The packed room is buzzing with animated chatter of friends, old and new, all sharing a common interest- a fanatic amity for the BBC’s Doctor Who, a science fiction show following the adventures of a time traveling alien (the Doctor) and his eccentric companions.
An enthusiastic fan questions, “Did you see the end of the episode where-“…. “Don’t spoil it!” shouts an excited Mrs. Carolyn Johnson, club moderator and Doctor Who show aficionado.
Onlookers giggle away while discussing the show’s latest installment and munching on colorfully decorated gingerbread cookies in the shapes of weeping angels, one of the many types of monsters found in Doctor Who. “Basically, weeping angels are statues who appear to be angels when you look at them, but turn into silent assassins when you turn your back,” said co-club leader Mikaela Renshaw. “Needless to say, they are extremely scary.”
“The show has become exceptionally popular of late in America as well as in Great Britain, due in large to the BBC release of Doctor Who in the States,” said Mrs. Johnson. “The show is currently on the eleventh doctor and has passed throughout countless generations- forty nine years to be exact- so clearly, it is a cherished tradition enjoyed by young and old alike.”
An average club meeting consists of an assemblage of DW enthusiasts gathering and swapping stories of favorite show moments. “Mikaela always makes us a yummy snack; this time it’s gingerbread cookies,” said Mrs. Johnson.
Afterwards, the club usually begins the informal meeting with Doctor Who quiz questions and fun trivia facts. From there, the club is open to anything from watching YouTube clips of the show to debating favorite characters and gathering student opinions.
“If you had a chance to design Doctor Who’s next companion, how would you design that character? Would the character be a male or female? What age group would the character be in?” asked Mikaela. After a moment of thoughtful pondering, various club members piped in with their opinions.
“Overall, my favorite part of the club is watching all of the episodes and seeing how the show has evolved over the years,” said club member, Alexander Krikes. “I also just love the atmosphere, since everyone is cheerful and friendly, not to mention we all share a common interest.”
“Our club meets about once or twice a month, but the days themselves are varied,” said club member Danielle Jaksha. “For anyone interested in joining in the fun, just keep an eye out for the bulletin announcements. You definitely don’t have to know anything about Doctor Who to come.”
With the meeting almost complete, Mikaela and co-leader, Christy Grenier, gather the energetic club members in an effort to wrap up the latest group project- a toy collection drive in support of Toys for Tots.
Club members gather their wrapped presents and all smile around a miniature Christmas tree, making sure to capture the Kodak moment. “We are planning on sending the producers of Doctor Who a picture of us with all the toys we collected,” Mikaela said. “We want to show them how much we love their show and how they have inspired us to make a difference in the community.”
“Doctor Who has held various fundraisers for kids in need, and since we cannot raise money (it is a school rule that clubs are not allowed to raise money), we are holding this drive,” said Christy. “A major show theme is saving people and being a hero, so we tried to be true to that theme by collecting toys for kids in need.”
