Challenge: Doctor Who popular in the United States
- Thread starter BlackWave
- Start date
Ask the average Yank, even a pop-culture savvy teen, and usually they'll have a vague idea at best.
Cook
Banned
A giant Pepper Shaker that uses a plunger for a hand and is armed with an Egg Beater can be pretty damned scary when you are ten.
Bearcat
Banned
In the US, born and raised, own DVDs of all the new ones, and about 50 old stories from Hartnell in '63 through McCoy.
So there.
I first found out about Doctor Who some time after I joined Space Battles. I have never seen even a single episode.
Cook
Banned
I hate the new ones, too bright and cheery, and a whole story in one hour is just too thin. Give me a Pyramids of Mars or Seeds of Doom any day.
Or a Genesis of the Giant Pepper Shakers!
Cook
Banned
No ten year old should miss out on Doctor Who.
Given that kids grow up quicker now perhaps I should say no eight year old.
And check out Terry Nation’s Blake’s 7 and Survivors too.
Cook
Banned
I imagine that would have been difficult for him since the “goodies” never get killed in MacGyver do they?
Though having only ever really seen Dr. Who as his 3rd, 4th, 7th and modern incarnations (mostly due to whatever episodes were airing on PBS), I would think that had Dr. Who ever had the opportunity for either an American Spinoff or had an American Director, I think that the appearances of UNIT (at least in their American context) would have had a lot of support from the United States Armed Forces (as they are very good at supporting films which portray them in a positive light).
Cook
Banned
The Doctor: There's no point being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes.
The Doctor: Something's going on contrary to the laws of the universe. I must find out what!
The Doctor: If we don't find that pod before it germinates it will be the end of everything - EVERYTHING you understand, even your pension!
Leela: Why are you putting fire in your mouth?
Litefoot: Good lord. Has the girl never seen a pipe before?
The Doctor: There's no tobacco where Leela comes from
Litefoot: Sounds healthy, but exceedingly dull
The Doctor: Something's going on contrary to the laws of the universe. I must find out what!
The Doctor: If we don't find that pod before it germinates it will be the end of everything - EVERYTHING you understand, even your pension!
Leela: Why are you putting fire in your mouth?
Litefoot: Good lord. Has the girl never seen a pipe before?
The Doctor: There's no tobacco where Leela comes from
Litefoot: Sounds healthy, but exceedingly dull
Bearcat
Banned
Ah! Your mind is beginning to work! Entirely due to my influence of course, you mustn't take any of the credit...
It does enjoy a level of popularity here, although a lot more people are familiar with the David Tennant Dr. Who than the older ones. Granted, it's well behind Star Trek and Star Wars, then again, those two series are the main giants in American sci-fi.
Now, something really challenging make Dr Who, Farscape and Babylon 5 as popular as as ST and SW.
Man I miss Farscape
Now, something really challenging make Dr Who, Farscape and Babylon 5 as popular as as ST and SW.
Man I miss Farscape
DISSIDENT
Banned
My mom remembered it being on PBS in the 70s or 80s and would talk about how bad the special effects were.
I first saw it in middle school and actually liked it.
To have it reach ST levels of popularity would probably need it to be on network TV with more publicity for it (Roots or Dallas level) and alot of children's toys based on it. Not impossible. One of my favorite TV shows as a child was the Nickeloden version of The Tommorow People and the original version was a Doctor Who ripoff.
Blakes 7 is still hands down my favorite TV show though. Fits my punk-anarchist background, and Avon is very similar to me as a person in alot of ways.
"So Blake and his rabble finally got their freedom of choice."
"Forget Blake! Avon, do you realize what this means? With Star One down, the civilized worlds will be left to their fates. You could rebuild it all. You have the Liberator, you have ORAC. Those worlds could be yours, they're there for the taking. At this moment, we can take history and reshape it in our own image. Together, we could build an empire greater than the Federation ever was or ever could have been. There is nothing you could imagine that we could not do. Absolute power."
"Imagination my only limit? I'd be dead in a week..."
I first saw it in middle school and actually liked it.
To have it reach ST levels of popularity would probably need it to be on network TV with more publicity for it (Roots or Dallas level) and alot of children's toys based on it. Not impossible. One of my favorite TV shows as a child was the Nickeloden version of The Tommorow People and the original version was a Doctor Who ripoff.
Blakes 7 is still hands down my favorite TV show though. Fits my punk-anarchist background, and Avon is very similar to me as a person in alot of ways.
"So Blake and his rabble finally got their freedom of choice."
"Forget Blake! Avon, do you realize what this means? With Star One down, the civilized worlds will be left to their fates. You could rebuild it all. You have the Liberator, you have ORAC. Those worlds could be yours, they're there for the taking. At this moment, we can take history and reshape it in our own image. Together, we could build an empire greater than the Federation ever was or ever could have been. There is nothing you could imagine that we could not do. Absolute power."
"Imagination my only limit? I'd be dead in a week..."
Cook
Banned
Ah! Your mind is beginning to work! Entirely due to my influence of course, you mustn't take any of the credit...
Bows to the master.
Not The Master of course…
Cook
Banned
You must be a very dark and cynical person DISSIDENT, come plot dark plans with me.
Avon: As far as I'm concerned you can destroy whatever you like. You can stir up a thousand revolutions. You can wade in blood up to your armpits. Oh, and you can lead the rabble to victory -- whatever that may mean. Just so long as there's an end to it. When Star One is gone, it is finished, Blake. And I want it finished! I want it over and done with, I want to be free!
I have an idea, though some may not like it. Say the "Dr. Who" films are done very very well. (I've never seen them, so maybe they were good, I can't say) So well in fact, they gain a certain level of popularity and respect in the United States. The popularity of the film inspires a major network, (my guess is CBS because they did the twilight Zone. But I could be wrong) to acquire a deal to show the series in the United States like the situation with The Avengers. The popularity of the film leads to a high initial viewership, and several seasons of the show run on American television. In fact, you might end up with two different Dr. Whos if the network in the United States decides it wants to go in a different direction than the official show. You might end up with the British Dr. Who, and an adapted American version.
okay, my idea probably doesn't work all that well, but its a start.
okay, my idea probably doesn't work all that well, but its a start.