The Doctor Is In...
 

I doubt it's escaped the attention of many regular dwellars that I am completely and unreasonably attached to Doctor Who. I am, let's face it, a total fangurl. Recently I posted a youtube vid of the Doctor Who music as played at the BBC Proms. One of our regular dwellars mentioned that whilst they had heard a lot about Doctor Who they had never seen it. Whilst explaining the distinction (and connection) between Old Who and New Who, it occurred to me that for many people, and Merkins in particular Who is a rather mysterious tradition.

For Brits, however, it is all but impossible not to have heard of the Doctor and be at least semi-aware of what the show is, even if you've never followed it. It's been a part of our culture for nearly half a century. Most of us have grown up with it to some extent. So...mainly for the Merkins, I've decided to do a potted history of the Doctor. Since the obvious place to start is at the beginning...let me introduce you to the first Doctor, as played by the redoubtable William Hartnell, an actor who was born in 1905.

When the series first started it was anticipated that it would run for 6 episodes. The first episode aired the day after Kennedy was assasinated. For many people watching it was something of a surprise, as there had been a number of 'Doctor' based shows running (Dr Finlay's casebook for example) and people tuned in expecting something medical. Instead they watched a drama in which a strange young girl with knowledge far in advance of her age drew the concern of her teachers. The two teachers followed her 'home' only to find that her home was a Police Call Box hidden in the corner of a junkyard. A CallBox that was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside...in which the girl lived with her aged Grandfather: The Doctor.

This first doctor was at times unsympathetic, by turns avuncular and menacing. This first pair of 'companions' were not so by choice. Once inside the box, they would not be allowed to leave.

An Unearthly Child :

The Doctor Is In...
 

whom?

Har de har har :)

Keep it up chick.

I'm familiar with all the Doctors but am interested in your perspective - especially the earlier ones, which of course I only watched retrospectively (as you did) but probably with less attention than you.

I shall be returning to this thread intermittently to add new segments :)

One of the difficulties with the early series is that it's very hard to find good youtube clips, on account of many of the programmes being lost. There are reconstructions, but they aren't quite up to scratch unless you're a total fangurl (as I am obviously).

Reading this thread will make me a more well-rounded human being. Thanks.

Damn! Work has just got in the way of my education.

I think it's hard for any non-Brit who isn't a real SF fan (as I am) to "get" the Doctor. And all those early shows, my god--look up "low budget" in the dictionary and you are there! LOL!

Don't forget to mention the music--the pioneering electronic music is important! Ooooeeeooooo . . . . thumpdedump . . . . eeeeuuuuoooo . . . .

Doctor Who's theme song is one of my absolute favorite TV theme songs. The 1980 version is my ring tone.

Never following sports, I was surprised to learn while in college in Pittsburgh that a Doctor Who remix is a popular stadium tune.

That's the one.

Somewhat surreal to hear that coming out of the dorm room of someone I wouldn't have expected to even be aware of the show.

cool! I hadn't heard that before

I got addicted to Doctor Who during my trip to Scotland last year. I have since then gotten a few other people addicted. :) Mainly the new Who. I've tried watching a bit of the old Who but could not get into it. I'm really not looking forward to the next two episodes, though.

In the states, we all caught things like Dr. Who, Monty Python, and Benny Hill late at night when our public broadcasting station would run BBC shows.

Doctor Who?

I've been a longtime fan having watched the original series and was impressed with the faithfulness of the present incarnation. I thought; however, that the TARDIS, currently defined as Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space, was defined by early Doctors as Time And Relative Distance In Space. Perhaps my memory is faulty.

I always knew it as dimensions; and it makes more sense if you're talking about the inside dimensions (bigger on the inside yadda yadda)

We watch BBC America frequently. I keep seeing this new episode about water zombies that I think is part of the new Dr. Who series. I just don't know when it comes on. Anyone else catch this?

Long term fan, crave Jelly Babies, have paid obscene amounts of money for a stale box of them at science fiction conventions. I have knitted several exceptionally long scarves, but never in the "official" colors.

I've been watching Dr. Who since ... oooh. Late 70s? I think I was still in high school when the local PBS station started broadcasting it.

Favorite Doctor - Tom Baker, with Jon Pertwee a very close second.

It's a short miniseries, or long standalone episode, not part of a full season. Next Saturday, maybe?

I reckon there`s alot of Australians and New Zealanders who`d say that they totally get Dr Who (I`m not one of them...science fiction doesn`t do it for me in any way, shape or form) and that although we Australians are not identical to the Brits or the New Zealanders, there`s a whole heap of stuff which is common enough that it`s almost second nature. Here I`m thinking about British humour (but that would be another thread which probably already exists or if it doesn`t, I`m too lazy to start)....bloody apostrophes on this Japanese keyboard.

Tennant's final year as the Doctor isn't a 'season'. Instead they've made 4 one hour specials. First one was Planet of the Dead, then Waters of Mars, then the two part finale End of Time, which will air over Christmas and New Year. When the new Doctor takes the helm it will return to its normal series format.


I haven't forgotten this thread btw. I fully intend to come back and post the next bit of the 'potted history' as soon as I have finished writing the first chapter of my thesis, which I am supposed to do by next Friday.