By Sabrina Finn ’14, Contributor.

Doctor Who, the popular British television show, continues to attract new viewers despite its longevity: it just finished the sixth season, this particular version being the third remake of the original series. With nine months until the next season premieres, now is the perfect time to catch up on old episodes or start watching the series from the beginning. However, many Americans have never heard of Doctor Who, and since it isn’t in the realm of most well-known TV show genres, too many people pass it up. Here are four substantial reasons why Doctor Who should be on everyone’s “must-watch” list:

1). The Doctor

The Doctor is a Time Lord, an alien species that can travel the universe with the help of a Time And Relative Dimension In Space machine (TARDIS). There have been eleven incarnations of the Doctor thus far; since the remake of the series was picked up, there have been three: Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith. Each one is different from the earlier embodiments, but they all manage to be emotionally compelling and thought-provoking. The current Doctor, Matt Smith, is the youngest actor to ever portray this legendary science fiction character, and some of his youth appears in the Doctor’s whimsical personality. Past incarnation David Tennant was known for his sarcasm and quirky behavior, while Christopher Eccleston was noted for his superb acting skills and believability. Anisa Tatini ’12 says, “My favorite Doctor is David Tennant. He was my first doctor and he was the reason I started watching the show. I loved how quirky his character was and how it was a brilliant fusion of all the past Doctors.”

2). The Companions

Since the beginning of the show, there have been fifty-three companions who accompany the Doctor on his travels, all of with whom the Doctor has a “dynamic, strong” relationship. They have been all over the spectrum of human personalities, ranging from kind and naïve to witty, rude, and pushy.  While they are usually his best friends, the Doctor has fallen in love with a few of his companions, and more often than not, his female companions fall in love with him. Rose Tyler is often considered the best companion of the remade series. “My favorite companion is definitely Rose,” Hailey Connor ’14 says. “She always tries to do the right thing, even if it ends up backfiring.” Victoria Paff ’14 agrees with Connor: “When Rose got taken away, I was about ready to quit the series.” Tatini, however, prefers Rory Williams, who “has a dear place in my heart. I love how he always manages to cheat death, although I hate how he almost dies every week.”

3). The Possibilities

Humans have always dreamt about traveling the stars, going back in time, and leaping forward to the future; and in this science fiction show fantasy becomes a reality for the Doctor and his companions. With the help of the TARDIS, which almost is a character, the Doctor can go anywhere in time and space. From encounters with Shakespeare and Winston Churchill to the futuristic Cybermen taking over present-day London, or monsters in the 42nd century, there is always an episode that will hold interest for someone because of the diverse locations, plots, and people.

4). The Monsters

The Doctor has dealt with all sorts of terrifying, bizarre, and funny creatures. Some monsters appear in one episode only, like the reapers and the empty children, but there are also major characters that occur frequently in the series, such as the Daleks and the Cybermen, who are at such odds with the Doctor that they nearly destroy the universe—multiple times! Some creatures appear in the entire remake, but they are simply side characters; the Ood and the Raxacoricofallapatorians are two minor species of monsters that appear multiple times in the series. “Some of them give me nightmares,” says Connor.

Doctor Who is so internationally popular because everyone can relate to it. If today’s Doctors don’t satisfy the viewers, there are twenty-six previous seasons and three major spin-offs of the show to watch. There are also one hundred and fifty-six novellas about the many Doctors’ adventures. The show has been named by the Guinness World Records as both the longest-running and most successful sci-fi show ever. New viewers will have a nice time joining the show’s vast fanbase because it’s so easy to get sucked into: the plots are great, the actors are fantastic, and the world of the Doctor and his companions shifts with every episode.

Episodes are available on the BBC America website, under the heading Doctor Who.

Photo courtesy of http://www.doctor-who-toys.com