The Doctor

Friday, September 30, 2011


Hello my name is Melissa and I’m a Whovian. (Insert loud chorus of “Hi Melissa.”)

When I was growing up I occasionally watched the old Doctor Who with my Dad. I heard about the reboot a few years back, but for some reason I never checked it out. Then a lovely friend prompted me to watch it and (thank goodness) I finally did.

I’m a complete addict now. I dare you to watch the entire first and second season and not fall in love with the characters. Yes, there are aliens and end of the world attacks, but the show is really about people and the complicated relationships they have (no matter what planet they are from).


The man who plays the doctor changes every few seasons and David Tennant is far and away my favorite. He’s clever and funny and yet he can break your heart with a glance. He also has companions that travel around with him, but each one never last more than a few seasons. That keeps the show interesting because the chemistry is always changing and it stays fresh. I adored Rose, but Donna is my favorite because she’s so sassy. It took me a minute to warm up to her, but once I did I was a fan for life. She’s not a love interest for the Doctor, she’s his best friend and she provides a much needed balance to his life.

The writers never shy away from difficult issues or plot twists. They are always trying new things and surprising their audience. They create such memorable characters and then continue to grow their stories even when they aren’t series regulars anymore.


A few things I didn’t realize when I started the series:

1) Doctor Who is freaking hilarious. It has that wonderful dry British sense of humor that I’m so fond of.
2) The Harry Potter movies are like a Who’s Who of the people who have guest starred on Doctor Who.
3) Even if they weren’t in HP, if they are a British actor, they’ve probably made a guest appearance.
4) The show has a fierce and faithful following, many of whom are incredibly creative and have awesome etsy shops.

Some of my favorite episodes:

1) The Empty Child
2) Love & Monsters
3) Doomsday
4) Human Nature/The Family of Blood
5) Blink
6) Silence in the Library
7) Turn Left
8) Journey's End
9) The End of Times Part 1 and 2
10) Vincent and the Doctor
11) The Big Bang
12) A Christmas Carol
13) The Day of the Moon
14) The Doctor's Wife

I may be late to the party, but I’m glad I’m finally here. Any other Whovians out there?

Awesome images from here, here and here.

14 comments:

Bybee said...

I've never watched it...I don't know where to start.

Kristi said...

I keep feeling like I should start watching this. Being in the UK for the time being, I probably should. I have a million channels here so I'm sure I'll find it. At what point did you jump into the series. When you say season one and two, do you mean the reboot?

Mumsy said...

Turns out David Tennant is a huge fan of The Proclaimers, and he heard they were going to be on Doctor Who and he became wildly excited. and then they filmed The Proclaimers on a day that David Tennant was not filming, and he was completely crushed. I think there's a youtube video of his corrective emotional experience.

There is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBnGbFjlhM0 Oh, David Tennant is so silly.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Bybee and Kristi - This chart is the perfect way to figure out where you want to start...

http://tiny.cc/3g4cf

The first season (in 2005) isn't the best, but get through it and you'll be completely hooked by the second season.

I started with the first episode of the 2005 reboot. I watched some of the original '60s/70s episodes when I was a kid, but I'd love to rewatch them all from the beginning now.

Mumsy - That is awesome! I love David Tennant. He just seems like he would be the nicest guy to meet.

Sarah Joyce said...

I'm so glad you liked the revival! Are you as crazy excited as I am for Saturdays finale?

PS: My favorite episodes are Blink, The Eleventh Hour and Vincent and the Doctor.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Sarah - I'm so excited for the finale! I feel like Ten is still my favorite doctor, but all the episodes with Eleven have had such amazing twists. i'm loving it!

avisannschild said...

Love this post! Glad to hear you're a fellow Whovian and a fan of David's! (He's definitely my favourite doctor out of the three new ones.) Love the poster you found too.

Glad you'll be participating in the Wherever You Go read-along too!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

avisannschild - Isn't that poster great! I love the shades of blue.

Jenny said...

David Tennant seems like such a dear! And I love, love, love Doctor Who. I was heartbroken when David Tennant departed -- he's so perfect for the part. I'm sure you know this already, but the reason David Tennant became an actor in the first place was that he watched Doctor Who when he was a tiny child and wanted to be the Doctor. And then he became the Doctor! That warms my heart.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jenny - I had heard that. I wish he would have stayed on longer. He really was perfect.

Heather said...

*squeal*

I adore Doctor Who!!!! Love it love it love it. I just started watching it this year. I watched all 6 seasons this summer and I am now hopelessly addicted. I was so sad when David Tennant left, but I do find myself enjoying Matt Smith rather much.

Another interesting David Tennant fact; the girl who played the Doctor's daughter in, well, The Doctor's Daughter, is the daughter of one of the earlier Doctors. She is now his girlfriend and the mother of his baby! I think that is so cool, especially coupled with his desire to be the Doctor since he was 3!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Heather - Yay! It's so addictive. I completely agree about Matt Smith. Tennant is my Doctor, but Smith has done a great job. I heard about Tennant girlfriend and I just love that. It's like he was fated to be the Doctor.

nomadreader said...

My husband is a recent convert and vows to get me on board. Typically I'm averse to starting shows later, but I'm game for this one!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

nomadreader - Watch it from the beginning of the 2005 reboot if you can. It's so good!