Doctor Who...50th Anniversary!

EVEN IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THE SHOW, READ THIS POST!!!

I admit, I am a new fan of Doctor Who. I have always known OF the show, but I never watched it until earlier this year. Basically, let me give you a summary of my science fiction fandom. Its really simple. I am a Trekkie. Always have been since the time of the first and second Trek films. I had seen all of the original series episodes LONG before Star Trek: The Next Generation came out. I am also a fan of Star Wars. I saw every single movie in the theaters. I also saw the original Battlestar Galactica when it came out, although I didn't remember much about it before I rewatched it in 2011. So, the original BSG, and all of the Trek series. That's pretty much all I'd seen as far as sci fi. I had also seen lots of random sci fi movies, but we are talking about television...wait. I had seen all of the original V series as well.

But, lets rewind to the beginning of 2011. I was living in Chattanooga, TN at the time. The city got hit pretty badly by tornadoes, and our satellite dish was destroyed. It was going to take a while for it to get fixed, so I went to the local video store, looking for a TV series to rent. I came across the 2004 remake of Battlestar Galactica, and started watching it. I was instantly hooked, and wound up going back that same day to rent the next couple discs. I didn't even care that our TV was back on. I didn't watch anything until I was done with BSG. Then, I watched it a second time with my wife.

David Tennant as the 10th doctor

Since then, I have watched all 3 of the Stargate series, Firefly, Lexx, Farscape, Fringe, Babylon 5, Caprica, BSG for a third time, and am currently watching Falling Skies, Revolution, Red Dwarf, Under the Dome, and of course, Doctor Who. I have watched all 7 of the new seasons, and have also been watching the classic seasons. Its all good stuff. My favorite doctor is the 10th, played by David Tennant. Nothing against the others I've seen so far. Matt Smith and Christopher Eccleston were both excellent, and the classic Doctors were all good as well (As I am writing this, I am up to Tom Baker as the 4th Doctor.)So, I've got my full geek on, and I know this blog post is not going to be ANY help to those who have never seen the show. It isn't like Star Trek. I can explain that show in one short paragraph:

Its a show based in the future where Humans have formed a cooperative alliance with other races, and the stories that come from various ships and crews.

No, with Doctor Who, I could write a 20 page report on it, and you'd still be confused. This is a show that you just have to sit down and watch. If you like it, you won't be able to stop watching it. If not, no big deal. It isn't for everyone. But to the people who it is for, it is every bet as dear to them as Star Trek is to Star Wars is to their fans. 'Whovians' are every bit as dedicated, and maybe even more so to Doctor Who than Trekkies.

Matt Smith as the 11th
Doctor, and Amy 'Legs' Pond

But, even though I can't tell you what the show is about, I can attempt to peak your interest, in order to make you want to see it. And if you have seen it, you'll read this part, and think "Damn right!"

For example, I can no longer watch a movie that shows London, without expecting to see a large ship come crashing into a famous landmark. Also, I will never look at statues the same way again. When I see something move out of the corner of my eye, I KNOW that something is there. Dust in a Doctor Who has had on ALL of sci fi. Sure, you can watch the new seasons, but know that what may seem to be a ripoff of Star Trek was actually ripped off from Doctor Who. For example, the Cybermen were assimilating people into cyborgs LONG before the Borg came to the Alpha Quadrant of the galaxy.

sunbeam isn't as innocent as I used to think it was. Those things are just scratching the surface. There is so much more in the Whovian universe to explore. I mean, the show has been around for 50 years, and has over 600 episodes. But the biggest thing you'll do especially if you watch the classic shows is watch other sci fi, and realize how much of an impact is there.

Cyberman inspired the Borg.

A while back, I did a blog post asking which iconic sci fi transportation method you would most like to have out of the Tardis, USS Enterprise, and a Stargate. The Tardis won hands down. It wasn't even close. The Tardis, for those of my readers who are not Whovians, is the ship of the Doctor. It looks like a police box on the outside, but its enormous on the inside. It can go anywhere in the universe, at any time. So, wouldn't you rather have the Tardis?

Daleks. They do NOT come in peace

So, what is my point of all this? Basically, as a new fan, I am excited about where the show is going. And, there is a movie that comes out on BBC-1 on November 23. Its called 'The Day of the Doctor.' Matt Smith and David Tennant are in it AS their Doctor characters...once again, don't ask me to explain. The franchise has done multiple doctor movies several times. I am thinking that at the end of this movie, we will have yet another doctor. Although John Hurt plays a Doctor in this movie, (his place is in between number 8 and 9) he is not worthy of the 'Doctor' title because of what he did during the Time War. A war that haunts the Doctor, and has been touched on repeatedly in the 7 new seasons, but nothing concrete has been revealed, other than the Doctor slaughtered millions of Daleks. One might argue that it was a good thing since the Daleks are about the most evil bastards in the universe, but stop me if you've heard this...You can't explain Doctor who.

You've just gotta watch! So, go watch if you've never seen it before. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have the seven new seasons so you aren't losing anything to give it a shot. Just start with New series 1, starring Christopher Eccleston. He was only in one season, so its impossible to mess up the viewing order!

Happy watching! Don't blink!

Click to Enlarge.
The Doctors: 1, William Hartnell 2, Patrick Troughton 3, Jon Pertwee 4, Tom Baker 5, Peter Davidson 6, Colin Baker 7, Sylvester McCoy 8, Paul McGann 9,John Hurt, 10, Christopher Eccleston 11, David Tennant 12, Matt Smith
13, Peter Capaldi. (new doctor)

I made this pic, and I did not make a typo. Even though 10 and 11 are different than earlier in the post, it is still right. You'll just have to watch!