A Role Model
In an age when the suffocating omnipresence of the imperatives of neoliberalism has penetrated every single corner of culture – aggressively colonizing even the formely overlooked, underpoliced nooks and crannies where eccentricity and offbeatitude used to be free to spring up like hardy weed – and even the supposedly nerdy heroes have to be marketably thin, sexy and dressed in geek chic, it might do us all good to remember…
My. Fucking. Hero.
July 10, 2013 @ 4:40 pm
It makes me sound like a bitter old anorak, but the Sixth's powerful personality and wardrobe likewise warm me as much as the squeetastic Tenth leaves me cold.
July 10, 2013 @ 5:56 pm
Us bitter old anoraks of the world should unite. We have nothing to lose but Matt Smith. And that's no loss.
July 10, 2013 @ 11:27 pm
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July 11, 2013 @ 4:21 am
He's fat. He wears what he likes. He says what he likes, without any ignorance or prejudice. He values language and the intellect when the tyranny of cool reminds us that these are the provinces of geekdom. He's larger and stranger than life. He doesn't recognise quaint values of good taste. The actor playing him doesn't give a flying toss about small screen acting technique (he knows how to do it but he's not doing it here). My God, guys like him and Tom used to be leading men!! And he's up there with Tom and Pat for me. All three – bloody heroes. Smith and Tennant seem like nice guys but they're not my idea of the Doctor. Not. Even. Close. – vgrattidge-1
July 11, 2013 @ 5:05 am
agree with this post and all the comments so far
July 11, 2013 @ 5:39 am
I knew you'd dig this post.
July 11, 2013 @ 6:53 am
I knew you'd dig this post.
I'm as transparent as good old fashioned glass, Jack.
Incidentally, been loving the recent posts. I may not comment all that often but I nod a lot!
July 11, 2013 @ 8:21 am
Couldn't agree more with this one, as I'm sure you realise. I didn't realise until I rewatched Colin's stuff as an adult just how much my idealised self-image had actually been based on his performance. I'm not actually anything like the Sixth Doctor, but I was so influenced by him as a six-year-old that in my head I am…
July 23, 2013 @ 3:06 pm
Hell yes!
Some people thought the 6th Doctor was awful?!
He was just 30 years ahead of his time!
He's been the epitome of the Doctor to me since I was 13 … and we need him now more than ever.
August 8, 2013 @ 3:44 pm
Is his choking Peri in "Twin Dilemma" a mark for or against him?
August 8, 2013 @ 7:03 pm
Yes, though he's not supposed to be in his right mind when he does that.
To clarify: the above post isn't meant as a blanket endorsement of everything the character does, still less as a blanket endorsement of his era. I have manifold issues with both. The post makes a specific and narrow point about the contrast between the 6th Doctor's aesthetic and the increasingly market-dominated realm of the permissable in culture nowadays.
September 8, 2013 @ 4:49 pm
The new series Doctors were trying to be "cool"! It was about getting the adoration of their female assistants. The classic series Doctors could care less about trying to impress their companions – this is what made them cool. All Colin has to do is say something extremely witty that would put the New Series Docs in their place. And he can solve problems without the sonic screwdriver. In others words, Colin can kick ass without actually kicking ass. Although he can physically kick your ass too if he wanted.