What I Discovered This Year...
For me, the 50th anniversary hasn't felt that much different to previous years. Yes, it's not the 12 month party everyone thought it would be, but if you really think about it, where was the budget ever going to come for that? Overall, I think it has been a fervently discussed eleven months that was never going to live up to our expectations. Still, there has been plenty to enjoy. Eight movie-style episodes and Doctor Who in 3D. At the cinema. That's quite special. The biggest find of missing episodes probably since the BBC did their cull in the early 1970s. The departure of one beloved Doctor and the announcement of a brilliant actor to take on the role next. So much speculation and rumour that it's really it's been a writer's dream. Though of course, everything has had to be taken with a pinch of salt. This was the year I started writing for Whatculture and having the opportunity to discuss Doctor Who (classic and Nu Who) in the 50th anniversary year has been a profound pleasure. My favourite article to date has been
10 reasons why Tom Baker was the greatest Doctor. It was also my most successful article in terms of viewers, speaking of how great a role Baker played and how there's still as much an interest in Classic Who as there is in Nu Who. I got to introduce some truly great Doctor Who stories to my son (who has become a big a fan I think of the show as I am). Together we've watched the really good ('The Mind Robber, 'The Sea Devils', 'The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang') the not so good. ('The Chase) and the middling-but better-than-you-thought (The TV Movie). We're currently working our way though my shiny new DVD of 'Terror Of The Zygons', ready for the 50th. We also took a trip down to the Doctor Who Experience here in Cardiff, which was a lot of money but well worth it. If anyone makes it down to Wales, it's well worth going to. I've even begun working though the Eighth Doctor Big Finish audios...they're rather good and make it all the more a shame that we haven't seen more of Paul McGann's Doctor on our screens.
I guess in the end, it depends on what you want to take out of it. There's a lot of Doctor Who out there to experience. Up in the Manchester Fringe Theatre Scene (something I was heavily involved with as a writer in October's Horror Fringe), a Doctor Who 50th fringe festival is being put together, complete with a theatrical production of the very first episode 'The Unearthly Child'. (Just take a look at this picture of actor Phil Dennison as the First Doctor. Isn't it amazing?!) So take from the 50th anniversary what you will. And enjoy it! Not many shows enjoy this landmark occasion. Please let me know your thoughts on the 50th anniversary year so far...and what you've done to celebrate. I'll be back with part 2 after the 23rd November to look at 'The Day Of The Doctor', the 3D cinema experience, An Adventure In Space In Time and everything else that happened this month. Until then, here's that awesome little teaser trailer from the BBC for 'Day Of The Doctor', complete with many, many, many throwbacks to classic characters and stories. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hRy2N2CMhQ