Sheesh... 'Doctor Who' is 53 years old... That's impressive! And that's not the only reason I'll be gushing over this show today. 'Doctor Who' is sadly becoming less popular with a decline in viewership and everyone I know saying that 'Doctor Who' was never as good as when David Tennant was around. So... am I allowed to say that I still love this show? Even the current stuff? OK before you give your computer screen a funny look, allow me to explain.
For those of you who don't know, 'Doctor Who' is a science fiction show surrounding an alien called The Doctor who travels in a time/space travelling box called the TARDIS that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Through it, The Doctor picks up human companions and takes them everywhere in time and space, battling monsters along the way. Now if that premise alone doesn't justify my love for the show I don't know what will because that is a fantastic premise! Because of the TARDIS, the writers are not restricted by setting, meaning that they can do whatever they want with the show, provided that it doesn't break the established universe (I'm looking at you Steven Moffat). The sheer imagination has inspired me to take up a career path in creative writing, particularly screenplays because I want to share my own somewhat creative ideas (no I'm not saying what they are in case they come up on TV someday). It stays fresh too as The Doctor can change his appearance and personality when near the point of death, meaning that the writers can do new things with the character.
My personal experience with the show began in March 2005, when 'Doctor Who' came back after a 16 year hiatus. Immediately I was intrigued by this show and by the season finale, I loved it and I was very sad to see Christopher Eccleston leave. Luckily, David Tennant came along and he became my Doctor. By his season, I became obsessed with the show and it never left. Even though I had to miss a few episodes because of their fear factor (I was 7 when it started after all) I still loved it and I went back to those episodes once I got older and braver. Since then I built up a collection of toys, DVDs, books and other memorabillia to create a collection so large, I couldn't take all of it with me to University.
Besides the creative premise, the reason I love this show is because I also find a role model in The Doctor himself. He is a man who is never cruel or cowardly and always finds a peaceful solution to his problems. He is caring and compassionate and he gives his enemies the benefit of the doubt before he defeats them. He never uses a weapon but he does use his intelligence and wit to save the day. In fact, Steven Moffat, whom I mentioned earlier, said this quote that summed it up better than I did:
The enemies were great too! The Daleks, The Doctor's most recurring enemies, are as iconic as The Beatles in terms of quintessential Britishness. The Cybermen, cyborgs that were once human and now want to convert other like them, are even more relevant now that they were back in the 1960s. The Weeping Angels, as scary as some of the horror classics with their great premise of statues that move when you look away or blink. And The Master, The Doctor's arch-nemesis, is a delightfully evil character. They, and thousands of more monsters keep the show entertaining and creative.
Though to me, the biggest reason why I still love the show is the impact it had on me. I already mentioned it shaping my career path but there are many other reasons as well. Without it, I would never have discovered the internet, I would have less friends since that show is what helped me form friendships with people and I would never have got into film criticism, and therefore film in general, since my love for criticism spawned from 'Doctor Who' reviews. This has made such a large impact on my life that I can't imagine myself in a world where this show never existed!
This is why I watch the show even through the questionable decisions such as including a superhero in the Christmas special, even after 'Hell Bent,' one of the most painful experiences I've been through as a Whovian, even during this year where the BBC stopped putting out content, even through a spin-off that split people down the middle, and even through Steven Moffat's lazy writing. I love the show regardless of its many flaws and trials because I know how great it was and how much of an impact it was to me. I love the characters, I love the premise, I love the imagination and I'm hopeful that the writing will improve and 'Doctor Who' will be great once more!
This concludes my Thought from an Autistic Mind. It's nice to be kind to something after I basically made fun of the President of the US. What did you think of this post? Do you have your own show that you just love with all of your heart? Comment below and as always, please like my Facebook page Joel Mole, share this around the internet and tell me what you like and dislike about this (though be civil, I'm allergic to trolls). See you next time whenever that may be. Until then, fair thee well good people of the internet.
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| From left to right: William Hartnell (Doctor #1), Patrick Troughton (Doctor #2), Jon Pertwee (Doctor #3), Tom Baker (Doctor #4), Christopher Eccleston (Doctor #9), Matt Smith (Doctor #11), Peter Capaldi (Doctor #12), David Tennant (Doctor #10), John Hurt (Doctor #8.5), Paul McGann (Doctor #8), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor #7), Colin Baker (Doctor #6), Peter Davison (Doctor #5) |
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