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Doctor Who's importance to me, again

I stumbled out of bed this morning and there was immediately a message from my cousin James telling me I had to watch the new Doctor Who mini-episode right away. 

I was skeptical, but I went to look for it. 

Before I even saw it, I knew today was going to be a good day.

The show has lasted 50 years because it has a universe where the main character has lived a series of lives in different bodies. He regenerates into a new form every time he is killed. 

There has been a gap in the show's continuity. The show was canceled by the BBC in 1989, but brought back in a clumsy television movie co-produced by FOX. The actor who played him regenerates from the Seventh Doctor (as played by Sylvester McCoy, who was in the recent Hobbit film) into the Eighth Doctor (as played by Paul McGann).

But, the film was not a success, and the on-screen revival of the Doctor would not happen until 2005. And when the show came back, the mythology had changed so that the Doctor was the last of his kind, the last Time Lord following the conclusion of the time war. 

And now the show is about to turn 50 at a time when it is probably more part of world culture than it ever has been. We're about to go through another major change in the future, but for now, everyone is excited about the fact that we were treated to a surprise today and it was completely magical. While I was spoiled by the description on the BBC's website, I was not disappointed in what transpired.

This post is written to readers who don't know the show. You might in the future, perhaps. For now, I would love it if your first experience was watching this clip. What if your first Doctor is one who kicks off the 50th anniversary celebration in style?

Comments

Joseph Sites said…
I've never watched any Dr. Who prior to Christopher Eccelston's run, but I very much enjoyed the mini episode, and look forward to watching the 50th anniversary episode.

It will be sad to say goodbye to Matt Smith, but hopeful for what is to come after him.
7:19 AM
Sean Tubbs said…
I agree, though I'm a bit worried about the choice they've picked. It's going to be very hard for me to not see him as Malcolm Tucker from The Thick of It. I'll send you a message about that privately so you can see what I mean.

Doctor Who has been an important burst of Britishness in my life when I needed it, both when I was 9 and when I was 32. I love that we're getting more information now about what happened before Eccleston first told us to RUN!
11:29 PM
Joseph Sites said…
I guess for me, I won't have that problem with the new Doctor, as I've never seen him in anything else. He does appear to be a bit older than I am used to seeing The Doctor as, but I have faith in the decision to cast him.
9:09 AM
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