I was graciously asked to join Whovians on DKOS and would like to offer this fabulous article my son wrote online. Below the orange swirly is the beginning due to its length and fair practice of not duplicating content. I hope you enjoy it, as I have but I'm prejudiced, and hope you go and read the whole article and share. Thank you.
“Coward, Any Day”: The Humanism of Doctor Who
“Why are Earth people so parochial?” –The Doctor
I first saw an episode of Doctor Who in September of 1999 (“Four to Doomsday” in case you were wondering). I was ten years old. Being an American, I didn’t come across many people who had heard of Doctor Who, let alone anyone who was a fan (Doctor Who had a number of positive influences on me- helping me make friends in middle school was not one of them). Thanks to my aunt, who had taped episodes when it aired in the United States during the ‘80s, I had access to this wonderful, inventive, at times awful, but usually brilliant, show. I count myself as damn lucky.
The success of Doctor Who, which began in 1963, is fascinating. It appeals to all sorts of people of all different ages from multiple countries. It’s not exactly inappropriate to wonder why. I mean, we’re not talking about a show that can produce spectacle on the level of Star Wars nor is it one that can repeat the exact formula each week like long running procedural dramas that can act as comfort food. So, then, what exactly is Doctor Who, and what has led to its lasting appeal?
Our lead character is known only as the Doctor. The Doctor is not a human, although he has a special love for humanity; he’s a Time Lord from the planet of Gallifrey. Time Lords have 13 lives; when one life ends they regenerate into a new incarnation, one that looks different and represents a different shade of their personality while still being the same person at heart (or hearts, plural, as they have two).
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Coward Any Day