When I was a wee lad, I used to watch Doctor Who. Living in the sticks, there was little in the way of television choices. We received channels 2, 4, and 7, which were the Big Three Networks, and on clear winter days, we could remotely turn the rooftop antenna to tune in the local PBS affiliate.
Ah, the days before cable and satellite. It was an age of innocence, literally. Years later MTV and HBO would begin stripping the nation’s youth of all imagination and original thought by hypnotizing them with kinetic images of pelvic-thrusting glam rockers and bare-breasted co-eds.
Anyway, Doctor Who aired on PBS. My recollection from those days is sketchy at best, but I think it was the seasons with the Fifth Doctor; the one played by Peter Davison. I do remember vividly the Doctor doing battle with the evil Cybermen. It was a fun series, but for whatever reason, I never watched another incarnation. That is until a couple weeks ago.
I caught the Christmas special from last year titled The Next Doctor. It’s one of five specials set to air this year and next that will mark the end of David Tennant‘s reign as the Tenth Doctor. Now I’m sorry I didn’t see Tennant in the role before. He and the movie were immensely entertaining. The story was solid and the effects, while not mind-blowing, were good enough to sustain believability.
No need to bore you with plot details. If you’ve seen it you already know, and if you haven’t, then it won’t be ruined. It’s set in 1851 London on Christmas Eve and involves a plan by the Cybermen to annihilate humanity. That’s all I’ll say, so you can’t accuse me of dropping spoilers.
Tennant makes a perfect Doctor. He brings the right combination of charm, humor and bravado to the part. His dry wit and coy smile endear him to the audience. He also kicks ass when necessary. That’s my kind of hero. I think I’ll be adding Tennant’s seasons to my Netflix cue. Hopefully, I won’t be disappointed.
The next Doctor Who special, Planet of the Dead, will premiere on July 26 at 8pm on BBC America. Apparently, the good Doctor will be trapped on a desert alien planet occupied with a hidden horror. Sounds intriguing, eh? I know where I’ll be a few Saturdays from now. Rather than downing beers and wallowing in my own misery, I’ll be downing beers while viewing the brand new Doctor Who adventure. Should be a blast.
Clacked by Scott Tunstall 
on Jul 08, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
HBO used to be a children’s network, that’s the channel Fraggle Rock was on. :)
It is always difficult (for me) to pick a favorite Doctor. each has their own brand of charm and personality.
I agree with Tim-1. I’ve had favorites, but then new favorites arrive. Then I’ll go back and watch some old episodes and realize that I have loved every Doctor for one reason or another. I hope the TARDIS keeps travelling until my grandkids can enjoy their own favorite Doctor.
While some of the Tennant stories are disappointing (eg. “Planet of the Dead”) they also reach great heights. Some of the best are “The Girl in the Fireplace”, “Human Nature”/”Family of Blood” and “Silence in the Library”. Also watch “Midnight” for a magnificent script and great face acting. Don’t forget the companions: Catherine Tate kicks arse (or ass) as Donna in season four.
you won’t be disappointed!