As some of you know by now, I tend to go long with entries--and even longer lapses between--a product of "a beautiful mind" meets ADHD (fueled by too much sugar cereal and 1980's overload) so I'll make this short-ish and sweet...a trend I'll be sticking to (or at least trying) going forward in hopes of a more "regular" journal schedule.
In the coming weeks, I'll be adding more reviews, announcing special holiday sales at the shop and, of course, more #DennysDeepThoughts. Now without further ado, a quick tribute to two men in history that changed the world (13 actually)...
As we pause this weekend to observe the memory of a day of tragedy here in the U.S., let us not forget that 50 years ago, Nov 23, 1963, a legend was born "across the pond". The odds were squarely against success. With millions glued to their televisions and radios, the world held its collective breath at the fall of President John F. Kennedy and waited in anxious whispers of what would come next...
The following day, even as Lyndon B. Johnson was rushed into office to fill the void created by the assassination--and the world had only begun to understand the events that had transpired and its long-reaching effects--a quaint new programme was scheduled to debut only an ocean away. Expectations were low, and many feared the show would be overlooked in the chaos. Yet--as often happens in the darkest times, a miracle happened. Defying the odds of being lost in the melee of events, Doctor Who not only survived, it thrived. The little show that could, did.
The world was lost and needed a hero. And in a gloomy junkyard shrouded in mist amidst the stuttering of a BBC film camera, the world would find him. The Doctor. He was a most unlikely hero, certainly not possessing the square jaw of a superman or batman, he was a traveler with a box. A blue box. It was bigger on the inside...and it could go anywhere or anywhen. It could take us away from the horror..away from the pain...it could change history.
And change history it did. From his humble beginnings as a crotchety silver-haired gentleman masking a heart of gold, the show would go on to become the most successful, longest-running science fiction show in television, making Doctor Who an icon without pier and a major force in pop culture that only grows stronger with each passing regeneration. It is a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut--the Star Wars of television--with now a dozen incarnations of the character. To date, there have been 12 Doctors: Tom Baker, Patrick_Troughton, William_Hartnell, Jon_Pertwee, Peter_Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy (currently filming The Hobbit), Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston (currently filming Marvel's Thor: The Dark World), David Tennant (of Hamlet and Harry Potter), Matt_Smith and introducing Peter Capaldi in the title role).
But this is only part of the magic. The Doctor would be nothing without his companions--an eclectic mix of accomplished Shakespearean actors and pop stars--and of course an extensive pantheon of unforgettable alien foes. This bizarre cast cocktail somehow not only works, but has managed to capture the imagination of generations and set itself apart from others of its genre.
Yes, that now familiar blue box became a beacon of hope in a time of uncertainty and turmoil, and continues to shine to this day brighter than the nearest star, transporting us to new worlds every week, offering our inner child a chance to escape the daily drudgeries of a world gone mad...to play...if only for an hour. I can see the light glowing now...the door is opening...the madman is smiling...I wonder where we'll go next?
"Only time, my dear child, will tell."
Happy 50th Anniversary, Doctor Who - The world will be watching the stars tonight.
Denny Crane
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Until next time dear reader...keep looking to the stars.
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