Doctor Who

I had a couple options for today's review, but after Chris Hardwick encouraged those of us in the know to spread the word, I decided I really had to talk about Doctor Who this evening.  If you're lucky enough to have BBC America, I do hope you watched the season premiere tonight.  If you're not familiar with Doctor Who just yet, I suggest you get watching; you've got a lot of catching up to do.

Doctor Who is an ancient show.  It has been on for years but is enjoying a resurgence in popularity after its reboot a few years ago.  For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is the story of a Time Lord who can travel through time and space, having adventures.  He usually travels with one or two people who serve as his companion.  The actor playing the Doctor changes, as do the companions.  Since the show has been on the air pretty steadily since the 1960s, you can see why actors change out.

The show had lost its way and not been doing much as a television program when it was relaunched in 2005, starring a new doctor in the form of Christopher Eccleston, who would go on to collect a new companion, hence starting the cycle anew.  While some purists would frown upon me for only being familiar with episodes from 2005 on, I may one day embark on the adventure that is the original Doctor Who episodes.  Of course, that would require a great deal of time, as there are a whole lot of episodes.  If you start with the relaunch, you only have to catch up on episodes as far back as 2005.

While you do not have to watch the original Doctor Who seasons, the current episodes do hearken back to their source material.  Old villains re-appear, and past companions are sometimes mentioned.  I had no real issue following along though, so I feel confident in encouraging you to start with Eccleston's Doctor.

As the show does resurrect old foes, some of the character designs may seem a bit silly.  The daleks, in particular, seem a bit odd, but I love it.  They pay homage to the original design while still conveying the evil and hatred the daleks are known for.

While some lesser re-launches may have failed to create memorable new foes, Doctor Who has no such problem.  If you've had the pleasure of seeing an episode with the weeping angels, you know what I'm talking about.  The show-makers were able to create a villain that was every bit as iconic as some of the classics.

Doctor Who succeeds because it is not afraid of change, nor does it ignore where it came from.  With each season, the show improves.  Of course, everyone has their favorite doctor.  In case you were wondering, mine is David Tennant.*  It's risky to remove the main actor from a show, and when Doctor Who does it, they hit you right in the feelings.  When the show brought in David Tennant, I didn't like him at first.  At the same time, I bawled like a baby when he took his leave.  They know how to make you care, and they're not afraid to go dark.

There is a reason Doctor Who has been such a long running show.  They're created an interesting character that is able to regularly change on a very basic level.  Because his companions are equally important, the show can survive the change of Doctor.  When you add in the other recurring characters, including villains, you have what is currently one of the better shows on television.

If you're not a whovian, join us.  It's a whole lot of fun.  I can't guarantee that you'll love every episode that you watch, but I can tell you that they all serve to build an amazing series with some truly stand-out episodes and plot lines.  Doctor Who is well acted, well thought out, and well worth your time.  While some of the special effects are a bit unimpressive in the Eccleston season, they continually improve, as does the quality of the show as a whole.  Give it a go.  My only regret is that I didn't join the club until later.**

*  He's on my list.  I think he's also on Mark's list.

**I should have listened to Spank earlier.