it's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards. (adventures in doctor who)

[pocochina]

As some of you know, I have been trying to catch Doctor Who enthusiasm, on and off, for literally years, SO THIS IS A VERY EXCITING POST FOR ME TO WRITE. I tried to somewhat organize the squee, but seriously, abandon linearity, all ye who enter here. S4 is where I fall in love with it and watch the whole thing, but there are spoilers for most of

Comments

[wheatear]

Oh my god I love everything about this post. Isn't Doctor Who wonderful. You've reminded me of how much I loved the first four series - especially S4, you're right, that was the best.

Yes to everything you say about Ten. I think he'll always be my favourite.

Except we still are taking things on faith, we believe Ten when he says it's a ball of timey-wimeyness. So all it really does is shift the authority who's not to be questioned from God to, uh, an all-powerful all-knowing alien who takes the form of a white dude and has power over all other creatures.

Ooh, this is interesting. I think it's still different though, because the idea is that behind it all there is a scientific explanation, even if it's not one we know or understand. Doctor Who is a show full of magic, but all the magic in it is science. (Obviously not realistic science. But you know.) I really love the way that Doctor Who portrays a universe that is amazing and magical and strange, but not supernatural.

(Going by your episode list, have you not seen The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit? It's a fantastic two-parter and really interesting in the way it flirts with science and religious belief.)

[pocochina]

I think it's still different though, because the idea is that behind it all there is a scientific explanation, even if it's not one we know or understand. Doctor Who is a show full of magic, but all the magic in it is science. (Obviously not realistic science. But you know.) I really love the way that Doctor Who portrays a universe that is amazing and magical and strange, but not supernatural.

Totally, and I do love the paradigm shift. I'm just cautious of "TRUST ME BECAUSE SKIENCE!" in a world of evo-psych just-so stories and "sex addiction" and disbelief in climate change and Reaganomics getting credibility as "rational thought, BECAUSE WE SAY SO, LISTEN TO YOUR BETTERS" you know?

I know American viewers aren't (and don't need to be!) the primary intended audience, it may just be a slight cultural issue, but it sets off my spidey-senses a bit in a direction I don't always love.

And oooh, I haven't seen that two-parter, but I'm looking forward to it now, thank you!

[wheatear]

Oh, I see! Yeah, that's... not how I interpreted it at all. XD It could quite possibly be cultural differences because I don't have those associations. For me, Doctor Who is very much in the spirit of open-minded inquiry - everything you said in that first line about curiosity and being excited to learn is so true, and that's what I love about it.