Doctor Who has been around for over half a century. It's picked up devoted fans over the world, broadcast hundreds of episodes, showcased a dozen Doctors, and ensured that 1950's police boxes will forever be known first and foremost as time machines. It's basically the best show in the world. And yes, that is backed up by scientific and empirical data. Anyway, The Wire never had a talking robot dog, and Breaking Bad never featured an army of rhino police from outer space So, unsurprisingly there is a massive convention culture devoted solely to Doctor Who. Of course, since Doctor Who fans are generally some of the genuinely nicest people you could ever hope to meet, attending such conventions is always nothing short of a grand day out. Inevitably, because there's so much shared love on display, you can also set your watch by how regularly you'll see certain things no matter where the convention is held...
10. Bored Partners
And now; a brief self indulgent story to illustrate this point. I was lucky enough to attend the 50th Anniversary convention in London. My girlfriend got us tickets for my Birthday, and it was quite possibly one of the best days of my life. Not so for my girlfriend. See as mad as it may seem, not everybody loves Doctor Who with a fervent and burning passion, so it's always a possibility that a thoughtful girlfriend or boyfriend will buy their partner a ticket to a Doctor Who convention, and not really be that into it. Sure, they'll put on a brave smile and pretend they're enjoying parts of it, but the day will take their toll on them. After a handful of talks with directors and panels with the stars, and being made to look at the remains of the stick of celery that Peter Davison wore in Frontios, a light in their eye will just kind of go out. Spare a thought for them the next time you see them at a convention, holding back silent tears as they queue to go see ten extra seconds of an episode from the 1960's.
