The 12th Doctor

There's a new Doctor in the house…er, rather T.A.R.D.I.S.

Last weekend I started watching Doctor Who again.  

Who is the Doctor? 

Well, that's an interesting question. The Doctor is a time-traveling human-like alien, also known as a Time Lord, from another planet that was destroyed in war. The TV series currently airs on the BBC, but I have some catching up to do, so I checked out Netflix.

I've known about Doctor Who since I was a little girl. I watched a few episodes here or there to at least recognize and know a little about it. I also know the show has a huge fan base who are called Whovians. My Uncle Jim was a fan of the show. He loved science fiction in every form; books, TV shows and movies. So when I started watching Doctor Who on Saturday, I kept thinking about my uncle and how I would have enjoyed talking with him about the Doctor. My Uncle Jim passed away when I was 15; only 5 short years after I lost my mother. In some way, I felt a little closer to my uncle while watching one of his favorite series.

For those non-Whovian's out there

It's a science fiction show. It's actually one of the longest running shows on television. The series began airing in 1963 and continued to 1989, then 1996, and then 2005 to present. The Doctor has the ability to regenerate his body, which explains his changing appearance. He travels through time in the T.A.R.D.I.S. (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space). This took the appearance of a police box, which were a popular sight in Britain during the 1960's. These telephone boxes were used by police or for the public to call the police before two-way radios and mobile phones made them obsolete.

The Doctor often travels with a companion, sometimes 2 or 3. He visits different times and places, doing good-deeds such as saving civilizations or righting wrongs for ordinary people. He meets many interesting alien creatures, both friend and foe, during his extensive travels.

What I like about the show:

The creativity, for one. Each episode is unique and strange and exciting! It's very fast-paced. The characters barely have time to absorb what's happening when boom! something else lands at their feet. The humor is another element which draws me in. The dialogue is snappy and there are little quips that can get a chuckle or two. So far I really enjoy Christopher Eccleston's incarnation of the Doctor, but many of my friends favor David Tennant. I'll probably get to those shows in a week or two.

And it's British! I love watching movies or shows or reading books about Britain. It's one of those places that I can't wait to visit someday!

Also, I enjoy seeing the episode's writer's name at the beginning of each show. I suppose its because I'm a writer who likes seeing other writer's get the credit they deserve. I'm not sure if I'd even notice if I wasn't a writer myself. I hope they keep doing this throughout the series, but I have no idea since I started watching the 2005 episodes.

What I don't like about the show:

Um…I really don't have anything to add about this. So far, I like the show just fine!

The New Doctor 

And that brings us to the announcement of a new Doctor! Actor Peter Capaldi will be filling the Doctor's shoes by the end of the year during the Christmas Special. He will be the 12th incarnation. Peter Capaldi (age 55) is also the oldest actor to portray the role of the Doctor since William Hartnell. The announcement was made during Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor which aired on the BBC on August 4th. I had the pleasure to watch it live, joining millions of viewers from the U.K., the United States and Canada.

TheDoctors:

1963-66	William Hartnell
1966-69	Patrick Troughton
1970-74	Jon Pertwee
1974-81	Tom Baker
1982-84	Peter Davidson
1984-86	Colin Baker
1987-89 1996	Sylvester McCoy
1996	Paul McGann
2005	Christopher Eccleston
2005-10	David Tennant
2010-13	Matt Smith
2013-	Peter Capaldi