How I Fell in Love with The Doctor

The most recent logo for Doctor Who

So one random summer afternoon, I see my brother watching some show. I haven't even heard the show already,   but I do what I always do and judge a book by the cover. It had poorly animated creatures. It had people with wonky teeth. It had grinding and cranky noises. It had bright lights, robots, English accents, and people on the run. What was this bizarre thing I was viewing?

It turns out to be a British show called Doctor Who my brother was watching on Netflix. I just stood, pondering why he would watch such a weird looking show. He answered, "because, The Doctor. Want to watch?" And so I gave it a chance and watched the first episode on Netflix. It had everything I can only describe as a typical pilot.  There was the introduction of characters; a nameless time traveling alien with a sidekick. The introduction of setting; usually a time machine he calls a TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) or just modern day London, England. It also had a story arc setup; The Doctor goes around throughout time, finds a problematic and paranormal incident, and then solves it.  It seemed like a British knockoff of X-files. I was not excited at all. But my brother insisted I watch the next few episodes…

As I watched the next episode, and the next episode, and the next episode, I was becoming increasingly filled with interest. I realized that even with the aliens and the time travel, this show is actually more than a sci-fi. I screamed in horror from the weeping angels baring its fangs within a blink of an eye.

The Weeping Angels are featured in an episode called "Blink"

I laughed when they poked fun at the old queen Elizabeth being a werewolf. I was excited during action scenes such as when the Doctor battles aliens with a sonic screwdriver (his iconic wand like tool.) I teared up when Rose, a female companion of The Doctor, is torn between who she loves more (the doctor or Mickey, her human "boyfriend). The show was just the perfect mix up of sci-fi, comedy, drama, western, fantasy, and horror, just to name only a few of the genres. Not only that, this show kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. Even if they reuse some of the aliens, creatures, or robots The Doctor and Companion meets, it’s a new story with a philosophical theme such as ethics, sacrifice, and death. On the brighter side, it comes with some bonus back-story about The Doctor or the time period they are in. Through the story and dialogue, you learn more about this wonderful universe they are in. So all in all, my final word is that although it is a slow start (which I found out was more due to low budgeting), it is an enticing show to watch and follow today. I definitely recommend others to watch it. Allons-y!

If you have any questions or comments about the show feel free to email me.

You can also find more interesting information about the show here.