Getting Ready for August 23rd: New Who!

In case you hadn't heard, which would be very strange if you've been following my blog at all, a new Doctor Who is coming out, and, finally, a date has been set.

BBC announced Doctor Who season eight would start on August 23rd.

Fortunately, BBC America is showing on the same day so the risk of spoilers on Twitter or Facebook from friends across the pond diminishes.

I know a lot of people are excited, and I can certainly be counted among them.

But, I heard an interesting question on the latest Kasterborous Podcast: "Would you quit Doctor Who if you didn't like any changes made to the show."

The question is timely as some people aren't too crazy about Peter Capaldi driving the Tardis.

Many detractors are citing his age as a problem which is strange as he is the same age as William Hartnell when he was cast as the first doctor in 1963.

But, the question itself had me recalling the times I myself stopped watching Doctor Who.

The first was in the mid 80s.

Doctor Who aired on Saturday evenings on OETA at 10:00.

I loved watching it as a kid, but as I got older I found other things to do on a Saturday night, so halfway through the Peter Davison era I stopped watching.

I returned to the show in the early 90s when I moved to Denver and found the show on the local PBS station on Sunday morning.

Then it got cancelled.

Then there was the 1996 Movie which was an attempt by Fox to revive the show.

It was awful, and Doctor Who again disappeared for nearly a decade.

The Time Lord and his beautiful blue box returned triumphantly in 2005, and since that time the show has undergone changes, but I have enjoyed every minute.

So, except for a time in the late 80s I have been a faithful fan.

Would I ever leave?

I am reminded of the song in Camelot "If Ever I Would Leave You" where Lancelot convinces himself he could never leave Guinevere at any time of the year.

I feel the same way about Doctor Who: I don't think I could ever leave the show again because I know what it's like to be without it.

Of course there might be those "Fair Weather" fans who have been watching only since young Matt Smith took over in 2011 and have never known anything different.

Some of them might leave, but the show will hopefully still be here when they decide to return.

So what, if anything, would it take for you to stop or maybe even start watching Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments.