#DoctorDonnathon Part 1 - Call To Adventure

    On Friday 13th October 2023 I had a surprising email in my inbox. I'd entered the BBC's free competitions and ticket lotteries before, including a failed attempt at their Doctor Who Concert in September (as well as a wonderful evening at the Eden Project celebrating Cornish wildlife with Sue Perkins' Radio Four show Nature Table). So opening this invitation to the Series Four #DoctorDonnathon in London was a delight. At the time I had little idea what this actually meant, only that as a devoted Whovian (yes I like the term) I needed to go. As a Cornish Whovian, however, this meant this decision had a few caveats. How would I get there? Where would I stay? Would there be ample cream tea breaks?!

    These questions hung over me, and as my personal calendar started to fill with other events and work, I felt more and more pressured over this opportunity. Sure, I have watched Series Four many times before, and at the end of November would be able to do so from home with the newest remastering available, but when was the last time I ever watched Doctor Who with an audience? One of my most treasured Whovian memories was watching City Of Death for the first time at the BFI for the Blu Ray release of Season Seventeen, and it was an INCREDIBLE experience. Seeing that wonderful adventure with fresh eyes with a welcoming crowd of enthusiasts made for an unforgettable experience (let alone the presence and insight of actor Julian Glover), but Series Four? What new lens could this endurance challenge of a screening grant me for the cost of travel and accommodation? At first I wondered if this viewing may be of the new remasterings, so I sent an email to the #DoctorDonnathon team, but understandably this technical question went unanswered. Even if it was, would seeing that on the big screen a few weeks before my copy arrived justify the 600 mile-round trip?

    I sat and thought about where I was when this series first aired. Stand out memories from this time of airing include the agony of the two week break between Unicorn And The Wasp and Silence In The Library due to Eurovision, being blown away by Midnight with my cousin at my Grans, the weeklong speculation on TARDIS Wiki between The Stolen Earth and Journey's End, and sitting alone at a friend's birthday party watching Donna's memory be wiped. I also thought about the COVID-19 watchalongs, with the following of Russell T. Davies' tweets about The Stolen Earth/Journey's End being a particular highlight. Would the #DoctorDonnathon improve upon these memories and further enrich my appreciation for this stellar series?

    With those thoughts in mind, I decided that the trip simply wasn't worth it. I love Doctor Who, and this month is going to be FILLED with excitement, anticipation and surprises - I didn't need any more. As I was writing my email to the team to decline the invitation, however, I thought back on my City Of Death viewing. Was it really the experience of seeing a new episode that made that day special? We are lucky enough to be living at a time when RTD has all but guaranteed new Doctor Who annually for the next few years, and every time I watch a new episode it is always an event regardless of the final outcome. But that viewing was special for another reason - the fans. I have friends who watch Doctor Who down here - friends I can talk to about the show for a good two minutes at a time. My best mate and my cousin can both hold fort for a while, and I love them both dearly aside for their passion for nerdiness, but I worry I bore them to a degree. But Doctor Who FANS are exceptional. I remember standing in line at Forbidden Planet in April 2018 to meet RTD and Steven Moffat and having so many great discussions with fellow Whovians (yes I'm sticking with it). I remember meeting Dominic G. Martin outside the BFI and taking a selfie with him after commending him on his cosplay and new producing role on the Peladon set with Big Finish. I remember sending a message of thanks to Fio Trethewey during the first virtual Quiz of Rassilon for their awesome artistic contributions to the fandom (including their brilliant badges which I have several of), and since then have had the joy of following their transition journey online (congratulations on the recent surgery if you ever see this!)

    Simply put - Doctor Who fans are awesome. Worth any journey. And if it takes having to sit through one of the best runs of Doctor Who episodes in a row to have to spend time with them, then I guess I'll have to do just that.

    See you on November 4th!

Cornish TARDIS #DoctorDonnathon

(Picture from the City Of Death screening at the BFI in 2018 - thanks Dominic!)

@doctorwho

I’ve talked before about how much I adore 90′s dubs for the combination of total enthusiasm but not necessarily great performances, and the dub for You’re Under Arrest (Taiho Shichauzo) is like... peak 90′s dub.

I was curious though, how much of this read was just the actress doing her own thing and how much of it was trying to be faithful to the Japanese read, and to my surprise, it’s almost entirely trying to maintain the same energy as the Japanese.