
Archive
The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Adam Sloman
Devoted Trekkie Adam can't find the love for Doctor Who or Torchwood. And here's why...
Published on Jul 16, 2009
There, I said it. I don't like Doctor Who. Or Torchwood. And do you know what will annoy you even more? I've barely even seen it.
I sat down in March 2005 and waited. Doctor Who was back, and with some fanfare. Growing up a Trekkie I never really had much love for Doctor Who, in fact, I only ever watched the Sylvester McCoy stories, trapped in the kitchen on a portable as my Mum took over the TV watching either Coronation Street, Brookside or some other soap. Still, I was willing to give this regeneration (see what I did there?) of the famous name a try. But oh, after fifteen minutes or so I was done. It still looked cheap and I found Christopher Ecclestone odd, and Billy Piper wooden. I decided there and then it wasn't for me.
Yet the bandwagon rolls on, kids put Sonic Screwdrivers on their Christmas lists, the tenth Doctor has arrived and a slew of famous guest stars are queuing up to appear in the show. Maybe I was wrong, so I tried again. I watched the episodes with Peter Kay and Simon Pegg but still nothing really grabbed me. Everyone in the world seems to love the Doctor, except for me. What am I missing? Friends have tried to convert me, but my interest begins and ends with the phrase 'the ones with Catherine Tate'.
I guess my big issue with Doctor Who is that despite his alleged status as a timelord, so much of his stories and adventures involve humans and Earth, or specifically, Cardiff. Now I've been to Cardiff, and not had anything like the amazing adventures he seems to have. I suppose there's a good reason why. It's cheaper to film in Cardiff than it is to film in Gallifrey.
Then came Torchwood, promising to be a kind of British Buffy, but it's not, really, is it? John Barrowman grates on me like salt in a fresh wound, and oh, look, more Cardiff. I worry for the population of the Welsh capital. It looks like a scary place to live. I got as far as the episode with the Cyberwoman before I checked out. I tried, okay? But that was too much even for me. And I watched the last season of Sliders.
Maybe I'm being harsh on two of Britain's finest sci-fi fare, but when I compare it to a lot of the American shows I've enjoyed over the years, it's just, well, a bit naff. And at least those shows didn't have the Daleks turning up at the end of every bloody season. Or the Cybermen.
In my opinion, Doctor Who just can't compare to say Deep Space Nine, Battlestar Galactica or in the case of Torchwood, Buffy or the Winchester brothers of Supernatural fame. The writing is better, the effects are better, the production values are better.
But I'm not totally ignorant, okay, so I'll make you a deal. The next time that Doc gets a new face, I'll give it another try, and I'll really try to get through a whole season. Just no bloody Daleks, please. OK?
Check out Adam's previous column here.
Users Comments
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Discrespective 1 July 16, 2009 08:39:00 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By AndyBee 1 July 16, 2009 09:03:07 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By twentiethcenturymarc 1 July 16, 2009 09:31:32 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By AdamSloman 1 July 16, 2009 09:37:21 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By murren 1 July 16, 2009 09:39:41 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By atomickarma 1 July 16, 2009 11:05:46 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Klijpo 1 July 16, 2009 12:17:23 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Docmartin 1 July 16, 2009 12:44:49 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By varoh 1 July 16, 2009 01:05:58 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By xanderchan 1 July 16, 2009 01:19:15 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By timtop 1 July 16, 2009 02:03:38 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By RobGordon23 1 July 16, 2009 02:27:17 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By evanjdooner 1 July 16, 2009 02:44:29 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By etoh76 1 July 16, 2009 03:13:34 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By cordas 1 July 16, 2009 04:45:35 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Mawson 1 July 16, 2009 05:09:47 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By ants97 1 July 16, 2009 06:14:09 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Omniaural 1 July 16, 2009 07:18:34 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By markreed 1 July 16, 2009 07:53:36 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By AndyBee 1 July 17, 2009 08:22:44 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By cordas 1 July 17, 2009 09:37:51 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Discrespective 1 July 17, 2009 11:00:51 AM
for a moment i thought you were serious
Posted By simonthediver 1 July 17, 2009 01:34:53 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By etoh76 1 July 17, 2009 08:44:51 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By Tlotoxl 1 July 18, 2009 01:46:05 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By kivel 1 July 20, 2009 08:14:43 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By kivel 1 July 20, 2009 08:31:13 PM
Gutter language in Torchwood
Posted By derek2 1 July 22, 2009 02:08:56 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By gjbates 1 July 28, 2009 03:32:51 AM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By smartypants3000 1 November 19, 2011 10:41:52 PM
Re: The Adam Sloman Column: I don't like Doctor Who
Posted By smartypants3000 1 November 19, 2011 10:42:32 PM
Post a Comment
Adam doesn't like it when this logo appears on the telly...
Related Articles
- The Clone Wars season 4 episode 17 review: The Box
- Can Being Human survive its latest casting cull?
- Lots of pictures from Game Of Thrones season 2
- The River episodes 1 and 2 review: Magus; Marbeley
- Fox confirms that House is ending in April
- Two writers confirmed for Doctor Who series 7
- Fringe season 4 episode 11 review: Making Angels
- 10 actors with roles in both Doctor Who and Star Trek
- Being Human (USA) season 2 episode 4 review: (I Loathe You) For Sentimental Reasons
- The Vampire Diaries season 3 episode 13 review: Bringing Out The Dead


