodes starting with Christopher Eccleston and on, and I am most excited about the 50th Anniversary special. My husband I are going to see it in 3D next Monday! But I'm rather obsessive by nature, and while it is true that I need something to watch while I quilt, it bothers a small part of my brain that I haven't actually seen ALL of the Doctor Who episodes, just some of them.
A few years ago, I decided to get through Star Trek, and it took me a couple years but I successfully plowed my way through all the original Star Treks, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise and all the Star Trek movies ever made [with the assistance of my good husband], because that's just how I am. I don't consider myself a Trekkie, but I now understand Tribble references, and that Captain Kirk never actually said, "Beam me up, Scottie." We've started collecting all the Star Trek books ever published to add to our library. [When we got married, we combined our libraries and now have over 2,000 books on every subject imaginable.] There are actually hundreds of Star Trek books. It's been quite an enormous undertaking.
I never grew up with Star Trek, or Doctor Who or science fiction in general. I don't particularly care for science fiction movies, books or TV shows. It wasn't something that any of my family members were interested in so I was never exposed to it on a regular basis, until I married a science fiction nerd. Since we've been married, he's been forced to read Agatha Christie, and I have scurried my way through his Star Trek collection. Who knows, maybe when all this is done I shall even try reading some Kurt Vonnegut.
Maybe.
************************
For those who know nothing about it, Doctor Who is a very British show revolving around an 'alien' who travels through space and time in what is called a T.A.R.D.I.S [I will not explain the acronym myself. That is why Wikipedia exists.], which oddly enough looks like a police box. The purpose of the police box [when the show was created 50 years ago] was to act as a disguise so that the average person --- except for apparently those who watch the show --- does not know the presence of "The Doctor". Except I really can't explain how a blue police box would seem inauspicious NOWadays, but I'm sure someone will explain it clearly enough to their own satisfaction. [This is why the clever phrase "Bigger on the inside" is oft declared to no one in particular. in a continuous cycle in every darned episode. And I just bet he has a room dedicated solely to Christmas wrapping paper somewhere in that stupid box of his.]
Anyway, this show has been going on and off for fifty years. Yes, fifty. And how, might you ask, is this possible? Apparently to explain this astounding phenomena, the Doctor goes through something called regeneration, by which he leaves his current body [i.e. actor], and becomes another person [i.e. another actor]. Now that I think about it, he doesn't appear to regenerate, say --- into ye local florist, or the lisping 15 year old pimply bagger at Walmart. Oh yeah, The Doctor doesn't actually exist. Tsk tsk. If you ask me, he's just perpetuating a never ending cycle of actors. He really needs to branch out from time to time. If you realize that he doesn't actually exist, it just makes the whole regeneration thing very confusing. I'd rather not think about it anymore.
I liken this regeneration to a host entering another form, like in the movie Alien. Except in Doctor Who, the alien is handsome, manly and speaks in a Scottish/British accent, instead of that ugly, mannish Segourney Weaver. Now I'm gonna get smacked for comparing Alien to Doctor Who. Or is it the other way around?
In general this Doctor, who just calls himself The Doctor, though he has taken numerous forms by now and can't conceive the notion of calling himself "The Duke of Wolfstone" like in those silly romance novels, he runs around saving people all over the universe in different time periods. Well now that I think about it, he pretty much sticks to London. I guess all the fun things take place in London?? Oh that's why he likes London so much. It's where all the pretty girls live. And yeah, he saves the universe, London, every. single. blasted. time. No idea what his doctorate is in, or precisely how he obtained it. Can you get a doctorate in taking down aliens?
He travels, sometimes alone, and sometimes with companions who happen to be 12 year old girls. I kid about their ages, but the majority tend to be innocent, young, helpless women in desperate need of a father/grandfather/great-grandfather/great-great-grandfather figure. What I meant to say he seems to pick up a lot of young women everywhere he goes, and then unceremoniously dumps them in random time periods, or they dump him. What does it matter? They're just there to get a certain audience to tune in. Sometimes he cares, but usually not.
Well it's kind of hard not to think of the dear doctor as some kind of pedophile/rapist/stalker, but in truth his relationship with his various companions is rarely sexual. I say rarely, because evidently he gets married and ends up with a daughter and granddaughter at some point. Has he killed off all his boy relatives? I'm being hilarious. But you think these kinds of things, when absolutely nothing is ever explained. It's all very mysterious.
So, I have seen all the Doctor Who episodes from Christopher Eccleston on so now I am delving into the classics, starting with the Doctor who started it all: William Hartnell. I have found the last three series to be more...what is the word? Stomachable?... than the original episodes. You will find out why that is soon enough. Everyone seems to have his own favorite doctor, though. The general consensus is that Tom Baker was the best. Each actor has taken great care to make The Doctor have a unique personality according to their own idea of his identity. I find this admirable.
I'm not going to bother getting in touch with the missing episodes that are purely radio. I'm not that obsessed. Don't look so horrified.
My commentary on the episodes will definitely annoy you. I do not claim to be an expert in all things Doctor Who. I'm just the average joe, watching a science fiction show. I'm sure that I will say the wrong things about the wrong episode, but my husband will always be at my side, vigilantly reading my every word so that I do not embarrass the family.
Come on. It will be great.
On with the show!
No comments:
Post a Comment