8. Mental Illness
Mental illness is still quite a taboo subject in our society. It was quite gutsy of the Doctor Who production staff to visit that theme in Vincent and the Doctor(series 5). They dont shy away from depicting Vincent Van Gogh as a tormented, volatile soul who experiences wild mood swings so debilitating that he is often unable to function. Vincent is bullied by the townspeople, for something he has no control over, living his life in loneliness and isolation. The portrayal of that feeling of helplessness when one is forced to watch a beloved friend/family member battle their inner demons is strikingly realistic here. The Doctor and Amy, no matter how powerful or loving they are, cannot save Vincent. They can only make his life a little better for a time. Mental Illness is not rare though wed like to think it is. It is simply hidden away, not talked about, denied to the point of ridiculousness. I would venture to say there are many children who have experience with mentally ill family members. Why leave them wandering in the dark? Wouldnt it be better to use stories such as this as a starting point for a frank and realistic discussion on what it means to be mentally ill and how to cope with loving someone who is?