As it happens, I dealt with this in a previous post. I shall copy & paste the relevant part, and then expand on my point.
Doctor Who (the character, the story of the show, as opposed to the show itself) is England/Britain (post-Empire), trying to come to terms with where we're at now. This is not deliberate, I don’t think, but the story of Britain in the past 50 years is clearly reflected in the show. Gallifrey was known as the Shining World of the Seven Systems, and at the peak of its power, it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire", because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous territories. But the glory days of Gallifrey were over by the time the Doctor ran away; the Time Lords a bunch of daft old geezers in silly hats arguing amongst themselves. Until the re-booted show when they (and their once great empire) was gone for good - and the Doctor was left alone, trying to work out who and what he was now.
Because the Doctor is every inch the ‘Scion of Empire’ - the Englishman abroad. (The Doctor: “Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me.”) Everyone else is ‘a foreigner’ to him. (It is technically impossible for an Englishman to be a foreigner. Just so you know.) But now he has lost all the underpinnings of his heritage & privilege.
ETA: Meant to include this, as it perfectly illustrates my point - all the privilege, as well as 'the white man's burden':
But - who is he now? How does he interact with the world? Well he falters, and he makes bad choices, and he (grudgingly) ‘dies’, fading from the world he used to rule. However - if necessary, he can still create magic: just look at the London 2012 Olympics & Paralympics. (The opening & closing ceremonies of which, incidentally, played upon allll the levels above.)
Now the fascinating thing is that Bond (the other great British icon, who - along with Sherlock - makes up the trifecta of homegrown heroes) has been going through exactly the same thing in Skyfall. Except Bond is less coded than Doctor Who, and could tackle the issue more directly, leading to M quoting this wonderful poem which sums it all up:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Yes. This is why I read all the comments in threads built on your meta.
(And Tennyson; it hits me in a certain spot. It also amuses me, sort of sadly, that Jacob Clifton, a writer I respect and who loved RTD's Who, but who retreated in a great deal of anger from Moffat's Who, more's the pity, used Tennyson as a touchstone for his examination of Nine and Ten's journey. (
Yes. This is why I read all the comments in threads built on your meta. The comments often bring out all the extra bits that I couldn't fit in... (Promethia and I have a whole conversation going about how the Doctor was raised 'Space British'.)
And Tennyson; it hits me in a certain spot. It was at that point I fell completely in love with Skyfall. Just - no going back.
It also amuses me, sort of sadly, that Jacob Clifton, a writer I respect and who loved RTD's Who, but who retreated in a great deal of anger from Moffat's Who, more's the pity, used Tennyson as a touchstone for his examination of Nine and Ten's journey. I don't understand that sort of reaction. Well, I despise the Buffy comics because they are pretty much misogynistic, and Miracle Day was atrocious, but if there was more Torchwood I'd probably still watch...
Doctor Who (the character, the story of the show, as opposed to the show itself) is England/Britain (post-Empire), trying to come to terms with where we're at now. This is not deliberate, I don’t think, but the story of Britain in the past 50 years is clearly reflected in the show. Gallifrey was known as the Shining World of the Seven Systems, and at the peak of its power, it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire", because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous territories. But the glory days of Gallifrey were over by the time the Doctor ran away; the Time Lords a bunch of daft old geezers in silly hats arguing amongst themselves. Until the re-booted show when they (and their once great empire) was gone for good - and the Doctor was left alone, trying to work out who and what he was now.
Because the Doctor is every inch the ‘Scion of Empire’ - the Englishman abroad. (The Doctor: “Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me.”) Everyone else is ‘a foreigner’ to him. (It is technically impossible for an Englishman to be a foreigner. Just so you know.) But now he has lost all the underpinnings of his heritage & privilege.
ETA: Meant to include this, as it perfectly illustrates my point - all the privilege, as well as 'the white man's burden':
But - who is he now? How does he interact with the world? Well he falters, and he makes bad choices, and he (grudgingly) ‘dies’, fading from the world he used to rule. However - if necessary, he can still create magic: just look at the London 2012 Olympics & Paralympics. (The opening & closing ceremonies of which, incidentally, played upon allll the levels above.)
Now the fascinating thing is that Bond (the other great British icon, who - along with Sherlock - makes up the trifecta of homegrown heroes) has been going through exactly the same thing in Skyfall. Except Bond is less coded than Doctor Who, and could tackle the issue more directly, leading to M quoting this wonderful poem which sums it all up:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) 1833
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(And Tennyson; it hits me in a certain spot. It also amuses me, sort of sadly, that Jacob Clifton, a writer I respect and who loved RTD's Who, but who retreated in a great deal of anger from Moffat's Who, more's the pity, used Tennyson as a touchstone for his examination of Nine and Ten's journey. (
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The comments often bring out all the extra bits that I couldn't fit in... (Promethia and I have a whole conversation going about how the Doctor was raised 'Space British'.)
And Tennyson; it hits me in a certain spot.
It was at that point I fell completely in love with Skyfall. Just - no going back.
It also amuses me, sort of sadly, that Jacob Clifton, a writer I respect and who loved RTD's Who, but who retreated in a great deal of anger from Moffat's Who, more's the pity, used Tennyson as a touchstone for his examination of Nine and Ten's journey.
I don't understand that sort of reaction. Well, I despise the Buffy comics because they are pretty much misogynistic, and Miracle Day was atrocious, but if there was more Torchwood I'd probably still watch...
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