If you are not a Whovian, that’s fine, I understand your need to avert your eyes from the unabashed pending geek-storm. I try to restrain myself and have promised fully intend to only do only one flailing gushy post about my Doctor fascination obsession interest.
(Brian has thwarted my plans to convert our refrigerator into a TARDIS so this is our compromise.)
Okay, you guys know me. I fall in love with one or two television shows a year and then I become a Crazy Evangelist. I’ve done this to you most recently with Downton Abbey (which is now a campy soap opera and pretty much dead to me) and Call the Midwife (the most beautiful and sacred show, it should be required viewing).
Last year, the tinies passed around a Terrible Flu and I hardly left the house for a month. My days were spent doing laundry, bathing babies, administering care, and rising all hours of the night. I was done with Call the Midwife, we don’t have cable, Blockbuster has apparently gone out of business (who knew?!), I was exhausted, and on a whim, I decided to start watching a BBC show called Doctor Who simply because a few friends of mine said it was good. So Episode One of the new incarnation (starting with the Ninth Doctor in 2005) was downloaded.
I didn’t like it much. There were glimmers of interest but I don’t like aliens or sci-fi as a genre in the least, the effects were horrible, and it felt cheesy. Lame, I thought. By episode two, Brian gave up in disgust. I mentioned on Twitter that I didn’t like it and was instantly flooded with replies to “keep watching, it gets so much better!” and, in particular, to hang in there at least to episode 8 (The Empty Child).
I was house-bound, so I thought, what the hell, I’ll watch a bit more of this.
Less than a week later, I turned from a Never Watched Sci-Fi Ever Alien Hating Period Drama Loving woman into a crazed Whovian complete with intricate theories.
I clutched my husband’s arm and howled that it was the best show I’d ever watched in my life. I babbled about how “everything means something” and “all the plot twists!” and “cultural relevance” and “I am NEVER getting a phone earpiece” and “theological implications” and “oh, gracious, it’s hilarious” and “It makes me have ALL THE FEELINGS! this is the saddest show EVER” and other things that made him seriously question my sanity.
He may be right. But IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL KIND OF CRAZY.
Since then I’ve watched six seasons of Doctor Who methodically (I’ve tried to pace myself so it won’t end too quickly).
And now instead of hiding any longer, I’ve decided to simply let my Freak Flag fly free.
I am letting the soft animal part of me love what it loves (with apologies to Mary Oliver for completely missing the point of her lovely poem, and possibly blaspheming her body of work by applying that phrase to Doctor Who).
Whatever.
If you have not watched the show, this review may be full of spoilers (<—see what I did there? River Song, my love you.) Anyone else fancy a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, 12 jammy dodgers and a fez?
Favourite Doctor
There is a favourite Doctor for every Whovian. This is part of the beauty of the show, the evolution and regeneration of the Doctor. But for me, hands down, my doctor is David Tennant. I liked Christopher Eccleston and was properly sad when he regenerated into Ten, far too soon.
But, as evidenced by my wracking sobs during David Tennant’s final episode, it’s clear I have a favourite. I like Matt Smith, I do, he’s funny and wonderful, but David Tennant brought a dark, painful, and sad tone to the role along with his humour and heart(s). He was somehow more human to me because he had such broad emotional range and truly engaged. Allons-y!
Best companion
I love all the companions. I even have favourite moments with Martha Jones (who, it seems, very few people appreciated as a companion). I found Donna a delight – funny, irreverent, honest, brilliant. She brought some much-needed levity after Rose’s departure and Martha’s transition-companion role. I have such a soft-spot for her GrandDad, Wilfred – gracious, in The End of Time, he had me.
I liked Amy Pond, I did, but there were times she drove me a bit crazy. (I didn’t like how she treated Rory most of the time.) Her tender relationship with her “raggedy man” was complex and wonderful.
I loved Rose. I still miss Rose and wonder about her life with the Human-Tenth-Doctor. Rose Tyler was Every Woman. I loved her guts, her camaraderie, her curiosity and zest, and her obvious love and desire for the Doctor. I also love Captain Jack Harkness. Who doesn’t? Oh, and Rory Williams grew on me.
But my favourite is River Song. I might need a whole other category for how much I love River Song. She is mature, brave, sassy, sexy, flirty, and strong. I love her chemistry with the Doctor. I love her intelligence, her bravado, her curls, her equality with the Doctor, her loyalty, and particularly her mystery.
My Favourite Doctor Who Episodes
1. Blink – I have never been so deliciously scared in my life and entirely without violence, gore, or horror tactics. Just a good old-fashioned thrilling mystery which kept my heart in my throat the entire time. Also, this episode gave us the phrase “wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey.” This is the only episode my Sci-Fi Hating Doctor-Resistant Brian consented to watch with me and even he was very impressed.
2. The End of Time – David Tennant’s departure. I still can’t talk about it.
Let’s move on, shall we?
3. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances – terrifying, weird, and wonderful. Also: Captain Jack wins everything.
4. The Doctor’s Wife – Sexy old girl, indeed.
5. Vincent and the Doctor – this was such a beautiful episode that I finally began to warm-up to the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond. And man, that final scene in the present-day when Vincent van Gogh hears about his legacy wrung me out.
6. The Girl in the Fireplace – “I’m the Doctor and I just snogged Madame de Pompadour!”
7. Human Nature/Family of Blood – The poetic punishments at the end, and the sadness of the Doctor upon realising everything he gives up when he gives up being John Smith makes this episode stand out for me.
8. Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead – Hello, sweetie. ‘Nuff said. Creepy and fantastic. Also, I have my suspicions about why it’s called “Silence” in the Library and not Vashta Nerada in the Library…
9. Journey’s End – I pretty much just loved this one just because it brought all of my favourite characters together again so I spent the entire show in spasms of delight and wanted it to be three times longer than it was.
10. A Christmas Carol – I’m not a big fan of the Christmas specials in the entire body of work but this one was superb.
And for the record
They’re just not as cool as Converse trainers.
So Whovians, what about you? Favourite Doctor? Favourite companion? Favourite episodes?
by Lisa Samson :: I’m pretty hard to please when it comes to “Christian” fiction (as in: I don’t really like it) but Lisa Samson is consistently my favourite in this much-maligned genre. I loved this one. Check out this quote: “Confession: I don’t want everybody to be beautiful, not in that unlined, creaseless, symmetrical way. Android beauty, like it comes out of a test tube. Beauty without blemish or mark. Not only do I not identify with such people, I don’t believe in them either. I don’t even find them attractive. This is what makes watching television so hard: they don’t cast actors anymore, only models. When they make a movie of my life, they’d better cast a character actor in the lead. Don’t try to tell me I’m not a character.”
by Ian Morgan Cron. I read this just before Pope Francis was elected. When he announced his choice of name, I was hoping it meant exactly what I learned in this book. I loved this one.
by Syrie James. I’ve got a weakness for Jane Austen themed fiction and Syrie James does this genre so well. These are my “curl up on a Saturday night with a bowl of popcorn” books. I won’t re-read this one (it’s not as good as her other two) so didn’t buy it but it was a fun read, satisfying.
by Susan Cain. I am a banner-waving introvert and this book was absolutely fascinating. The science and research truly sets it apart from the usual “free-to-be-you-and-me” that masquerades as self-help or self-discovery books. Many a paragraph was underlined and then read out-loud to my husband in my “see! see! I’m okay! I’m free to be me!”
by Jerusalem Jackson Greer. I received this book from Jersaulem after she guest-posted here a couple of weeks ago. And you guys, this book is an absolute delight. I dog-eared so many pages and recipes and ideas. It’s inspiring without guilt-inducing. I love crafty and vintage-y goodness and have a monster crush on people like Amanda Soule. But this spin on that whole world puts it in proper perspective and mirrors the church calendar. It’s the best kind of Sunday reading. I trotted it over to my mum’s house and may have said something along the lines of “I want my life to look like this!”
by Michael Gungor
by John Irving – slow going on this one. I’m taking my time.
by Rob Bell
by Rebekah Lyons
– I used to love this Disney classic as a child. It’s such a fun romp, loved the songs, but I admit a big part of me was cringing over the racism and we had long talks about that afterwards. Man, Disney….
– You know I bought this one the very day it came out. I dreamed a dream, baby!
by Anais Mitchell – My friend, 
by Bethel Music - I can’t listen to music with lyrics while writing. I am most at home in silence but when I want a bit of background writing music I tend towards classical or Jane Austen movie soundtracks (Becoming Jane is an old favourite). For my birthday this past month, my sister gave me this album of Bethel’s worship songs done reworked instrumentally and I absolutely love it.
by Wm. Paul Young – Yes, the same guy who wrote The Shack. I loved this follow-up. It takes some suspension of disbelief for the premise but once you buy in, it’s a beautiful book. I found it insightful and moving. I don’t want to give away the plot, but if you loved The Shack, you’ll love this one. Probably even more.
by Jennifer Worth – This is the first book in a trilogy of memoirs. It’s the basis for my beloved Call the Midwife television programme on BBC. This book is absolutely brilliant. I didn’t know what to expect since the show is so lovely, but the book is a delight. I found myself genuinely rejoicing and loving the people of the East End with “Jenny Lee.” I will say that Chummy in the show is better than Chummy in the book though. I have an essay I’m halfway working on about mission theology in Call the Midwife – I really should finish it.
by Luci Shaw – Still savouring this one.
by Shauna Niequist – This is an advanced copy as the book hasn’t released yet but people. People. Seriously. You will want to buy this book and then buy six more to hand out to your friends. It’s beautiful, disarming, theological, and lovely. Shauna is like the dear friend who loves you, and then quietly throws the big truth bomb into the middle of your own mess. And I made about three or four of her recipes already.
by Brené Brown – I mentioned this one in my January round-up, but finally finished it this month. And WHOA. Must-read. I underlined madly and I’ll take the wisdom forward into my life.
by Justin Lee – This book is a gift to the Church. I feel like God has called Justin for just such a time as this. He’s a grace-filled truth-teller with a gentleness to him.
by Dan King – I travelled to Haiti with Dan King and he tucked this book into my backpack. I’m embarrassed it took me a few months to finally read it because it’s a compelling first-person account of falling in love with Jesus and justice. I felt very drawn towards Dan while we were in Haiti, and now I know why – his heart is after God.
by Peter Enns – This was the first book in Kelley Nikondeha’s #TransitLounge bookclub. I don’t have time to do a big review but I finished it! Don’t miss 
by Lisa Bevere – I heard Lisa speak a few years ago and, even though our style or personalities are so different, I was drawn to her passion. I picked this book up at the used book store and found the same thing: we may write very differently, but her passion drew me in.
Bethel Church – I pretty much downloaded this album for the sake of the song, This is Amazing Grace.
so much.
