There’s also the fact that these episodes are comfortable. I know them, and I like them. The whole concept of Doctor Who has become a bit on the comfortable side, to the point where the Time Lord faces a challenge to make us believe any threat. The great strength of Doctor Who is that the character can regenerate – but it’s also a weakness. He can regenerate. What could possibly threaten him, particularly if new regenerations are simply going to be bestowed upon him when they are needed, and if he can overcome death itself? Neil Perryman is a Whovian who married a woman who had absolutely no interest in Doctor Who, and he persuaded her to watch every episode in order, up to the Russell T Davies era. Then he recorded her reactions, and blogged about them. Eventually the blog became the book Adventures With The Wife In Space, and it became about so much more than Doctor Who. But that’s not to forget the importance of Doctor Who. Sue Perryman’s verdict on each episode is fascinating, although if that’s the area you’re really interested in then you might be better served by the blog. Neil and Sue have the kind of warm, forebearing, and instantly recognisable relationship that many fans of any topic will appreciate, and the business of getting to know each other is particularly enjoyable. Sue already has a child, and Neil has hundreds of Doctor Who video cassettes. The child grows up, and the video cassettes make way for DVDs, and then Blu-rays. How much attention all of these things get is a matter for negotiation. But how is this different in any marriage, or friendship? Time, and how it is spent, is a key area in every relationship; it doesn’t take a Whovian to work that out. If you have any thoughts about Adventures With The Wife In Space, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below, or via Facebook or Twitter. On Monday the 2nd of February, Kaci’s book choice will be John Dies At The End by David Wong. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
