Wired columnist Scott Brown has an intriguing essay on why the United States may finally be ready to embrace “Doctor Who.”
Having been a fan since the mid-’80’s and seen the show on the verge of breaking out of its cult stutus (until Michael Grade put the show in haitus and ruined the momentum), the article is particularily interesting and worth a look, especially if you’re a long-time fan of the series.
“I suppose US culture simply isn’t advanced enough to appreciate the longest-running, most successful (and, yes, also the cheesiest and chintziest) science fiction series in television history. And by advanced, I mean defeated. Luckily, that may be changing,” he writes.
“Like its not-so-distant cousin American religion, American sci-fi is fixated on final battles, ultimate judgment (particularly on questions of control and leadership), and an up-or-down vote on the whole good/evil issue. Even the most morally restless imaginings — the Losts and Battlestars — eventually prolapse into Bruckheimer-esque excerpts from the Book of Revelation. As an antidote, I turn to the Doctor — a fussy 900-year-old neurotic who’s part Ancient Mariner, part Oxford don, with a whimsical fashion sense, a close acquaintance with defeat and futility, and a tendency to rattle on. He subscribes to no Force-like creed. No enlightened military Federation stands behind him, photon torpedoes at the ready — indeed, his race, the Time Lords, is more or less extinct,” writes Brown.
If you want to read the full article, you can do so HERE.
The one counter argument I can propose to Brown’s theory is the high price tag the BBC has on syndicating episodes of the classic series. Multiple PBS and cable outlets have reported that the price tag to syndicate the classic series is far beyond their budgetary limitations. This could be a stumbling block to new fans who want to experience the classic series but may not want to purchase the stories on DVD (or try to find them on VHS on E-Bay).