November 23 was a miracle day. Worth all the hashtags, trailers, and sneak peek reveals.
I sat in a roomful of more than 20 people huddled around a TV, laughing and screaming and clapping. Sitting with that group, surrounded by Gallifreyan symbols and cardboard Daleks, I realized the 50th anniversary wasn’t about the special episode. It wasn’t about the War Doctor or David Tennant or how many times they could bring back the fez. It was about Doctor Who, all of Doctor Who, and what it means to the people who love it. It’s about everyone it’s touched, every single one of those 77 million people all tuned in at the same time. The dad laughing at the bantering Doctors. The eight-year-old hiding from the Zygons. The overexcited blogger screaming at the sight of Peter Capaldi. The college girls dressed in bow ties at the cinema showing. The lifelong fan who falls out of his chair when he sees Tom Baker. A great assembly of fans of all ages, each who love Doctor Who in their own special way.
And while the episode was funny, clever, and emotionally complex, the focus was not on the epic battle or the Doctor’s moral complexity. It was about the Doctor himself, every piece of him, from his fictional life to his real-world legacy.
They did this 50th right. Between the “Night of the Doctor” prequel, “The Five(ish) Doctors,” “An Adventure in Space and Time,” the audiobook adventures, and the BBC specials – everyone who’s been a part of this show has been acknowledged. Past doctors, future Doctor, actors, writers, fans – everyone. They were all happy to be a part of the 50th.
Even so, the 50th wasn’t about any of these people. It wasn’t even about the Doctor, as much as we love him. It was an episode meant to commemorate. “Spoilers,” “I don’t want to go,” “Timey-Wimey,” and Four’s scarf. All of the references, the cameos, all were in celebration of the show itself: a beautiful (now historic) entity, which has become much more than the sum of its parts.
And, bless the fans, they got it. Everyone let go of their past disappointments and was happy to participate in that day. A group of excited fans greeted me when I turned on my laptop, ready to talk, analyze, make gifs. All the jokes and the moments, from funny to heartfelt, were discussed and celebrated, free of negativity. We were celebrating the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful show.
In a way, November 23 was the best of Doctor Who. All of the frustration, disappointment, and unhappiness were gone in the name of celebrating Doctor Who.
So thank you, Doctor Who. For all you’ve done, for the careers and lives you’ve been a part of. From all of us, it’s been an absolute pleasure.
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