British Television barely makes the rounds in the United States, so it may come to no surprise you don't know what Doctor Who is. The short of it is that it's Britain's version of Star Trek. It's just as big and as important to the genre of science fiction. Unlike Trek however, the format allows for season-to-season experimentation.
The series tells the story of a man known as The Doctor, who is a lord of time and space. While he carries the title proudly, he engages in the vastness of the universe rather than act as a mere spectator. To do so, he steals a time machine that the Timelords (as they are called) use to travel around. The uniqueness of this particular machine is that it can change into anything on the outside. For the sake of keeping a budget on the show even in new series, the machine is disguised as a police box (a phone booth in which you can call the police) on the outside. When The Doctor heads inside the police box, the inside is massively bigger. In the series early days, this allowed the producers a chance to combine live and in-studio filming to prevent having the building of a massive set.
But the key to the series' success is largely the character of the Doctor. He is a lexicon of humanity, portraying every facet of human emotion through each of his lives throughout the series. He could be cold, warm, erratic, violent, deceitful and funny; sometimes all at once, and sometimes individually in each life. Because the character is this lexicon of personalities, choosing the actor can be a challenge in itself.
Russell T. Davies took on this challenge by hiring Christopher Eccelston, a man known for his dark and intense performances. Unfortunately, Eccelston is well known as an actor who bounces from part to part and doesn't usually stick around. This suited Davies fine, as the purpose was to jumpstart the program back into the limelight. As soon as the ratings got good enough and the interest returned, he quickly signed a deal for three more years and David Tennant, a man known for his light approach to his characters, was hired. How this would take place would be new to novice viewers of the series, and familiar to past generations.
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Article comments
1 - Chris
Not sure I agree with all the comments here... but I'm glad I wasn't the only one who couldn't understand a word of that first scene in the TARDIS. The audio was incomprehensible!
2 - mrh
Here's a question, how can someone in Chicago be reviewing an episode which hasn't aired in the UK?
3 - mrh
of course I meant hasn't aired in the US.
4 - Matthew Milam
I used the Tardis!
5 - Lisa R
Well, obviously, you're in the minority, finding RTD's screenplays unfocused, Captain Jack boring, and Tennant unsatisfactory. Thank heavens enough disagree with you that we were able to get a 2nd (and upcoming 3rd) series.
BTW, your audio of the Tardis may have more to do with the means by which you are watching the episode (and I shall say no more on that, because it's the same method by which I watch it, living in Texas) than the episode itself. Such is the risk one takes when not seeing it in its native medium.
6 - Matthew Milam
I may be in the minority, but I bet that minority grows after Series 2 ends. I'm sorry but Tennant needs to either step it up, or tell RTD to write better.
As far as Captain Jack, it's taken him awhile to reappear; I seriously hope his character is written better in Torchwood.
7 - Nicholas Jackson
I think the rather derogatory nature of this review is unfounded. David Tennant is a wonderful new doctor, lively and exciting, he might have a slight Scottish twang but a man can't change his accent and sometimes us Brits have trouble understanding American accents. Davies writing has brought new depth to the characters, we understand them better and feel more intune with them, Rose is one of the best assistants since she takes an active role in the adventure and is not there to just scream. As for Captain Jack I am looking forward to his new series, just a shame he could not come back into Dr Who. Long story short, Dr Who is better than ever!
8 - Matthew Milam
I watch British shows all the time here in America, and none of them have the audio problems this series seems to be coming into.
Compared to the high-budget of this Who, you could actually hear what was being said in the earlier versions.
9 - Sheree
Well I agree with Captain Jack being a tad boring, but David Tennant is a wonderful actor as is Billie Piper, the TARDIS scene at the beginning seemed fine to me I can hear everything they are saying, so you should check whatever Tv you were watching it on.
10 - Erin
I don't agree with anything in this article except that we were bashed over the head with Torchwood references. I think David Tennant is doing a fine job as the Doctor considering how he is written. I think as the series progresses he will settle into the part a bit more. Maybe you are just having trouble adjusting after Christopher Eccleston? I think the acting on all accounts is great and the writing entertaining even if it's not perfect. And the werewolf was astonishing! I had no trouble understanding what was being said, so I don't know what the problem was there. So I respectfully disagree.
11 - Rass
Doctor Who is not "Britain's version of Star Trek". Doctor Who predates Star Trek by several years. That, and the two shows are nothing alike.
btw, I had no trouble understanding anything which was said. I believe this to be an American issue due to my own experiences in the USA.
12 - sue
Dr Who is deep in the British mind set--we all watched it (from behind the sofa) when we were kids. And it was a lot earlier than Star Trek. It is nice to see it back and the nature of the show is that it changes--as does the Doctor.