Doctor? Doctor Who? It’s more than just a question. If you’re into time travel, space, aliens and action-packed adventures, then “Doctor Who” is the show for you. Oh, and it’s British, so if you weren’t sold already, then grab a cup of tea and start enjoying the British accents that never cease to entertain.

One does not simply describe “Doctor Who.” It’s quite a task. But here’s what you’ll need to know: the Doctor is not a human; he is a Time Lord from a different planet. He travels the universe with a companion (usually a clever human from Earth) in his TARDIS. Why is TARDIS in all caps? Because it stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. That’s right, it’s a time machine. The Doctor uses his time machine to save the world.

The Doctor and his companion get themselves into trouble all throughout space and time. That’s when this show’s plot starts to get a bit wobbly. Don’t be fooled by its old blue police phone box exterior, because the TARDIS is the most powerful time machine in the universe (no need for a flux capacitor or a fancy time-turner necklace). Sometimes events have effects that haven’t been caused yet. Sometimes people know the Doctor before he has even met them. Sometimes time itself can be rewritten.

Speaking of time, this is quite a historic one for the show. November 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the show’s original airdate.

“Doctor Who” is back for 2013, and to celebrate this special 50-year milestone for the show, it was announced in March that there will be a special 90-minute episode produced in 3-D.  This episode will have limited cinematic showings worldwide.

The classic years of “Doctor Who” ran from 1963 to 1989. Then it showed its face for a quick television-movie in 1996. Cue a temporal shift to 2005 when the show came back and has been running ever since.

Now you’re thinking you want to watch the show but how are you supposed to watch fifty years of television? It’s called Netflix. Yes, the classic years and the current series of “Doctor Who” are both on Netflix.

Honestly, the classic years are a bit … well … some would say they’re just not as good as the current ones. So go ahead and start with the new series from 2005, you’ll get up to speed pretty quickly. Careful though, once you start you won’t want to stop.

The best thing about “Doctor Who” is not the time travel or the fantastical adventures on which the Doctor takes you. It’s the following that the show has. It’s a community of people called Whovians (it’s a real word that has even been added to the Oxford Dictionary).

Whovians share a special connection because they have gone on the same adventures.  They have shed the same tears. And they know that what’s on the inside is certainly bigger than what’s on the outside.

The best part about being a Whovian is that when you recognize a Whovian in someone else, either because he is wearing a bowtie or she calls you “sweetie,” you become instant friends.

That’s what “Doctor Who” does; it brings people together across space and time. So say “Geronimo,” or grab a friend and say “allons-y.” Go watch “Doctor Who” now, and you’ll wish you started yesterday.

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.