Doctor Who Is Younger Than Me

By now you'll have seen the 50th anniversary episode if you're at all interested in Doctor Who so it must be safe to say a few words. I'm a smidgen older than Doctor Who and I remember him from back in the day. I don't really remember the First Doctor, William Hartnell, but I have, of course been bombarded with his images so it makes it confusing to remember who was my first Doctor.

My first Doctor was really Patrick Troughton with his bad haircut and his penny whistle, followed by Jon Pertwee in his late 60s finery and Tom Baker with his scarf and hat, his big eyes and big smile. I didn't really pay much attention to the '80s Doctors of Peter Davison, Colin Baker or Sylvester McCoy. I consider Tom Baker as *my* Doctor Who. He's the one that sticks in the memory and, besides, he liked jelly babies.

Tom also inherited Jon Pertwee's last companion, Sarah Jane played by Elisabeth Sladen, and she's always been the epitome of the companion to me. Yes, she did running and screaming but she also did thinking and challenging. She also had K9, her robot dog. She's the only one of the Companions who also had their own spin-off series. Sarah Jane also had her own roles in the new series of Doctor Who.

I liked the 50th anniversary episode but didn't believe that was Elizabeth I - no way was that the Virgin Queen. That was a bit silly but, then again, there's usually something a bit silly in a Doctor Who episode. And it was nice that the baddies weren't the Daleks or the Cybermen although they strongly featured. As did Billie Piper as the physical form of the ultimate weapon.

It was nice to have John Hurt enter the pantheon of the Doctors as the War Doctor. He's had so many iconic roles over the years that I wonder what he really thinks of it - just another job or something a little bit special?

It was the last half hour or so that got me into the story, especially when the Doctors arrived en masse in their Tardises to protect Gallifrey and we saw them all... including a cameo of the next Doctor. And then Tom Baker appearing as the curator at the end. That was well daft.

The celebratory evening continued with more Doctor Who shows and more memories and it was lovely to see Alex Kingston, Louise Jameson (Leela the warrior woman) and Bernard Cribbens (who links original Doctor Who with the modern version). We also saw Peter Davison, Sylvester MacCoy and Colin Baker, all Who's of their times, as well as a host of others. The link to One Direction in Los Angeles was just painful but, I suppose, inevitable. Sadly.

Here's to the next 50 years!