Dr Who

I’m old enough to have seen the first episode of Dr Who, with Willam Hartnell.

They say every British child has their own Doctor; mine was the slightly less fierce, more elfin, Patrick Troughton.

John Pertwee was far too posh and establishment for me.  His term came to an end as I was doing A Levels, then I went off to University and had no regular access to a television for around six years.  Besides which life was too busy with evening classes, dance practice and just ‘going out’ for regular viewing of anything.

I had no intention of watching the new iteration of Dr Who in 2005, but Bigsister did.   I happened to be staying with her when the “The Empty Child” was broadcast.  The echoes of repetition, echolalia, non-communication and gentle compliance reminded me so much of my own little Ferretfingers that I was grabbed and held in familiarity and sadness.  I had to watch the next episode, and the resolution in “The Doctor Dances” reduced me to tears (one of the few times I’ve allowed autism to do that to me). 

Thunderthighs was watching with me and, although he looked at me sideways, didn’t seem particularly upset.  We watched the rest of that series, and have watched every episode since, together.  It’s become our Mum and Son thing (that and Ant&Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway).  Since the loft extension was built we’ve watched in his bedroom, leaving the living room telly to Ferretfingers.

We went back and viewed the Christopher Ecclestone episodes from the start.

The problem of Thunderthigh’s Christmas gifts was resolved; original series Dr Who DVDs, books, calendars, TARDIS items, mugs etc.

Then came my ‘adult’ Dr Who; David Tennant.

Almost every series he was in reduced me to tears at some point mirroring so many memories and my unresolved feelings of loss and longing.

Except “Blink” which was terrifying beyond anything the Daleks could do.

From Facebook archives…

10 November 2014 at 18:35

I am very moved by this on youtube.com

“From TheDoctor to my son Thomas - YouTube

A lovely message from Peter Capaldi to my 9 year old autistic son. This arrived just before Thomas' nanny's funeral and helped him to deal with his grief in a profound way. Thankyou Peter so much.”

I played this to Thunderthighs who said "Wow" and then 

"that actually reminded me of Tom Baker"

"The eyes" I said

"No, the voice"

But then all the Doctors are The Doctor so it should be ....