This is what I think I know about Doctor Who: It's a TV show on the BBC in which people time-travel in a phone booth (what's a phone booth?). The show has run for an extremely long time but the title character is most recently played by David Tennant, who people seem to find quite the asexy beast. Knowing as little as I do about Doctor Who, I seem to be in a small minority among asexuals. WHO is Doctor Who? Is he supposed to be asexual? Why do we like him so much? Remember when everyone was talking about "The first rule of Fight Club", even people who have never seen or read Fight Club? That's what it's like to be an asexual who's never seen Doctor Who. Even so, I can identify if you have a Doctor Who Livejournal icon and I might be able to pick David Tennant out of a lineup, probably because he's appeared multiple times in the "Who do you find beautiful/handsome?" thread on AVEN. As you can see, Doctor Who appears to be part of our culture, whether we're watchers of the show or not.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Things Asexuals Like: Doctor Who
This is what I think I know about Doctor Who: It's a TV show on the BBC in which people time-travel in a phone booth (what's a phone booth?). The show has run for an extremely long time but the title character is most recently played by David Tennant, who people seem to find quite the asexy beast. Knowing as little as I do about Doctor Who, I seem to be in a small minority among asexuals. WHO is Doctor Who? Is he supposed to be asexual? Why do we like him so much? Remember when everyone was talking about "The first rule of Fight Club", even people who have never seen or read Fight Club? That's what it's like to be an asexual who's never seen Doctor Who. Even so, I can identify if you have a Doctor Who Livejournal icon and I might be able to pick David Tennant out of a lineup, probably because he's appeared multiple times in the "Who do you find beautiful/handsome?" thread on AVEN. As you can see, Doctor Who appears to be part of our culture, whether we're watchers of the show or not.
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19 comments:
(*cough* It's a police box, not a phone box. Which makes your question even better - what on earth is a police box? :P)
I can't stand David Tennant and I don't think the current Who is especially asexy (Torchwood, as a Who spinoff, seems to be entirely about sex with a few aliens thrown in).
The Doctor is epic. But will not be near so epic now that David Tennet is gone. Sorry. Although I have to say that it's beyond cheesy, so it's ok if you've never seen it.
The influence of this show might be restricted to AVENites in BBC broadcasting area. Was the show exported to other countries? The conclusion may be that Britons make much noise, since they are less than a quarter of AVEN population, according to Survey 2008.
As an asexual fan of Doctor Who, I'd like to point out that the character's name is not in fact Doctor Who - just The Doctor. Several of his actors did play him as asexual, though it seems like he's becoming more and more heterosexual in the recent series.
the gays got Judy Garland, maybe we're getting David Tennant?
Thanks for the edumacation! Doctor Who does broadcast on some channel in America, as I have glimpsed what appeared to be a teleporting phone booth (police box?!?) while channel surfing...
This increases the possible public to more than 70% of AVENites.
Indeed...Here, we have BBC America on digital cable, and a lot of public TV stations play BBC shows (although usually older shows). And there's always DVDs...
Either your TV habits are radically different from ours, which could be true, or the only reasonable option (in order to increase the public of the show) among listed is openly broadcasting delayed seasons of the show.
I can't believe we've never spoken about David Tennant! He's my hero and I love him to pieces!!
The Doctor is hard to explain... he's kinda asexual and also kind of celibate. In the recent episodes, he has fallen in love with one of his female companions. But he doesn't view sexual relationships as a high priority. Unfortunately, his flirtatious nature sends mixed signals to his companions.
We also know that The Doctor is 900 years old and afraid of loving a human girl, because she would grow old and die in a short time span. The Doctor used to have a family; wife and children. But they died during The Great Time War.
Overall, he's asexy because he prefers the heroic nomad life to a calm domesticated one.
ive heard of doctor who but it doesnt ever look interesting to watch so i havent seen it yet *shrug* whats the big deal?
Someone here mentioned the Doctor becoming more "hetero". I don't think that's fair. There are implications that he doesn't have a gender preference romantically. But even if he isn't entirely asexual, his sex drive is apparently very very very low.
Someone said the Doctor is becoming increasingly "hetero". I don't think that's true. He doesn't seem to have a romantic gender preference. Rose isn't sufficient to be able to tell. (He has had a male-male kiss here and there.)
I don't think the Doctor is entirely asexual, but his sex drive is so low, he may as well be!
I think the number of replies to this post says it all!!!
Yes, It is a police box - not a phone box - I did see a police box up in York recently (or was it Edinburgh??) Although I don't know if it was in working order or was just there for show?
I do think David Tennant is dishy (speaking as someone who doesn't experience Sexual or Romantic Attraction but I do have an opinion as to what I find pleasing to the eye).
However, for me the REAL Dr Who was Tom Baker. For every generation of Dr Who fans, there is the REAL Dr Who - normally the one they grew up with. There's about 12 months in age between me and David Tennant, and I am sure he considers Tom Baker to be his Dr Who too!
Sounds like all the different James Bonds!
I´m a big fan of the classic Doctor Who from the 60s and 70s (especially of the great Patrick Troughton) but I haven´t seen a single episode with David Tennant. I just don´t care for the new ones or even the 80s episodes, the Who story somehow ends for me when Tom Baker left 1981.
The classic Doctor was indeed completely asexual, even between his male and female companions (someone remembers Zoe and Jamie from the 60s?) no sexual relationship existed. This was of course also because it was more or less considered as childrens program, but even the more adult and philosophical stories with Tom Baker always showed him as asexual. I liked that.
BTW, I´m from Germany so fans of the classic Doctor exist even outside of the UK ;-).
AFlyingPiglet:
Yes, Tom Baker was Tennant's Doctor too. He said he's the reason he got into acting, in hopes that someday he could be the Doctor.
PBS in America used to show Tom Baker episodes at night in the 90s. Nowadays, both BBC America and SyFy show the new series.
I've been watching Doctor Who since I was five. I grew up with Tom Baker but he's only my second favorite, sorry. I prefer Jon Pertwee and was very saddened by his death.
Anyway, back to the subject of the thread. I never gave the Doctor's orientation much thought, which is unsurprising since I'm asexual. I don't, however, think the fact that the Doctor fell in love with Rose is proof that he is no longer asexual. Love doesn't require sexual attraction, after all.
I love Doctor Who, but I don't like David Tennant much. My favourite Doctor is 9, but I also sort of like 1 too.
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