Doctor Who

About

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television series that aired from 1963 to 1989, then was revived in 2005, and currently in production. The show features an anonymous time-travelling humanoid alien simply referred to as “The Doctor”, the only remaining survivor of an species known as “The Time Lords.” The Doctor, along with several companions, travels through time and space in a ship called the TARDIS, which appears to people as a vintage blue police box. Thanks to its long run, Doctor Who has gathered a huge cult following, both online and off.

History

The show first aired on November 23, 1963^[2] with the episode “An Unearthly Child.” The original run lasted until 1989. The series was revived in 2005 with an episode titled “Rose”, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. Overall, there have been eleven actors playing the role of the Doctor; this is explained by the use of “regeneration,” in which the Doctor can change his face instead of dying. The current (11th) incarnation is portrayed by Matt Smith. The show is, in fact, so old that very few copies of the original episodes remain. There is an ongoing effort to locate copies of episodes from the first two seasons, that has so far only been partially successful.

The show’s long history and complexity have necessitated the hiring of specialists by the show’s producers to attempt to maintain canon. Time travel notwithstanding, fan documentation of the series has pinpointed many inconsistencies that the show has needed to address.

In 2006, it was designated television’s longest running science fiction show by the Guinness Book of World Records.^[1]

Impact

The success of the series has prompted the BBC to produce several TV films, novels, comic books, stage plays, animated series and spin-off series set in the Doctor Who universe (otherwise known as the “Whoniverse”). The most notable spin-off series are The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood and K-9.

Fandom

The series’ popularity has garnered numerous hardcore fans (affectionately known as “Whovians”) , who have created a number of fansites dedicated to the show. Among the best known are Doctor Who Online and DoctorWho.com. Additionally, the series has inspired a great many Whovians to create fanfiction featuring the characters and themes from the show, on sites like A Teaspoon And An Open Mind.

Beyond just the fansites and spinoffs, there are also a number of toys and action figures available based on the main characters and villains (especially recurring characters like the Daleks and Cybermen) ^[3]. In 2011, BBC Worldwide announced the first annual Doctor Who convention, which took place at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, on March 24-25. The convention featured such notable guests as Matt Smith and writer Steven Moffatt ^[4].

Related Memes

“Don’t Blink!” / Weeping Angels

“Don’t Blink!” is phrase based on the Weeping Angels, originally from the episode Blink. The Weeping Angels can only move when no one is looking at them; thus, if confronted with one, to survive, not blinking would be essential. In the episode, the Doctor explains this via video to the protagonist, and repeats the phrase “Don’t Blink!” multiple times. The phrase is commonly used in the context of creepypasta, either to instill fear, or to warn.

Another line associated with the Weeping Angels is “The Angels have the phonebox”, also from the episode Blink. Whovians post line is in forum threads to indicate their presence, or to find other Whovians on the forum.
T-Shirts with “The Angels have the phonebox” written on it also exist, because the line was rhetorically repeated by Larry and it prompted him to say “I’ve got that on a T-shirt”.

Doctor Whoof/Whooves

Doctor Whoof (or Doctor Whooves) is a background character from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that fans consider to bear an appearance to the tenth Doctor (portrayed by David Tennant); their hair is similar, and the pony’s cutie mark is an hourglass. At first, his personality was entirely a fan construct, but in Season 2 of the show, several references were made to his fanon personality. He is also a frequent subject of fan-created comics, and is often paired with Derpy Hooves, another background character.

Bow Ties are Cool

“Bow Ties are Cool” is a phrase frequently spoken by the eleventh Doctor (portrayed by Matt Smith); he always wears a bow-tie, and is frequently ridiculed for it by his companions. The phrase has been applied to some of his other fashion choices, such as Fezzes, Stetsons, Spacesuits, and Tailcoats, and has become a catchphrase for the character. Online, it is used mainly to poke fun at eccentric behaviour or tastes.

Tennantface

Tennantface is a photoshop meme originating on Tumblr in 2010. It consists of David Tennant’s face (the actor who portrayed the tenth Doctor) superimposed on various images, similar to many other Photoshop memes. When asked about it, Tennant himself said he found it “creepy.”

The Silence

The Silence, introduced in the episode The Impossible Astronaut, are a race of aliens bearing a striking resemblance to Slender Man. They have the unusual power of being able to erase themselves from people’s memories, and thus move without being seen, much in the manner of Slender Man. Many fans consider The Silence to be an homage to Slender Man.

Daleks

Daleks are one of the main antagonists of the show, first appearing in the 1963 episode The Daleks. They are alien mutants who feel nothing but hate, and strongly believe that they are the most superior race in the universe, and that all non-Daleks have to be “exterminated”. They are the common subject of image macros, consisting of an image of a Dalek (with or without photoshopped accessories), and a variant on their catchphrase Exterminate!.

Catchphrases

Over time, Doctor Who has generated several notable catchphrases. They are frequently used in image captions, as well as by fans of the show in day-to-day speech and in forum posts. Below are the most notable examples:

• “Geronimo!” -11th Doctor (Matt Smith)
• “Come along, Pond!” -11th Doctor (Matt Smith)
• “Allons-y!” -10th Doctor (David Tennant)
• “Don’t blink” -10th Doctor (David Tennant)
• “The Angels Have the Phonebox” -10th Doctor (David Tennant)
• “Fantastic!” – 9th Doctor (sometimes used ironically – Christopher Eccleston)
• “Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?” – 9th Doctor (Christopher Eccleston)
• “Would you like a Jelly Baby?” – 4th Doctor (Tom Baker)
• “Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow” – 3th Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
• “Spoilers” – River Song (Alex Kingston)
• “Hello sweetie” – River Song (Alex Kingston)
• “Exterminate!” – The Daleks
• “You will be deleted!” – The Cybermen
• “Silence will fall” – The Silence

Search Interest

Search interest for Doctor Who has remained high since the 2005 reboot, generally peaking before the start of each new season.

External References

^[1]BBC News = Doctor Who ‘longest-running sci-fi’

^[2]BBC = Original “An Unearthly Child” air date.

^[3]Doctor Who Action Figures

^[4]Doctor Who News: BBC Worldwide announce official Doctor Who convention