Stephen Fry delivered the Annual TV Lecture at Bafta, where he gave his thoughts on Doctor Who. “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.” 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.
Not sure what to make of this. But as an adult all I have to say is: "Doctor Who brings out the kid in all of us. And Doctor Who is for everyone."
1 comment:
I agree with Stephen Fry's notion of "infantilism" on modern television, especially the BBC, but would disagree that Doctor Who is a "wonderful programme" - http://bit.ly/aKVWGw
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