Love Sci-Fi? 5 Reasons to Watch Dr. Who
Ask ten different sci-fi fans what their favorite sci-fi fiction of all time is, and you're likely to get ten different results. The world of sci-fi is very diverse, with all kinds of different talents writing, acting, directing, and more bringing your favorite stories to life.
When it comes to hit series that have pulled at the imaginations of sci-fi fans for years, few have done as much for the medium as Dr. Who. While you have most likely heard of this series, if you have not been able to take some time to give it a chance, there are several reasons why you should.
Thinking about giving Dr. Who a go? Here are five great reasons why people love this series to this day:
1. It's One of the Oldest Sci-Fi Series Around
When it comes down to it, Dr. Who is such a household name because it is one of the original, if not the original, sci-fi series. It began its reign when the first episode aired in November of 1963, with a promo on the Radio Times is announcing it as a new "Saturday afternoon TV series of adventures in time and space."
Needless to stay, this started the series off with a storied history that continues to this very day. We have seen a host of very talented actors take on the role of the Doctor, each of them offering their own unique take on the character and what it means to play the Doctor's part.
Originally, the show ran from 1963 to 1989, creating a 23-year run and having seven actors play the part of the Doctor in that time span. Eventually, other trends in television caught up with the series, seeing a decline in viewership and issues in production, bringing the show to a close for a time, but not forever.
While 1989 saw the last run of Dr. Who for a time, it would come back in a huge way in 2005, bringing new action, new stories, and new cast to play the Doctor and other beloved characters, and this resurgence in Dr. Who's popularity has yet to wane, and has, in fact, only made the show more popular, solidifying its place not only sci-fi, but television history.
2. It is Extremely Accessible
Nowadays, anyone who is interested in getting into the Dr. Who franchise has no excuses not to try - the show is more accessible for those wanting to check it out than it ever has been before.
Thanks to the litany of the streaming platforms available to us online these days, you can find Dr. Who available from several different sites and platforms if you are looking to check it out. Here are just a few services currently streaming Dr. Who on their platforms:
- BBC iPlayer: You can check out all 12 seasons newer seasons of Dr. Who on the BBC's iPlayer service, covering everything since the revival of the series in 2005. However, if you'd like to dive back in time and watch everything since the 60's, you might be happy to know that you can also find the classic episodes available on the newer Britbox streaming platform.
- HBO Max: HBO is no stranger in the entertainment space, and is most likely a name you will already be familiar with thanks to their years of providing TV and movie services and channels. If you have access to the company's newer streaming service, HBO Max, you can check out Dr. Who to your heart's content, as they are streaming it on the platform for a time now.
- Amazon Prime Video: If you are already an Amazon Prime member, you can take advantage of their Prime Video services to check out some streaming titles you might be interested in. For folks looking to get into Dr. Who, you will be happy to know that you can find it and watch it right on Amazon. If you'd like, you can even buy the series and save it to your library, so you can watch it whenever you'd like, on any device that you can sign in to your Amazon account with.
- YouTube: You have been able to buy movies and television shows on YouTube for a while now, and Dr. Who is certainly no exception. If you already spend a good amount of time hanging out on YouTube, consider checking out the series - you can buy one or all of the seasons, or even a single episode if you are looking to give one a try before committing any more to the series. Depending on when you look, you might even find some full episodes already posted on the site, but these tend to get taken down quickly thanks to copyright issues.
These are just a few of the most popular platforms on the internet who currently offer access to Dr. Who, and these are surely not the only ones. If you are thinking about giving the series a shot, some of these options should be your first destinations to begin.
3. Characters, Characters, Characters!
One thing that hardcore Dr. Who fans (or "Whovians", as they will affectionately refer to themselves) can tell you is that one thing that always keeps them enjoying the series is the ranging cast of amazingly talented actors. This includes not just the multitude of entertainers who have taken up the mantle as the Doctor himself (or herself, in the latest incarnation), but also all of the side characters the Doctor meets on his journeys.
If you are not familiar with Dr. Who, we won't spoil anything here, but we can say that throughout the show, the Doctor travels with several interesting companions, all with exciting backstories on their own, and you get to watch them evolve and develop their own stories, plots, and development points as they continue on their adventures with the Doctor. If you are someone who likes watching a character be introduced and then grow into their own unique figure throughout the course of a story, then this series will certainly not disappoint you as you watch the evolutions of characters such as Amy Pond, Captain Jack Harkness, and many more as the show goes on.
Of course, you will also get to enjoy the contrast in the different actors who have taken up the mantle of the Doctor. The Doctor is already a highly interesting and unique character, and each of the very talented actors that took on the role brought their own spin and unique charm to the character, so every time you see a change in the actor portraying the Doctor, you have a whole new evolution to uncover, and it is a ton of fun to sit back and watch how each actor has left their own mark on the character as the years have gone on and more actors have taken the name on. Hopefully, as time goes on, we will continue to see even more great takes on the character of the Doctor, and indeed, the companions who accompany him on his adventures through time and space.
4. A Story That Will Keep You Coming Back For More
The story of Dr. Who is an interesting one to try to describe to someone who has never seen the series in any capacity. While every episode, and indeed, every season, has its own unique story to tell, the overarching theme of the series is based around following the Doctor, a Time Lord who is able to manipulate and travel through time and space. We don't want to spoil the series too much here by going much into the Doctor's backstory, but suffice it to say you will be very intrigued as you begin learning about the Doctor, his friends, his life, and of course, his time-traveling space device shaped like an old-time police box that is known as the TARDIS.
With material dating back to the 1960s, all of it written and presented in an easy-to-follow and fun format, if you are sci-fi fan of any level, you will probably find some level of enjoyment in Dr. Who. The cast and the characters are a small part of what makes this show work so well, and one of the biggest things that long-time Whovians will constantly parrot is the fact that they were entrenched in the story presented by the series, and it kept them coming back for more with each new season and new episode.
Being known for presenting a great story that has continued to evolve over the decades is one of the biggest draws to Dr. Who, and that story is only going to continue to keep evolving as time goes on.
5. Scary, Funny, and Witty - All in One
What's better than an ever-evolving cast of zany characters that you just can't get enough of? What about a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen on the next episode?
That's right, this is one of those shows - a show that keeps you guessing while also not taking itself too seriously. Dr. Who has a lot going on atmospherically - it is, at times, hilarious and zany, offering laugh after laugh as the Doctor gets himself into humorous scenarios. On the other hand, however, the show also has moments of chair-gripping action and pure terror that awakens that prime response in all of us, making us sit on the edge of our chairs and consistently wonder what is around the next corner, what is about to happen in the next scene.
Indeed, in episodes such as "Blink" starring David Tenant as the Doctor, we get to see the characters attempting to survive against a brigade of "Weeping Angels", statues possessed by spirits that have the capacity to kill you if take a single nanosecond to blink your eyes. As the Doctor tries to help the characters from the future while they struggle in the present, you get to see quite the subliminal struggle unfold. This is one of the "cult-classic" fan favorite episodes in the series, and it is for that reason alone - the writing of the story is top-notch, the acting is phenomenal, and you are cheering for the Doctor and his friends to make it out alive as you wonder what is going to play out on your screen next.
"Blink" isn't the only episode of this caliber in the series, either, there are so many that will have you laughing with its zany approach, and others that will have you in terror hoping that everyone is going to make it out of the situation alive. If that isn't great story writing, then what is?
Something For Everyone
No matter what kind of television watcher you are, whether you have been a sci-fi fan for years or have never watched or read a single sci-fi story in your life, you are sure to find something to enjoy while checking out Dr. Who. It is a fantastic presentation of seriousness, humor, hope, bravery, and wit all wrapped up in a well-presented package, with a rotating cast of strong actors playing the roles of the characters we have all grown to know and love over the years as fans of the show.
At the very least, consider giving Dr. Who a chance if you aren't already convinced. By the end of it, you could be wondering why you hadn't given the show a shot before, and don't worry - you aren't getting into another old show that is never going to see another episode be produced. Investing your time in this series right now is something that you won't regret, since new episodes and seasons continue to be made all these years later, meaning you will still have new material to look forward to later down the line.
Maybe that is one of the things that keep people excited about Dr. Who. Not only is it the longest-running sci-fi series of all time, but it continues to see new stories being made, new episodes and seasons being produced, and new actors and actresses ready to take on one of the roles presented in the show. Combine all of these things together, and you end up with a dedicated fanbase to this very day who loves the show and will continue to follow it as it develops.
Ready to take on a new adventure and fly through time and space as you uncover the truth about the mysterious person they call the Doctor? Take a chance on Dr. Who, and you will easily see why it is one of the most celebrated and loved (and indeed, the longest running) sci-fi franchises of all time.
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