“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world!”

I have a former co-worker to thank for my love of Doctor Who. I had never seen an episode until I started working at the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (PBS). When our vice president of programming, Holly, asked if she could write a blog updating our audience on the whereabouts of Doctor Who’s next season, I gave her free reign to have it. I had never seen the show, but I knew it was popular in Oklahoma because in the few months, I’d been there, our phones were ringing off the hook with people wanting to know when the next series would air.

I decided to dive deeper into public television and immerse myself in some of our aired programs. Part of my job was to promote programming, so one day, I sat down and decided to binge as much of this Doctor Who as I could. I started with the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), and for all the eccentricity that was The Doctor, I stuck with it. Something about the chemistry between Rose and The Doctor made me stay.

Here’s the thing about me: my interest in science fiction filmography is scattered. I love Star Wars. I’m not a fan of Star Trek. So, I wasn’t exactly sure where I would land with Doctor Who. There was a strong possibility I would slug my way through because once I started it, I would finish it.

Then, the series finale (for those that don’t know, in Britain, series are what we call seasons in the States) came, and Eccleston regenerated into the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant. I had NEVER heard of David Tennant before then (I know, I know.) As the season went on, I fell more in love with the show. To this day, I think The Doctor and Rose are the most extraordinary love story in the history of time and space.  

I was hooked.

My original intention was to only catch up to where we were in our distribution rights, but this was a story I needed more of. So, I kept going. I eventually got caught up, and to this day, I still record the show every time it comes on. Tennant is my favorite doctor by far, and while Rose has a special place in my heart, Amy Pond is my favorite companion. Integrating our reality with the Doctor Who universe is a stroke of genius. Of course, when I drop some random knowledge about how I know what “really” happened when Agatha Christie went missing, people think I’m a dork. That’s ok. It involved The Doctor, Donna Noble, and a wasp (and K-9).

And for those of you that haven’t watched it, I won’t spoil it, but when the big reveal came about who River Song was, I was on cloud nine for two weeks. I even watched the first episode of series 12 (Jodie Whittaker) in a theater for a special Q&A event. It was one of the last things I did before the pandemic shut everything down.

I’m the geek that owns a pair of TARDIS socks and watches the Christmas/New Year’s special alone in the middle of a floor, glued to the television. I get giddy when I hear the theme song. I’m almost 40 years old and terrified (and I mean terrified) of angel statues in church cemeteries. A Dalek on my desk says “exterminate” when you press a button. And I usually have a Doctor’s quote on a letterboard I keep in my office.

So, yes, I’m officially a Whovian. And proud of it. Thanks, Holly (whose favorite actor is Benedict Cumberbatch, which makes her top-notch in my book.)