This year marks the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, celebrated with events around the world. On November 23rd, the anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor will air simultaneously in over 75 countries. In Thailand, it can be seen on BBC Entertainment. The Doctor is the main character of the series, an alien Time Lord who can regenerate into new bodies when injured. This allows different actors to portray the Doctor over the show's run of 50+ years.

1. This year, Doctor Who celebrates its 50 years with special events
around the world. On November 23, the festivities culminate with an
unprecedented worldwide simulcast at 7:50 pm GMT to more than 75
countries of the 50th anniversary episode, The Day of the Doctor. Here
in Thailand, it can be seen on BBC Entertainment.
WHO IIS TTHE DDOCTOR
The main character of the series is the Doctor, a centuries-old alien
with two hearts from an ancient race called the Time Lords. Since
the show’s premiere, 12 actors have played the title roll.
The Doctor has had so many faces thanks to the fact that when
his body is damaged or he becomes so ill that he’s about to die, he
is able to regenerate a new body.
Actor Simon Fisher-Becker remembers watching the very first
regeneration when he was a child, the history-setting moment
when the first Doctor became the second.
television
Entertainment
A By Sean Vale
The Doctor has his day
PhotoscourtesyofBBCandbbc.co.uk/doctorwho
1166 November 18,2013
On November 23, 1963, Doctor Who, a
relatively unassuming science fiction show
aimed at children made its debut on the
BBC. In the 50 years since that fateful day,
the programme has gone from an evening
entertainment for kids to one of the most
popular and long-running shows in
TV history.
WWhhoo’’ss
Who UNASSUMING (adj):
not drawing attention to itself
UNPRECEDENTED (adj):
that has never happened, been
done or been known before
SIMULCAST (n):
to broadcast something on
television to many places at
the same time
REGENERATE (v):
to grow again
ANTIQUATED (adj):
old-fashioned and no
longer suitable for mod-
ern conditions
NEMESIS (n):
something or some-
body that always caus-
es you problems
MANIACAL (adj):
wild or violent
COMPANION (n):
a person who trav-
els with you or
spends a lot of
time with you
Vocabulary
Ninth Doctor,
Christopher
Eccleston, stars
in Thor: The
Dark World.
Did
you
know?
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2. LONELY OOUT IIN SSPACE
Travelling through all of space and time can be a lonely
business when you’re a nearly immortal Time Lord. So it’s
no surprise that the Doctor ends up acquiring compan-
ions along the way — usually attractive
young females.
They give the audience somebody to relate to
when the story might be hard to understand.
They’re there to ask questions that the viewers are
probably asking —“What’s that, Doctor?”“Where
are we, Doctor?”“What are you doing, Doctor?”
Even if a character doesn’t become a proper
companion, the Doctor still makes friends
throughout time and space. Some of these char-
acters become favourites with the fans, like
Simon’s character, Dorium Maldovar.
“A question I am continually asked is ‘When
is Dorium coming back’”he said.“It is a very
warm feeling to know the fans love Dorium and
want to see more of him.”
INTO TTHE FFUTURE
On any anniversary, it’s tempting to focus on
the past. But Doctor Who also takes place in
the future, so it’s only fitting that this celebra-
tory year also looks ahead. Informed by years
watching the show, JR knows what Doctor
Who means to fans now and what we can
learn from it in years to come.
“It teaches us to be broader minded, to
always look for the truth in things rather
than to just accept what we see and hear on
face value,”JR said.“It also helps us to know
how to look for new things, by having a
wonderful history that’s so broad and
deep.That’s how it’s always been, and it’s
still that way now.”
“I do remember William Hartnell, and him changing into Patrick Troughton,”he said.“My
recollections are watching the show with the whole family and dis-
cussing it after.”
Each incarnation is different, but each is most definitely the Doctor.
THE BBLUE BBOX
The Doctor’s means of transportation is his time-space machine, the
TARDIS.The name is an acronym for Time and Relative Dimension in
Space. It can travel anywhere in time and space, and occasionally to alter-
nate universes.
The TARDIS is actually a living machine, capable of making decisions and
often taking the Doctor and his companions where it wants to go, rather
than where the Doctor planned on going.
The TARDIS looks like a 1960s police telephone box. Because the machine
is antiquated and unreliable, its cloaking device malfunctioned after assum-
ing the shape in 1963 London.The Doctor has never been able to mend it.
The other distinctive feature of the TARDIS is that it’s bigger on the inside
than it is on the outside — a fact that’s been pointed out many times by
characters on the show.
NEMESIS OOF TTHE DDOCTOR
The Doctor has faced countless monsters and aliens, but no hero is complete
without a nemesis.The Doctor found his early on — the Daleks.When they
made their debut in 1963, the Daleks were like nothing like anybody had
seen before — evil, maniacal and totally inhuman cyborgs.
JR Southall, writer for Starburst magazine and host of The Blue Box
Podcast, points out how important the Daleks are to Doctor Who.
“It was the Daleks that made people ... sit up and start watching,”he said.“They’re one of
those genius ideas, and more importantly designs, that only comes along once in a millennium.”
Over the years, the Doctor has faced the Daleks time and again. And though he’s defeated
them every time, they remain the foe that defines Doctor Who.
channel surfing A
November 18,2013 1177
Student Weekly interviewed series guest star Simon Fisher-Becker. He told
us about playing the character Dorium Maldovar and what it’s like when a
long-time fan gets the opportunity to appear in several episodes of his
favourite show.
Student Weekly How did you feel when you were cast as Dorium?
Simon As a fan I was delighted. But as the day drew nearer to the first read through for The
Pandorica Opens, I became more and more nervous. But everybody from [producer] Steven Moffat
and [star] Matt Smith and the entire team were very welcoming.
When I was asked back for A Good Man Goes to War, I was greeted like a long-lost brother, and
Matt Smith greeted me with a hug. As a fan, all I could think was “Oh my God! The Doctor is hug-
ging me.”
Student Weekly You got to deliver possibly the most iconic line
in the show, a line that’s been a recurring bit of dialog since the very
first episode in 1963: “Doctor Who?” How was that?
Simon When I got the line, there was momentary panic and self-
doubt. First of all, there was the privilege and honour of being giving
such an iconic line to deliver, and then there was the fear of
not being able to pitch it right. But a few seconds later,
I was bouncing around the room like Tigger!
Student Weekly How does it
feel to be part of the Doctor Who
mythology now?
Simon I’m totally amazed at the world-
wide success of Doctor Who, even more so at
the response to Dorium. Wherever I go people
tell me I’m amazing, marvellous, awesome and
they love Dorium. It is very humbling but also
very welcome.
It is a very
warm feeling to
know the fans
love Dorium.
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