1. The Not-We
The 'not-we' is a particularly obnoxious phrase and it sits in the same family as the likes of 'fanboy', 'fangirl' and 'uberfan'. If ever anyone suspected that for some Doctor Who is a cult, then the use of such language is a pointer that they are not that far from the truth. Doctor Who is a show that stars an otherworldly alien entering our worlds and challenging the way humans approach life, the universe and everything within it. It is constantly challenging the false distinctions made between outsiders and insiders and who belongs and who doesnt. The term not-we has a sinister undertone that completely undermines this important ethic of the show. The defence will no doubt be that it is meant to distinguish the general audience from the fan in a non value laden manner. But is a fan of Doctor Who not also a member of the general audience? And what determines when a person can be considered a fan and not a casual viewer? Is there a citizen of the Doctor Who universe test? Is there a checklist that a person signs up to in order to engage in a Doctor Who forum or group? Of course not. When it comes to Doctor Who, people watch for different reasons and would consider themselves fans of certain aspects of the show if not the whole caboodle. David Tennant fans watch Ten because they love David Tennant. Fair play to them. Science fantasy fans watch because they love fantasy. Fair play to them. Richard Curtis fans may have watched Vincent and the Doctor because they love Richard Curtis. Fair play to them. The list goes on. How derogatory to call any of these people the not-we just because they cannot tell their Ogrons from their Draconians? The self professed Doctor Who fan should be absolutely delighted that the show they love is watched by millions of others around the worlds for a whole variety of reasons, even if just because they dont like the X Factor. The more the merrier and the greater the chance that Doctor Who will live on for another 50 years. What did you think of this list? Are there any other overused words in the Doctor Who fandom that should have been included? Let us know in the comments section below.
Paul Driscoll
Contributor
Paul Driscoll is a freelance writer and author across a range of subjects from Cult TV to religion and social policy. He is a passionate Doctor Who fan and January 2017 will see the publication of his first extended study of the series (based on Toby Whithouse's series six episode, The God Complex) in the critically acclaimed Black Archive range by Obverse Books. He is a regular writer for the fan site Doctor Who Worldwide and has contributed several essays to Watching Books' You and Who range. Recently he has branched out into fiction writing, with two short stories in the charity Doctor Who anthology Seasons of War (Chinbeard Books). Paul's work will also feature in the forthcoming Iris Wildthyme collection (A Clockwork Iris, Obverse Books) and Chinbeard Books' collection of drabbles, A Time Lord for Change.
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