Day 30 – When Did You Start Watching Doctor Who – Doctor Who 30 Day Challenge

And here we are. On the last page…

(Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

So the genesis of me watching Doctor Who goes back to about 1986. A classmate was talking about this British show about a guy who’s an alien, and travels in time and space in a blue phone box.  He doesn’t have complete control over where he wants to go.

This concept intrigued me and I thought I would try and catch an episode.  The first episode I watched was *the* first episode, An Unearthly Child.  I caught it at the beginning of the story.  I remember Susan reading the book on the French Revolution that Barbara lent her, and saying “That’s not right!”. My imagination flipped on with that simple comment. and I watched to see what happened.  Her grandfather lived in a “Police Box” in a junkyard (what?!?), but when the teachers went to find out more about her situation, and barge into the “Police Box” where it’s all white and very clean, and… bigger on the inside? What?!?

The time travel aspect is what I came for, but I ended up staying for everything else. 😀

Most of the time the episodes would be on late Saturday nights on the local PBS station where I would sneak out of my room into the family room and watch.  After several minutes of having the volume on just loud enough so as to not wake up anyone, one of my parents would come into the room:

“Kim, do know what time it is?”

“But I want to watch Doctor Who!”

“I don’t care, it’s late.  Go to your room!”

“But this is the only time it’s on!”

“NOW!”

And I would.  I am sure there were times when they knew I was watching it and didn’t bother to tell me to go to bed.  It made it easier on the few days when it would be on during the day. Ah!

The only merchandise I could find was VHS tapes in the video store.  And this was when I was driving.  My two favorite ones (the *only* ones) were Suncoast Video and Media Play (I loooooovvvveeeddd Media Play! A video, book, CDs, and electronics store in one!).  For many years, these tapes would be the only merchandise I had (shirts? mugs? blankets? AS IF!!).  And I still have them!  And what a shock it was when I found out that the stories were not 1 1/2-2 hours but 25 minute chunks.

What stunk about being an American fan was that I was one of very few American fans.  I don’t know what ever happened to that kid who talked to me about the show (*sniff*) but from the 80s until I got on the internet in 1995, I was the only fan I knew (most of the fandoms I was in back then, and still a part of, I was the only one).  Which was lonely in one way..,

But helpful in another in that I formed my own opinions about characters and stories without being bombarded by popular opinion.  Much to my surprise I found out when I did get onto the internet that most fans didn’t like Adric, hated the 6th Doctor, and blamed the 7th Doctor for the show’s cancellation.

Even though it’s been back for 13 (13? Hmm… that number rings a bell or two!) years and has been a big success, I’m still not used to it.  It’s weird to have a shirt (what?) and wear it and almost be guaranteed to get at least one reaction from it when I go out. That’s  just… weird.  And exciting. And something I do not take for granted.