Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Stephen Fry: 'Doctor Who is not for adults' - Commented News Item




I've expressed my dissatisfaction with Michael Deacon's articles, and here we go again! The man keeps bashing Doctor Who, and I have had enough of it. I feel that, as an avid viewer of all things Doctor Who (I mean, the show and its spin-offs), I couldn't agree more. As far as I'm concerned, the very nature of the Doctor's life isn't kiddies stuff. We all know DW started as a kids show, and I am fine with it. But do you remember what happened back in the 60s? Although its target were children, the show proved to be immensely popular amongst adults. And why? Because of the Doctor's nature, that sense that there is always something missing in our lives, and that we can outlive anything if we put our minds into it, that we can be better people if one we commit to that cause. If Fry believes it is not for adults, let him stick to his opinion, he is entitled to have one. That doesn't mean I have to agree with it.
I just want to say that I am not 'mad' or anything; I just feel compelled to say what's on my mind. I have no problems with Mr. Fry's words, but more with Mr. Deacon's silly excuse to bash everything that has to do with Doctor Who - including bashing former Doctors when the new Doctor had only had 3 episodes to date, but let's end it there.

Last night Stephen Fry delivered the Annual TV Lecture at Bafta. He said several crisply sensible things – among them that, however much you or I may dislike the interminable honking of the vuvuzela at the World Cup, it’s no good ringing the broadcasters about it – but the one I most agree with is that Doctor Who is not a programme for adults.
“Infantilism is the problem [with TV today],” Fry said. “It’s just shocking. The only dramas the BBC will shout about are Doctor Who and Merlin. They are wonderful programmes, don’t get me wrong, but they are not for adults.”

I know millions of grown-up Doctor Who fans will disagree violently with me here – not least our awe-inspiringly knowledgeable Doctor Who expert Gavin Fuller, who is very much an adult, and who writes a weekly review of the latest series here – but whenever I catch an episode I find myself thinking, “Hmm. Matt Smith’s amusing. The girl looks good. But the plots, the villains, the deus ex machina endings… I’m sure I would find these scary and suspenseful and unpredictable if I’d just grown out of rusks.” - Yeah, right... 'The End of Time' was totally a childish episode. Give me a break... Look at some of the past episodes, will you? Are you honestly suggesting that the episode I mentioned was for kids? I wouldn't let my brother watch that until I think he is ready. It is powerful stuff. It's incredibly emotional. 'Human Nature', is that for children? Surely it is amusing for them, but do they actually understand what's beneath the plot? It takes an adult to read between the lines - not that kids don't, because they do and they never fail to amaze me!  

At 29, though, I’m afraid I don’t get any more out of it than I would an issue of the Beano (the Beano is still going, isn’t it? Isn’t it? Or is it? God I’m old). Sadly I don’t suppose I’ll ever get to find out what so many adults see in Doctor Who unless I suffer a serious brain injury. - That is charming.
No doubt if I were a grown-up Doctor Who fan I’d find these views appallingly snooty. And I’d probably also wonder why I’d never read a complaint by Stephen Fry that JK Rowling’s Harry Potter stories – the audiobooks of which are narrated by Fry himself – are read by too many adults, when they are plainly for children alone. - See what I mean??

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I'll just sit here and growl to myself in the corner if that's ok with you Fran?

An actual comment might be too "blue" for publication you see.

Fran said...

Of course it is. I understand what you mean...

Unknown said...

I feel rather hurt by this! I mean my dad and I watch it he's almost 50 and I'm 18. Sure the new series i'll admit, has sort of less emotion than RTD's eps but so what,every writer is different. DW is just so fun to watch, thats why it has a huge following. You tune in for the fun and the monsters and the suspense but you get surprised by the emotion and thats what draws you in.
I'm quite annoyed at Stephen Fry(although I'm a fan of his), sure he doesn't have to watch it just don't make every adult feel childish for watching it! >:-(