50 years. That's a long time for any show to run. I did some research earlier this year for the Cinema class that I teach, looking to see which television shows have been around the longest, and I was surprised to note that the only shows that seem to have any longevity are news magazines. So why is it that after 50 years Doctoer Who, which started out as a kind of corny SciFi serial, has become one of the most beloved and successful television shows of all time?
I remember watching re-runs of Doctor Who as a kid, and it certainly left an impression on me, so much so that when they revived the series I was quite thrilled! However, it wouldn't be for another two years before I got to actually sit down and watch the show with my dad. The episode was "The Idiot's Lantern" and the Doctor was played by David Tennant. I was mesmerized, and instantly, he became "my Doctor." I caught episodes off and on on the SciFi channel, but didn't sit down to really enjoy the show again until three years ago, right after I got married. I marathoned it on NetFlix for a week, and was once again sucked into the life and adventures of the Doctor and his companions.
I have met other people since then who are avid fans as well, and there truly is something different about this show. When I run into a Star Wars fan wearing a novelty tee, I might say "cool shirt", that person might say "thanks" and it's left at that. However, upon pulling out my TARDIS wallet the other day, I found myself knee deep in conversation about the show, its characters, villains, and various plots.
This is not an isolated incident either!
Everywhere I go, if I am donning any Whovian item, I am pulled immediately into conversation, and often not by my own choice! I have never had such a thing happen before with a fandom. Whovians I have met in person are fun, enthusiastic, respectful, and eager to share their enthusiasm with others. New Whovians are never casual viewers either, it seems! Like me, often they marathon the show because they are so enthralled with what will happen next.
So once again I ask, why? Why is this show now reaching it's 50th year more popular than ever?
Joseph Campbell talks about this very topic in his book Hero With a Thousand Faces. In it he talks about the Hero's Journey, a theme that is present in every epic tale that we have enjoyed throughout time. We love an epic story (why is the Bible the best selling book of all time?!) We want to see good win and evil vanquished. And a hero that never truly dies, has relatable character flaws, and can have adventures anywhere in time and space, well, that provides endless possibilities! And the best part? We are always left hanging on the edge of our seats!
But this can't be all, can it? I mean, anyone could come up with a similar character, right? Well, while it's true some one else could come up with a similar character or plot, Doctor Who deals with deeper issues than most other programmes out there, such as morality, playing God, sacrifice, and the age old question: what if? If the show didn't address deeper issues, it wouldn't have lasted nearly as long. Right out of the gate, the Doctor starts dealing with the hard issues. In the episodic serial "The Aztecs", Barbra tries to save someone from being sacrificed, but the Doctor tells her that you can't change time "not one line" and we see that she has to face the face that death comes to use all. Heavy isn't it? As the show developed, we do see that sometimes, the Doctor can change the course of events, but only as history dictates, and only if it means saving the universe. When he does try to change a "fixed point" in history in "The Waters of Mars" the Doctor for that one brief moment while trying to play God in fact becomes everything he has ever fought against, and we see that not even the good heart of our beloved Time Lord is able to change fate.
We learn from the Doctor and we learn with the Doctor. He may be good and benevolent, but wonderfully, he does have flaws, and that is what makes him the prefect hero. He is superhuman, and yet human enough for us to relate to.
And when we cannot understand him, we have his companions. No show has ever used this idea of the audience following the hero's adventures through the eyes of his friends. We are his companions, each and everyone of us. We are taken along for this wonderful ride because he chooses to take humans with him on his adventures. Doctor Who owes its success from all this and more. With this formula, I honestly believe the show can expect 50 more years of success.
And the fans, why are they so different? Because they come from all walks of life, young and old, teacher and student, boss and employee, the epic tale of a Mad Man with a Box crosses all the gaps. It excites us and pushes our creativity onward.
And you know what? I think the Doctor wouldn't have it any other way? ;)
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