Greetings, my fellow port swillers!
Ol’ Robbo noticed this afternoon the release across teh innertoobs of teh first pics of the newest incarnation of Doctor Who (the 12th, if you’re keeping track), a fellah named Peter Capaldi (of whom I know nothing). Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, your latest incarnation of the baddest of teh Time Lords:
I’ve two things to say about this. (Well, 2 ½. The ½ is that the fact that Doctor Who has been on teevee since 1963 is, in itself, pretty amazing, and I raise a glass in tribute to the Beeb.)
The first thing is that I was a big fan of the Doctor back in the day. Although I didn’t see much of him, I tipped my hat to Jon Pertwee, who I liked anyway. (He had a bit-part in one of Robbo’s favorite movies, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.) However, my “main” or “true” Doctor was, and is always going to be, Tom Baker. In teh late 70’s of my misspent yoot, teh local PBS affiliate ran the Baker series at (IIRC) 10:00 on Saturday nights, and I very rarely missed them.
I also liked Peter Davidson, Baker’s successor, mostly because I had enjoyed his portrayal of Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great And Small, but you know? Davidson’s manifestation occurred in the early 80’s, right about the time girls ceased to be a theoretical issue and instead became a distinct possibility. So I rayther lost interest in teh franchise about then.
Despite the fact that some people, both on the Innertoobs and in Real Life, seem to think that ol’ Robbo is some kind of SciFi geek, the truth is that I’m really not. Thinking on this, it occurs to me that what interest I have in the genre is really a kind of memento to the impressions and joys of my childhood and adolescence: Bill Shatner is, and always will be, James Tiberius Kirk. Dirk Benedict is, and always will be, Starbuck. June Lockhart is, and always will be, Maureen Robinson. And so on. The upgrades and next generations and reboots and what-all really have no attraction for me because, truth be told, Grown Up Robbo has no real interest in teh genre as a whole.
Of course, I’m not so old that I can’t say with perfect sincerity that Han Shot First!
So I suppose the first point I’m trying to make is that all of these things, while impinging on cherished childhood memories, don’t make much of an impression on what St. Paul would have called the adult Robbo thinking like an adult Robbo.
Oh, and the second thing? That Capaldi’s pic reminds me of nothing so much as an aged version of George Oscar (“G.O.B.”) Bluth, Jr.’s, magic shtick:
I know, I know. Heresy. Send in the Daleks………
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January 28, 2014 at 5:11 am
Vicki
1) It’s Davison.
2) A new Doctor is the whole point. Regeneration? But I can see your point; Leonard Nimoy will always be Spock, so on and so forth.
That being said, my time with the Doctor only started with Christopher Eccleston – the Ninth…or is he now the Tenth? Anyway, Husband got me hooked on Who, and once I found out that the Second Doctor’s companion Jamie was in part the inspiration for my favorite series of books (the Outlander series, but I digress) I gave it a chance. And I liked it. Loved Eccleston, loved Tenant…Matt Smith…well, at least he had a bow tie and fez.
Capaldi is a really good actor, despite everyone focusing on Malcolm Tucker. The new Doctor will not yell “F**kity bye!” every time the TARDIS takes off. I’m really excited to see what Capaldi’s Doctor will be like, Given that he’s a life long Who fan, this could be really good!
And yes, I’m a bit of a Whovian.
No jelly babies for you!
January 28, 2014 at 5:19 am
Vicki
I also just want to say that we’ve been watching past Doctors as well. Son is also a bit of a Whovian, so we’ve been trying to watch anything we can with the previous Doctors, and of course he really likes the novels. I like Pertwee’s Doctor; I mean, Venusian Aikido? Cool!
January 29, 2014 at 9:02 am
the gripping hand
I had fond if fuzzy memories of watching Dr. Who reruns with one of my college teachers back in the Days of Yore, but hadn’t given it much thought until the reboot. I enjoyed Ecclestone’s work, but probably wouldn’t have stuck with it if it hadn’t also struck a cord with the Young Master. It became one of those things we could do together, and it also became the launching point for all sorts of discussions about SF, life and other things. ONe of his first essays for his AP English Language class was a comparison of the modern doctors. (He agreed that Ecclestone was the best. Unexpressed in the essay was the conclusion that Smith had the best companions – Amy Pond and especially Clara Oswald) We still watch it together, although he became dismayed the other day when he realized that the premiere of the new doctor will happen when he is away at college and thus won’t be able to watch it with me! Brought a tear to ole’ dad’s eye, it did.
January 29, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Robbo
Vic, you say Davison, I say Davidson…..
I get the inter-generational thing, which I suppose is inevitable given the length of the series. None of teh gels is a Whovian, so I simply have not had that experience myself.
As for best companions? Lalla Ward. In her sailor suit. If you disagree, I’m afraid I will have to kill you.
January 30, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Diane Werle (@quiltbabe)
I adored Eccleston and was heartbroken when he regenerated so quickly. I think the new numbering system is the same as the old, with the additional Doctor from the 50th just called “the War Doctor”. Confusing. My preference for companion is Donna – she gave as good as she got.