Saturday, July 31, 2010

Doctor WHO?

Confession time.

Doctor Who.

I just don't get it.

I've been here for six years and I've tried and tried to understand. Why the obsession with bad sets, clunky costumes and strange skinny men? Every time I try to watch, I cringe and turn it off. There's something in my genetic programming that simply doesn't understand why so many are obsessed -- to the point that last weekend, the Proms held two dedicated Doctor Who concerts.

Can anyone provide illumination? Am I alone in this?

12 comments:

Beth said...

No idea either. I try to watch every Christmas for the special and end up turning on Love, Actually instead!

Kim said...

Back in the day my dad watched the old school Dr Who. Those memories have stuck with me, which means I avoid the new Dr Who like the plague. All I remember is totally cheesy costumes, a lot of smoke, and just general weirdness. So no, you're not alone!

Deniz Bevan said...

Whaaaa??? Really? I saw the first - and I mean the first, with William Hartnell - on the Space channel here back in my teens. For some kooky reason it was on at 6 am and I would get up early to watch it and then get all sleepy again when it was over and I had to go to school.
The clunky sets and all were excusable then, cos I knew it had been made in the 60s, and the storylines and the Doctor himself and the Daleks were so exciting! Patrick Troughton was great too, especially cos he had a kilted Scotsman as a sidekick. Pertwee was a bit twee (sorry!) but Tom Baker and Peter Davison were brilliant!
That was as far as I got. I didn't like the next two doctors and Space stopped rerunning them and I kind of lost track. Now they've brought it back, but DH kind of thinks along your lines - though I keep trying to get him to watch some Hartnell and Troughton episodes - and I hardly ever see the new ones anymore.
If I were watching any of them, old or new, for the first time now, I wonder if I'd like them as much?

Sharon Longworth said...

It's absolute must-watch, can't go out or do anything til it's over, TV in our house.
And I would love, just for a while, to be the doctor's assistant.....

Anonymous said...

When you said "bad sets" and "clunk costumes" I thought a-ha, you're watching old-school Doctor Who from between 1963 and 1989, which has those things in spades. But then you mentioned skinny guys, which is undoubtedly the new stuff, so I just don't understand. The sets and costumes in the series 2005-2010 have been great.

Al said...

I am afraid I am a Dr Who tragic.
If I record every episode just to make absolutely I don't miss it.

Theresa Milstein said...

I don't think we get it here. Old Kitty loves it.

India Drummond said...

I don't get it either. I think it's one of those things people enjoy because it invokes childhood memories ,not because it's actually any good. :)

heatherfeather said...

Doctor Who is something that you either get or don't get. I was fortunate to see a preview of the 2005 series when I was in London and it hooked me and I converted my father..my mom still doesn't understand it.

For me, it's one of the only shows on TV that is cinematic, great writing and yet is fun! So many shows nowadays try to hip, moody, or Buffy-esque. Doctor Who is just fun escapist telly, tongue in cheek with brilliant actors. It's becoming more popular here in the States. One of my favorites.

Marsha said...

Maybe it's a marmite thing? Love it or hate it?

I'm glad I'm not alone in this! Thank you all for sharing. :)

Ann said...

Was always a big hit in my house. I didn't watch it, but my husband and children wouldn't miss it for anything.

Anonymous said...

Don't you love Doctorin' the Tardis though!
Mel