DW Fandom: Dimensionally Trancendental

Over the past couple of months, my interest in Classic Who has been revived in big way. You would think having a history with a show would make it easy to get back in the fandom, but the last time I was this captivated, John Major was prime minister. Commercial internet was in its infancy (I did not have access), and watching episodes involved finding a source that could get past the PAL-VHS divide (and, oh yah, the Atlantic) or being lucky enough to live in a region with good public television.¹ Access to guidebooks or other tie-in materials was limited, especially if you didn't live near an active fan community. I familiarized myself with older episodes by reading the Terrence Dicks novelizations I bought from the bins underneath tables at the Star Trek conventions.²

In the meantime, Doctor Who has grown exponentially. In many ways, this is wonderful. For example, you can imagine the macro face I made when I stumbled onto Big Finish (I CAN HAZ TARDIS?!?). I am never going to be short of squee. But it is also a little overwhelming. There is so much to enjoy, I am not sure where to begin but I am quite sure that I am doing it all wrong.

It is also making me weirdly defensive. I have the urge to make an icon that says "I'm not here because David Tennant is pretty. I'm here because Sylvester McCoy gives me an inimitable feeling of childhood wonder and security for the plot."

For the love of all things holy, would someone just show me where the towels are kept?

This post has been brought to you by penfold_x's inability to find an active Classic Who fic-finder community.

¹ Defined as "plays episodes from a range of Doctor Who eras weekly," as opposed to "plays three episodes of Tom Baker over and over, until permanently preempted by The Joy of Painting."

² Imma gonna to stop reminiscing here because this post is rapidly degenerating into "When I was your age we only had one con a year! And we had to walk there, in three feet of snow. Uphill! Both ways!" *waves old lady cane*