Catriona Freeman

The United Kingdom and the whole world recently celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of Doctor Who with Google adding an interactive game on their homepage, Yahoo letting a little blue box float across its name, and displaying the largest simulcast of the anniversary episode around the world at the same time.

But what is Doctor Who?

Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction show in the world. It premiered in the 1960s in the United Kingdom and follows the adventures of a time-traveling alien humanoid called The Doctor. His species is called Time Lords and he comes from a distant planet called Gallifrey. He travels in a blue police phone box called the T.A.R.D.I.S (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) that is “bigger on the inside.” Along his travels, he picks up companions (mainly humans) that join him on his adventures to fix problems and restore order to the universe, not to mention battle vicious alien foes. Then when he gets to the end of his “life,” he regenerates or physically changes into a new form with a new personality. Since 1963, there have been 11 regenerations (meaning 11 different male actors playing the Doctor) and a 12^th regeneration happening by the end of this year.

But why is Doctor Who important?

It has become a global phenomenon, and also one of the largest subcultures to exist in the world. Going to conventions like Comic Con will show people or “Whovians” dressed as their favorite Doctor, or dressed as a companion or alien. People look to social networking to find others with similar tastes and discuss their favorite episodes and news within the “fandom.” It has brought new and old generations together with one common purpose: The Doctor.

 

By observing this group (and being part of it myself), the sociology based on this group is part of the functionalist perspective. There is social solidarity with unity and cohesion of the group, a collective conscience with shared values about the Doctor’s life and goals, and a collective effervescence of happiness and dedication to the alien himself. In my paper, I will be discussing and analyzing the subculture of Doctor Who and its connection to the functional approach of Emile Durkheim and popular culture today.

For more information on Doctor Who characters and history, go to: Doctor Who- BBC One and Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Official Homepage