Memoirs of the Daleks

The book Dalek I Loved You by Nick Griffiths is a funny and enthralling account of his life as a Doctor Who fan and his career as a writer. Today he works for publications like Radio Times and The Daily Mail. Through his work, he has been able to see the creation of the new series of Doctor Who, and is as much a fan of the latest episodes as the classic series he grew up with. I could relate to his story because I started watching reruns of the classic series in 1997 when the show was off the air, but my favorite Doctor is David Tennant and I like the latest episodes the most. Of course, I don't agree with everything Griffiths opines, since the first story I watched was "Robot" with Tom Baker, and he has more nostalgia for Jon Pertwee's "Spearhead from Space," his initial discovery of the program. Griffiths writes about his memories of the show and how they compare to today's program. As a fan of British television and music, Griffiths also includes lists of his favorite and least favorite things, similar to the Radio Times blogs I've read on the magazine's website.

I've watched and enjoyed the show The Friday Night Project recently, and thought the presenters, Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins, were entertaining (though Griffiths dislikes Collins' style). I saw the episodes with David Tennant (who hosted twice), John Barroman and some of the one with Billie Piper. How amazing that actors from Doctor Who were hosting the British equivalent of Saturday Night Live. Amy Winehouse chatted about Daleks! Kanye West was a good host as well. I also liked the interview with David Tennant and Catherine Tate on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, since the host is also a Doctor Who fan. The British media has really supported the new Doctor Who, showing that it really is one of the most popular shows in the UK. I'm enjoying the television and newspaper coverage from Britain, as well as the series of Doctor Who related memoirs like Griffiths', John Barrowman's and Billie Piper's books. It is a tribute to Russell T. Davies' imaginative revitalization of Doctor Who while keeping the spirit of the classic series intact.