1. Genocide
Doctor Who is a British show that came to life in a country and a time that was still overshadowed by the specter of World War II. Its not surprising that episodes often return to that time period, or that the theme of genocide is so prominent. The Doctor himself destroyed his own race to save the universe, and attempted to annihilate the Daleks though they seem to be rather resilient. He is riddled with guilt and self-loathing over these actions and his abhorrence of the Daleks has led him into self-righteousness and vengeance more than once. When the Dalek Prime Minister in Asylum of the Daleks tells the Doctor hatred is beautiful hes not only referring to the Daleks but is looking right at the Doctor. In Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, Solomon is a genocidal maniac murdering the Silurians for the chance of making a few bucks. The Daleks themselves are completely dismissive of any other race believing themselves to be supreme beings while everyone else is inferior and worthy only of extermination. Their intolerance is obviously based on Nazism but sounds disturbingly familiar to modern ears. The subjugation, control and extermination of people who are a part of a minority culture is an ongoing problem in many parts of the world. The prospect and history of genocide is something that must never be forgotten and indeed it is not a thing of the past. Genocide has happened recently and is occurring today think of Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Sudan the list goes on and on. Genocide is a very adult concept but the seeds of genocide are implanted in our children through our own hatred, intolerance and fear of the unknown. They mirror how they see us act and react. Shows like Doctor Who can be used as teaching tools to expose children to the consequences of genocide and to teach tolerance of differences and openness to new experiences and ideas. I wish there were more television like Doctor Who available for both adults and children to view. The kind of shows that dont talk down to kids, but recognize that life is filled with ambiguous questions and moral quandaries and try to teach children how to think creatively and problem solve, rather than rely on knee-jerk reactions and a rush to conclusion. Doctor Who champions reason over fear, intellect over force, compassion over control and does so in an entertaining and thought provoking way. I maintain its an excellent end epic piece of theater for both adults and children to enjoy and learn from.