Nerd-gasm

Those of you that know me know I’m a lifelong and devoted fan of the best sci-fi series in the world, Doctor Who. First introduced to it as a child, I rediscovered it thanks to a high-school pal in the mid-70s and have been hopelessly addicted ever since.

My enthusiasm started to wane a bit in late 90s when it became obvious the show wasn’t coming back, but of course then in 2005 it did, and I’ve been just as keen on the new version as the old, and reveling in the joy of introducing new fans to the show.

As proof of exactly how much of a devotee I am, I noticed (when asked) that there was no easy web reference for how long each of the 10 (so far) lead actors had been in the show, at least not in a way that was easily comparable. For example: Hartnell (the First Doctor) was there for three years, but so was Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor), but the number of episodes/stories/screen time was hugely different (Doctor Who was on for nine months a year back in the 60s, versus three months or so nowadays).

So I sat down, did the math and here’s the result. If I post it in other more accessible spots I will update this entry with those URLs as well (hey man, it was a lot of work, I ought to spread this around!).

This burst of activity is a direct result of the hoopla concerning the next guy to take on the role, lean and lanky Matt Smith (who will debut next year) and the outgoing finale(s) of the current incarnation (who has proven wildly popular) played by David Tennant.

And just for a cherry-on-top piece de la resistance, Tom Baker (the fourth and possibly the best incarnation) has announced that after 28 years, he is going to return to the role in the form of a five-part audio story. As the fans say, *SQUEEEEE!*