Yes, I will see the Doctor now – just the cure for your intergalactic woes
By Caitlin Moran
The Tardis has
landed and the latest Dr Who has conquered a helpless earthling
CASANOVA, in pyjamas, fighting the Sycorax with
a broadsword? What greater gift could womankind receive on Christmas Day? Of course, gay men always give the most exquisite
and generous of gifts, so it was little wonder that Russell T. Davies, the head writer and fairy godfather of Doctor Who (BBC
One), made the “Christmas Day special” not just a treat for those ovulating on the 25th — which, to be frank,
would have been every female viewer at the point where David Tennant burst out of the Tardis for the first time — but
a thrill for everyone.
Personally, I don’t know anyone who harboured a single doubt over Tennant making a totally
splendid and, more importantly, very hot Doctor.
And this complacency has proved to be wholly correct.
He’s
twinkly, he’s foppish, he’s clever, he’s taller than you’d expect, and he’s clearly going to
roam across the galaxy, making anything with receptive genitalia stare into their drinks, sighing: “Gvenx attr! dopo”.
This Doctor revival works so well because everyone involved is a fan, and therefore knows what other fans want from
their Doctor.
In many ways, it’s like multimillion-pound fanfic — stories written by fans, where decades
of frustration with the plot not going the way they want is vented — and so Leia and Han end up I'm a naughty swearer
- wash my mouth out with soap! frenetically, through access-panels in their snow-suits, in an ice corridor on Hoth.
This
sense of finally getting your hands on your idols, and making things go the way that you have always dreamt of, is why every
episode of the new Doctor Who series has a moment that makes the Doctor fan simultaneously shivery and tearful.
Obviously
you’d have to go a long way to beat the last episode of the last series, when the Doctor and Rose had to kiss out of
both galactic and medical necessity (“You need a Doctor.” YES! YES! YES, I DO NEED A DOCTOR NOW!) — but
Christmas Day came pretty close. Having seen off the evil leader of the Sycorax while dressed in his pyjamas (“Oooh,
very Arthur Dent”), the Doctor turned to the Sycoraxian hordes on their spaceship.
“Go across the Universe,
and tell whoever you meet that the Earth is DEFENDED!” the Doctor said.
Of course, what he meant was that the
Earth “is defended by ME, Sexy Who, over another 12 episodes this year, and with a shooting schedule confirmed up until
2007”. And that, frankly, is something I would like to go across the Universe telling everyone I meet.
WHO'S
WHO
Tom Baker (1974-81)
The quintessential Doctor, pictured below, for many with iconic multi-coloured scarf and
robot K-9 assistant. Attained new popularity as wacky narrator of Little Britain.
SFX magazine poll rating: The best
Doctor of all time
Peter Davison (1982-84)
All Creatures Great and Small star brought youthful gusto to renewed
battles with Daleks. Remains popular screen actor, starring in At Home with the Braithwaites
Poll rating: 2nd
Jon
Pertwee (1970-74)
Royal Navy officer enters the colour era as otherworldly James Bond battling the evil Master. Later became
children’s favourite as Worzel Gummidge. Died in 1996 and cremated with an effigy of the bumbling scarecrow.
Poll
rating: 3rd
Sylvester McCoy (1987-89)
Ambitious supernatural storylines for comedy actor but series running out
of steam. He continues to perform in theatre and radio.
Poll rating: 4th
Patrick Troughton (1966-69)
Graduated
from Hamlet to play the Doctor, above centre, as a “cosmic hobo” after shock regeneration. Died from heart attack
in 1987.
Poll rating: 5th
William Hartnell (1963-66)
Silver-haired stage actor unlocked the Tardis with
a trip to 100,000BC and became first to challenge the Daleks. Died 1975.
Poll rating: 6th
Colin Baker (1984-86)
Darker
Doctor blamed by BBC for ratings decline. Refused to film final regeneration scene but remains popular figure at fan conventions.
Poll rating: 7th
Paul McGann (1996)
The Monocled Mutineer took the role for a US/UK television movie battling
the Master. Poor US ratings scuppered further episodes. Leading role in ITV’s Hornblower
Not rated.
Christopher
Eccleston (2004)
Intense Salford actor exceeds expectations in big-budget revival aided by Billie Piper. Quits to return
to successful film and theatre career.
Not rated.
David Tennant (2005-)
Scottish Casanova brings “geek
chic” to role. Set to renew hostilities with the Cybermen and promises to stay as long as viewers and the BBC want him.
Poll rating: Xmas special is the first test.
Source:
www.thetimesonline.co.uk THE Sun’s TV Editor SARA NATHAN joined millions of Dr Who fans last night to watch the Christmas episode of BBC1’s
revived sci-fi hit. Here’s what she thought . . .
IT’S hard to believe it is less than a year since the Beeb
brought back this cult classic.
But the Timelord’s battle against the ugly Sycorax really was the jewel in the
BBC’s crown yesterday.
From the moment the Tardis hurtled out of the sky and crash landed in a council estate,
you knew you were in for something special.
New doc, David Tennant has not just stepped into Christopher Eccleston’s
impressive shoes, he jumped into them at full pelt — not an easy feat.
The only thing slightly dodgy was his
accent — a mixture of I'm a naughty swearer - wash my mouth out with soap! Van Dyke and Tiny Tim.But I can just about
forgive him that as his comic timing was one of the best things about the Christmas special.
“Am I ginger?”
he demanded of Rose, “Am I sexy?” he winked, just before battling aliens who looked like they could kill with
one breath from their gingivitis-ridden mouths.
But this didn’t faze the Time-lord as he came to save the day
— and Christmas — by tapping the chief alien on the shoulder and swaggering: “Ello big fella.”
David
brings back the humour and is not as menacing as Eccleston, while Billie Piper was a real jingle-belle as she tried to stand
up to the aliens.
But the Christmas special is a tribute to writer Russell T Davies, who masterminded the Dr Who revival
and whose words crackle and spit hotter than a roast turkey dinner.
If this is anything to go by, roll on the next
series . .
Source:
www.thesun.co.uk
