Who’s Who

The Doctor has his day

Photos courtesy of BBC and bbc.co.uk/doctorwho

On November 23, 1963, Doctor Who, a relatively unassuming science fiction show aimed at children made its debut on the BBC. In the 50 years since that fateful day, the programme has gone from an evening entertainment for kids to one of the most popular and long-running shows in TV history.

This year, Doctor Who celebrates its 50 years with special events around the world. On November 23, the festivities culminate with an unprecedented worldwide simulcast to more than 75 countries of the 50th anniversary episode, The Day of the Doctor. Here in Thailand, it can be seen on BBC Entertainment.

WHO IS THE DOCTOR

The main character of the series is the Doctor, a centuries-old alien with two hearts from an ancient race called the Time Lords. Since the show’s premier, 12 actors have played the title roll.

The Doctor has had so many faces thanks to the fact that when his body is damaged or he becomes so ill that he’s about to die, he is able to regenerate a different body.

Actor Simon Fisher-Becker remembers watching the very first regeneration when he was a child, the history-setting moment when the first Doctor became the second.

“I do remember William Hartnell, and him changing into Patrick Troughton,” he said. “My recollections are watching the show with the whole family and discussing it after.”

Each incarnation is different, but each is most definitely the Doctor.

THE BLUE BOX

The Doctor’s means of transportation is his time-space machine, the TARDIS. The name is an acronym for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It can travel anywhere in time and space, and even to alternate universes.

The TARDIS is actually a living machine, capable of making decisions and often taking the Doctor and his companions where it wants to go, rather than where the Doctor planned on going.

The TARDIS looks like a 1960s police telephone box. Because the machine is antiquated and unreliable, its cloaking device malfunctioned after assuming the shape in 1963 London. The Doctor has never been able to mend it.

The other distinctive feature of the TARDIS is that it’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside — a fact that’s been pointed out many times by characters on the show.

NEMESIS OF THE DOCTOR

The Doctor has faced countless monsters and aliens, but no hero is complete without a nemesis. The Doctor found his early on — the Daleks. When they made their debut in 1963, the Daleks were like nothing like anybody had seen before — evil, maniacal and totally inhuman.

JR Southall, writer for Starburst magazine and host of The Blue Box Podcast, points out how important the Daleks are to Doctor Who.

“It was the Daleks that made people ... sit up and start watching,” he said. “They’re one of those genius ideas, and more importantly designs, that only comes along once in a millennium.”

Over the years, the Doctor has faced the Daleks time and again. And though he’s defeated them every time, they remain the foe that defines Doctor Who.

LONELY OUT IN SPACE

Travelling through all of space and time can be a lonely business when you’re a nearly immortal Time Lord. So it’s no surprise that the Doctor ends up acquiring companions along the way — usually attractive young females.

They give the audience somebody to relate to when the story might be hard to understand. They’re there to ask questions that the viewers are probably asking — “What's that, Doctor?” “Where are we, Doctor?” “What are you doing, Doctor?”

Even if a character doesn’t become a proper companion, the Doctor still makes friends throughout time and space. Some of these characters become favourites with the fans, like Simon’s character, Dorium Maldovar.

“A question I am continually asked is ‘When is Dorium coming back’” he said. “It is a very warm feeling to know the fans love Dorium and want to see more of him.”

INTO THE FUTURE

On any anniversary, it’s tempting to focus on the past. But Doctor Who also takes place in the future, so it’s only fitting that this celebratory year also looks ahead. Informed by years watching the show, JR knows what Doctor Who means to fans now and what we can learn from it in years to come.

“It teaches us to be broader minded, to always look for the truth in things rather than to just accept what we see and hear on face value,” JR said. “It also helps us to know how to look for new things, by having a wonderful history that’s so broad and deep. That’s how it’s always been, and it’s still that way now.”

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Student Weekly interviewed series guest star Simon Fisher-Becker. He told us about playing the character Dorium Maldovar and what it’s like when a long-time fan gets the opportunity to appear in several episodes of his favourite show.

StudentWeekly How did you feel when you were cast as Dorium?

Simon As a fan I was delighted. But as the day drew nearer to the first read through for The Pandorica Opens, I became more and more nervous. But everybody from [producer] Steven Moffat and [star] Matt Smith and the entire team were very welcoming.

When I was asked back for A Good Man Goes to War, I was greeted like a long-lost brother, and Matt Smith greeted me with a hug. As a fan, all I could think was “Oh my God! The Doctor is hugging me.”

StudentWeekly You got to deliver possibly the most iconic line in the show, a line that’s been a recurring bit of dialog since the very first episode in 1963: “Doctor Who?” How was that?

SimonWhen I got the line, there was momentary panic and self-doubt. First of all, there was the privilege and honour of being giving such an iconic line to deliver, and then there was the fear of not being able to pitch it right. But a few seconds later, I was bouncing around the room like Tigger!

StudentWeekly How does it feel to be part of the Doctor Who mythology now?

Simon I’m totally amazed at the worldwide success of Doctor Who, even more so at the response to Dorium. Wherever I go people tell me I’m amazing, marvellous, awesome and they love Dorium. It is very humbling but also very welcome.

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