By Mark Stinn

Hello all, and welcome.  I have received permission to write a series of articles for the Needle.  This will be split into two sections:  Articles about various issues and subjects that affect students today, and reviews and impressions of movies, TV shows, and other media.  If you have any suggestions of any reviews or subjects you want to be discussed, email me at [email protected], or post a comment below.

To kick off this, I chose a television series that involves time travel, aliens, and British humor.  I am talking about Doctor Who, which is broadcast on BBC and BBC America.  It follows the adventures and exploits of The Doctor, a humanoid alien called a TImelord.  Timelords are notable for having two hearts, a weakness to aspirin, and the ability to regenerate.. Each time The Doctor experiences a regeneration, all cells in his body re-form, causing him to get a new appearance (actor) and personality.  This is the reason the show has lasted for 50 years

Dr. Who lives and travels in a machine called the T.A.R.D.I.S., which stands for Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space.  It is a time machine, spaceship, and general awesome piece of technology.  The Dimension in T.A.R.D.I.S stems from a ‘distortion’ used to make the inside bigger than the outside.  The T.A.R.D.I.S. has a distinctive shape, permanently looking like a blue police call box from 1950s Britain.

The Doctor hails from a distant planet called Gallifrey, home of the Timelords and T.A.R.D.I.S.

The original series were broken up into four part 25 minute stories, shot in black and white.  Longer arcs went up to six episodes or a “Series”,  the British version of a season.  Series are usually shorter, start at the beginning of the year, and may include long breaks between episodes.  One major difference is a jump from from 1989 to 2005.  The show had been canceled in 1989 until a reboot in 2005 starring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor.  Also notable are several movies made throughout the series, the latest one being in 1996.

The writing and plot of the show are where it really shines.  Being centered around time travel, lengths were gone to avoid paradoxes or continuity errors.  There are, of course, but few writers would believe a show would last for 50 years.  The writing is not always perfect, and sometimes seems silly.  In one episode, the Doctor fights a giant space wasp.  Literally, a giant wasp from space.  Acting is always top notch, with the show introducing and revisiting characters from earlier episodes and Doctors.

The show is notorious for low quality special effects, sets, and costumes.   Many items and limitations associated with the show stem from budget or technical limitations.  The T.A.R.D.I.S. itself was made out of plywood and was a simple wooden box.  A running joke from the series is that Daleks aren’t able to travel up stairs, as it was never shown.

All in all, I give the show a 9/10.  Writing and acting can draw you in and make you ignore the effects.  There is a noticeable change in tone and style of the show from cancellation to the reboot.  The Doctor is less optimistic, the overall tone is darker, and the T.A.R.D.I.S. is not a plywood box.

Aside from the show, there is extensive other media concerning Doctor Who.  Books, radio dramas, plays, and the movies all form a complex and well realized world.  The newer episodes are also available on delay through Netflix and PBS.  Older Series can be found online on various websites.