by Peter » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:05 pm
It's a tacky show there's no denying that. But it's reintroduction in 2005 was the result of its cult following when cult seemingly was what it was meant to be. Cult. Take Big Bang Theory for example. One of the biggest shows on TV. It created the birth of mainstream geek in the US but began as a cultesque show. Doctor Who is similar to that but stuck to its roots. Tacky scripts, aliens, acting.... But it has always been that way and it's part of its charm. It doesn't shy away from that or advertise it as anything else.
It's a show made for its fans, and certainly doesn't appeal to newcomers. Like the Saw movies. You kinda need to have watched them all to get it. When I say all in the context of Doctor Who, you don't need to have watched the old episodes, but definitely does add to it a lot of you started watching from 2005.
In terms of production, yes, the effects are mediocre due to the funding a TV show gets in ratio with what ideas the writers have for scripts. Of course when a spaceship crashes into Big Ben, you are not gonna get Independence Day special effects. But again it adds to what the show looks and feels like. In terms of acting though, the doctor himself is an alien so his acting causes for a bit crazy, over the top etc, but it also touches into the humanistic emotions. A lot too. The actors themselves have to be of the calibre to be able to do this which isn't an easy task. Usually they are one of a kind British men, and even people who have never watched the show could name you 3 or 4 out of the previous doctors. David Tennant was just unreal, and is regarded as the best of all time for capturing the look and personality of the character, both on a crazy and humanistic level.
Don't get me wrong I am not saying this is the best TV show ever. Far from it. But it's the little piece of charm that every aspect gives that makes the show what it is. It's heritage, tackiness, effects, acting, music, scriping... It all comes together to make the show as highly regarded as what it is. And it's highly regarded by the UK viewer's too, with the Saturday night prime time slot and also the Christmas special which usually wins in the viewing figures. The writing is usually twisty, and despite a lot of filler episodes, it's finales are usually equally surprising as well as emotional, especially when there's a regeneration of the character. I am a bit of a si-Fi fan now so I started watching it a few months ago under my friends request and it is good to me. But I certainly know it's not everyone's cup of tea.