The Rebel Flesh

"The Rebel Flesh" is the start of yet another two-part storyline. This adventure involves The Doctor, Amy, and Rory landing on a secluded island in the future that is covered with dangerous acid. The crew of the factory creating the acid have learned to manipulate a self-replicating fluid to make clones of themselves that they can control from special beds to manage the island so their real bodies are unaffected by the acid. Something goes wrong and the originals and the clones meet and conflicts arise. The Doctor, ever the peacemaker, does his best to stop the fighting but it is out of his hands and a battle begins. The episode leaves us with the terrifyingly dangerous image of The Doctor's clone. Who knows what will happen with him in part two?!

The main trait about The Doctor that I feel gives this show purpose outside of pure entertainment is his incredible kindness. Through The Doctor, the show promotes a message of acceptance and understanding. Over the years, The Doctor has had companions of multiple races, genders, ages, and sexual orientations and he has cared for every one of them immensely. Throughout his travels, when The Doctor encounters new species, he always gives them the benefit of the doubt and seeks to understand their behavior and their story before passing judgement on them. Even though the actual scenarios are fantastical and unrealistic, the theme of acceptance runs through this show without taking an abrasive, soapbox-y approach.

Another great thing Doctor Who offers to audiences is the feeling of membership. Doctor Who fans are more than just people who tune in ever week - they are a community. Because of its nature as a revived show (it originally aired from 1963-1989), Doctor Who connects generations of television watchers in a way that no other show really can. The tradition of Doctor Who has been a part of British culture for years, of course because it is a British show. But since its arrival to America via the BBC America network, the Doctor Who community has become truly global. And because of the technology available today, the Doctor Who community can speculate, appreciate, and exchange all kinds of information and fun facts to enhance their experience with the show and make it more interactive. Everyone enjoys feeling included and as Doctor Who becomes increasingly more popular, I can't help but be proud to say I was here all along. I love being able to introduce people to this show and watch them fall in love with it.

Also, because Doctor Who airs in the States on BBC America, it has exposed Americans to another TV culture with British shows like Top Gear, Skins, Being Human, and The Tudors. Several of these shows have even been recreated for American audiences, similar to the way the hit show The Office originates in a British sitcom of the same name. The relationship between American and British television worlds is a new phenomenon being explored. BBC America has gone so far as to create a blog called "Anglophenia - British Culture with an American Accent" (http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/) for its American viewers interested in everything British. Arguably, without Doctor Who, BBC America would still be a channel that most people skip through when browsing channels but the success of Doctor Who and other shows on the network is changing the game!

I think the reason for Doctor Who's success is it is so versatile. There is something for everyone in this show. There is drama, comedy, romance, science fiction, fantasy, history, music, literature...you name it. The whole concept is that The Doctor can travel through time and space so there really are no boundaries to what the show can do. Doctor Who has made me laugh hysterically, cry like a baby, and scream in total fear in the span of one episode, let alone an entire season. What Doctor Who brings to the table is progressive and very refreshing.

As for the unanswered questions we left off with last week? ALL STILL UNANSWERED and yet another Eye Patch Lady appearance. It's honestly torture.