So I’ve been talking to a lot of newbies here at work and at school about the show, riding a crest of unprecedented popularity at the moment. And I frequently find myself repeating some of the things we told Keith before he started it. So here’s my list of the 5 things you MUST know about Doctor Who, and the 5 things you MUST know before you sit down and try to delve into the new Series 6:
5 Things you NEED to know about Doctor Who
1) The Doctor is the last of the Time Lords, a race who understands, and can travel through time and space. He does this via his TARDIS, which stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. It’s bigger on the inside, and its outside appearance is locked into that of a 1960’s London Police Box.
2) Time Lords have two hearts and the ability to Regenerate their bodies when injured, resulting in a new body (although sometimes the process is unpredictable. To date, 11 different actors have played the Doctor (Matt Smith is the newest), each bringing a unique set of quirks and personality to the role, but it’s always the same man.
3) There are 40 plus years of history associated with the program, but don’t let that deter you. For the most part if you really need to know, they’ll let you know, and there are always plenty of fans to ask!
4) The Doctor usually travels with one or more companions.
5) The Doctor is beyond intelligent, often making “Sherlock Holmes” like deductions with very little available information. Sometimes these are explained, sometimes you just roll with it.
Things you NEED to know before you start Series 6…
1) Amy and Rory are the current companions, they just got married.
2) River Song is an “on again, off again” companion. She factors VERY heavily into the Doctor’s future, as she is moving backwards along the Doctors’ time line, so they’re never together in the right order. (The first time they met (for the Doctor) was the last time for River, as she sacrificed herself to save him.)
3) We know that River is in prison for killing “A good man, a hero to many” but not who; and we know that she has a personal relationship with the Doctor, but not how.
4) The show is unpredictable and quirky, and unlike most science fiction, the “WHOniverse” has things that may not be explainable. Roll with it.
5) The show is British; yes they have accents, yes sometimes they talk fast and are hard for the untrained ear to understand. Just roll with it and stick with it!
