What started on January 1st this year, has come to an end. My mission- to watch every episode of Doctor Who that exists and is released in chronological order. 243 stories. Countless episodes. A whole bunch of hours. And just shy of a month of the 50th anniversary, I have completed my mission, save for one last story to be released on DVD (The Tenth Planet). The bonus treat that occurred during this little mission was the discovery and release of The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear.
As a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, it was a lot of fun watching it in chronological order. From Doctor to Doctor, companion to companion, story to story, decade to decade. Traveling along the Doctor's timeline, experiencing his adventures as he was experiencing them, was a whole new experience for me. I've only watched episodes in such chronological order in any regularity since its return in 2005. The classic episodes as aired on PBS were a little all over the board, jumping around Doctors while slowly adding new episodes as they came out.
When the BBC started releasing episodes on VHS, they were not in order either, jumping between Doctors. As VHS made way for DVD, the pattern continued. It was fun doing themed marathons with the released DVDs. Monster stories, Doctor stories, anniversary specials, etc. But with the collection 99.9% complete, the time had come to embark on this ultimate theme. This just so happened to coincide with Doctor Who's 50th anniversary.
Few things in life remain consistent. Doctor Who is one of the constants in my life. I barely remember a time when it wasn't there. From the first time I discovered it at the tender age of 5, I have loved every minute of it every since. Even during the wilderness years, I held on. Its return and huge rise in worldwide popularity has validated what us fans have always know- Doctor Who is the greatest show ever.
Despite knowing this, despite having read the books, watched the VHS, watched the DVD, read critical reviews and discourse, listened to the audio soundtracks of the missing stories; I watched this chronological marathon with eyes anew. I wanted to take it in fresh and enjoy the journey. If it's possible, I think I actually love Doctor Who even more now. Seeing this tremendous body of work as a whole, I appreciate it even more now. All the people, living and passed, who have been a part of this show have built this legacy, are forever preserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment