Thursday, January 03, 2013

30 Day Doctor Who Challenge - Day 1

I wasn't looking for something else to blog about right now, because there is so much else I have in my great big long list of Things I Must Get Round to Writing About. However, I am only slightly cursing Jennie for embarking on a 30 Day Doctor Who challenge.

Over the next 30 days, I intend to answer the following 30 questions about my favourite programme which I found listed on Facebook, here.

Day 1 - Favorite Doctor

Day 2 - Favorite Companion/Assistant


Day 3 - Favorite Villain


Day 4- Favorite Monster/Alien

Day 5 - Favorite 2 Part Adventure


Day 6 - Favorite Holiday/Special episode

Day 7 - Favorite Historical figure/guest appearance


Day 8 - Most shocking moment


Day 9 - Episode that made you cry the most


Day 10 - Episode that scared you most


Day 11 - Episode you loved but now hate


Day 12 - Favorite Black & White episode


Day 13 - Favorite Series/Season


Day 14 - Least Favorite episode


Day 15 - Funniest episode


Day 16 - Favorite Doctor gadget


Day 17 - Favorite Writer


Day 18 - Favorite Theme Song


Day 19 - Which episode(s) would you like to see brought back from BBC Archives


Day 20 - Favorite Master


Day 21 - Least Favorite Doctor


Day 22 - Favorite Doctor catchphrase


Day 23 - Least Favorite Companion/Assistant


Day 24 - Favorite Companion/Assistant Moment


Day 25 - Least Favorite Villain


Day 26 - Favorite Doctor Who Spin-off


Day 27 - Saddest episode


Day 28 - Favorite Celebrity supporting actor


Day 29 - Favorite Doctor Moment


Day 30 - Favorite episode of all time


So, let's get started with Day 1, favourite Doctor.

This believe it or not, is quite hard. First of all, let's say who it's not. Hartnell and Troughton are really out of the race because I simply haven't seen enough of them. I still have a lot of guilt about Peter Davison. I was so annoyed with him for not being Tom Baker that I couldn't really watch him. I thought Colin Baker was a really good Doctor but I didn't have the same connection with him as I did with others and he had the misfortune to be on at a time when I was away at university and not really watching much Doctor Who.

McGann doesn't count because he only did one episode.

The Contenders

The very first episode I ever watched was when Jon Pertwee regenerated into Tom Baker. It was much later, when UK Gold showed them in the 90s, that I watched his earth based episodes and loved them. Keeping UNIT on the straight and narrow, his partnerships with Liz Shaw, Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith and Bessie were marvellous. 

By the time Sylvester McCoy was in the role, I was back watching and I loved the combination of 7 and Ace. Meeting both Sylvester and Sophie Aldred at conventions in the 90s only served to increase my affection for the pairing. I still think 1988, with Remembrance of the Daleks and Silver Nemesis was one of the best seasons ever. 

Since the series was revived in 2005, I've loved all the Doctors. Chris Eccleston's dark broodiness, Tennant's comedy, pathos, grit and wonder and Smith's zaniness. Smith loses out because he seems to have lost a bit of the Doctor's moral compass. There's the small matter of questionable killings and the way he treated Strax in the Christmas Special that means I can't bring myself to give it to him, much though I mostly love him.

Tennant could easily win this. Not only did he play the Doctor brillantly and diversely, from the very start when he got into a sword fight with the Sycorax, to snogging Kylie Minogue to the agony of his parting from Rose, to bonding with 3 different long term companions, to the way he faced up to his looming death in The End of Time, but he was my daughter's Doctor. He was the one who will always be special to her because he was the one she first watched. The look for pure joy on her face when she met him at the recent Midnight convention. I could forgive that man anything now. And while we're at it, we know that he's a Labour supporter, something I took him to task for a few years ago. I mean, did he learn nothing from the Doctor? Anyway, the chances are, he doesn't support Scottish independence, so I hope we'll see him getting involved in Better Together. My dream is that he does some of the micro fundraising stuff that George Clooney did for Obama - anyone who donated $5 or more was entered into a draw to have dinner with Obama and sometimes an A list guest. It would be fab if Better Together could persuade Tennant to do the same. 

The winner

But I can't, actually to my surprise, make Tennant my favourite Doctor. For that I have to go back to my Doctor. Even now, the very sound of Tom Baker's voice can turn me to jelly. I loved every single thing about him. The scarf, the booming voice, the "would you like a jelly baby", the great big grin, the big curly mop of hair. I didn't understand half the stories - well, I was only 7 at the time he took over - but he was it for me. Something about the way he played the part hardwired itself into my psyche and he has to be the best of all time for me. I think the fact that I loved Sarah Jane Smith every bit as much made the first part of his tenure particularly special. 

Day 2 is here. 

2 comments:

Jennie Rigg said...

Your list of questions is different from mine... :(

Unknown said...

I'm an idiot. And your list of questions is more interesting - although there might be some on this list that I might want to answer too.

I think to keep us on the same track, I'll go with your list and then add in any bonuses from this list when I have the time.

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