Are you a Doctor Who fan?
My Pete is – from waaay back. So when we found ourselves with a free afternoon recently, we popped into the 50 Years of Doctor Who exhibition currently on display at the ABC Centre in Ultimo. The building itself is very impressive…
A large mural with a photo from every episode covers one wall…
The Planet of the Spiders was the first episode ever to scare Pete – he was ten years old at the time and can clearly remember being frightened…
And then there was Leela – coming after the conservative Sarah Jane, this sexy companion in her leather bikini had my then thirteen year old husband enthralled…
When you get up close to a Dalek, you realise that he has a toilet plunger for an arm. Not surprising I guess, given that Doctor Who was originally a children’s television programme, and budgeted accordingly…
Cybermen are less scary when they’re not moving…
Prior to the reboot, Tom Baker was the only Doctor I had ever watched. He always had that slightly maniacal gleam in his eyes…
The Fifth Doctor wore a celery stick on his lapel. Apparently it was to detect praxis gases that the doctor was allergic to…
Prosthetic masks – they can’t have been comfortable to wear…
I started watching Doctor Who with the Tenth Doctor, played magnificently by Scottish actor David Tennant…
…and continued with Matt Smith…
…whose costume was on display (surely his pants weren’t that short?)…
The big blue box was there…
We popped into the ABC shop on the way out, and I bought some lucky dip Doctor Who figurines. I was seriously chuffed to find River Song in one of the packets…
On the way home, we stopped at our favourite Greek eatery on Marrickville Road – the Corinthian Rotisserie Restaurant – and ordered their mixed cold entree for two. Served with crusty bread rolls, it was the perfect way to end a great afternoon!
So…are you a Doctor Who fan? If so, and you’re in Sydney, the exhibition is on display until January next year (although it will be closed the first week of September due to the election coverage). Entry is free!
Doctor Who Exhibition: 50 Years of Adventures Through Time and Space
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I grew up watching Dr Who with my Mum on Saturday early evenings in the UK. The old episodes seem so unsophisticated compared to the latest version don’t they? The short lived Christopher Ecclestone was my favourite followed by David Tennant. When he left Rose in a parallel universe I cried the whole way through the episode. Haha how embarrassing. I just didnt like the Matt Smiths version so I stopped watching it – and the Weeping Angels scared me silly!!! Looking forward to seeing the new Dr though.
Nancy, I’m a big Matt Smith fan, but I can’t warm to the new companion, so I haven’t been watching the latest series either. Looking forward to Peter Capaldi! It will be nice to have an old doctor back again! :)
I too began watching starting with David Tennant. John’s loved it for a long time. Sometimes it creeps me out. I’ve looked at a few really old ones and laughed at the props. Pretty basic. :)
It can be pretty scary sometimes! Especially the weeping angels!
I half wish I might get to sydney in that time and half wish it comes to melbourne because I don’t know I will be in sydney. Looks like fun. I was too scared to watch dr who as a kid but have watched it since christopher eccelston because I now live with a long time fan!
Johanna, your other half would love this – it’s only a small exhibition, so I don’t think it’s worth flying to Sydney for – but it was full of references to the old series as well as the new!
I’m a Dr Who fan from way back- but really, I think I’m a Tom Baker fan, mostly. When he left I kind of phased into an every now and again fan. Luke had the cutest Tom Baker Dr Who costume for Halloween- I knitted the scarf and looped it around and around and around his little 4 year old neck!
Heidi, when I first met Pete, he also had a long Doctor Who scarf! Tom Baker was very good, but a bit mad.. :)
Celia, I have never watched one episode but I think Matt Smith is a bit cute.
Glenda, he’s a bit of alright, isn’t he? ;-)
Yep, I love Dr Who too but even though I watched it dedicately as a kid, I’m not blessed with a memory for TV (unlike food) so couldn’t tell you about episodes I particularly loved back then…
In the modern era, I wasn’t too keen on Eccleston, though thought Billie Piper absolutely superb.
Adored Tennant and wasn’t sure he could ever be replaced.
And yet adored Matt Smith even more! What a surprise!
Didn’t think much of Martha.
ADORED Donna, probably one of my favourite companions ever.
Amy Pond is OK, like her well enough, but mostly for Rory, who I think rather brilliant a character.
Not at ALL keen on the new girl, the one who can’t keep her accent straight and is just a cliche of feistiness. (The previous feisty assistants all had characters beyond feisty but the girl who existed in different times, blurgh, I never took to her at all).
Can’t wait to see the next Dr!
Kavey, like you, I wasn’t sure Tennant could be surpassed, but I adore Matt Smith even more as well. Really didn’t like Martha, adored the Ponds (especially Rory) and can’t stand Clara, but couldn’t really put my finger on why until I read your comment. You’re absolutely right though, she doesn’t have much character other than being a bit bolshy. Plus I ADORED River Song, so anyone coming after her and flirting with the Doctor was never going to be tolerated! :)
What a lovely exhibition. There is a really good one in Cardiff (so I’m told) which I would like to visit.
I saw the very first episode and watched till Sylvester McCoy took over. He was awful!
We’ve watched since it came back and will be watching The Dr Who Prom on Monday afternoon ~ it’s a Bank Holiday here.!
Ooh Pat, if you go to the Cardiff exhibition, please take photos for us! I’ve seen the proms, they look like great fun! :)
Ah, so we all fell for Matt Smith! Like others, I couldn’t bear to see David Tennant ‘go’ and grumbled my way through the first few episodes with Matt…then suddenly I saw how great he was and was hooked. I had only watched since David Tennant, but ABC2 is repeating episodes from Chris Ecclestone’s time so I got to see the introduction of Rose, and Captain Whatisname? I cried too when Rose was sealed away, then cried again when I watched it the second time. The Angels scare me too. Aren’t we all wonderfully funny :) Not sure if I’ll get to Sydney to see it, but might ask my son to go and get me a lucky dip.
Nanette, the little figurines are only tiny – maybe 6cm tall? And $3.50 each. It’s all great fun – I’m a huge River Song fan, but I really liked Rose too! Captain Jack Harkness, played by the wonderful John Barrowman! :)
My son was a Doctor Who fan when he was young. I liked the clunky early episodes, but have never really been a fan. The exhibition looks great.
Debra, it’s only a small exhibition, but it was a lot of fun, and Pete really enjoyed it! :)
I am also a big Doctor Who fan since a very long time. This is a great event! A large & lovely exhibition too! Lucky you!
Sophie, not large, but it was indeed lovely! My Pete is a huge fan, so he was very happy!
I bet, I would be too! :)
I was a Dr Who fan as a kid, even though it terrified me a bit! We had a tape (!) Which had the Dr Who theme music on it and I remember playing the tape and scaring myself silly with the thought that daleks were about to come bursting through the door!! I wasn’t a sensitive child at all, but there was just something about those daleks! Might have to start watching again :)
Jas, I think the newer series is even scarier! :) But lots of fun! x
I used to watch Dr Who when I was very little but haven’t continue with the journey. I remember we would watch it in complete silence and be absolutely mesmerised and we were always scared to death – the music alone set my pulse racing xx
I’m always surprised how many people watched this growing up – we barely ever watched ABC at home, so my sister and I missed out. We were too busy watching M.A.S.H. instead.. :)
My mother would never let us watch Dr Who (imagine the years i had to play catch up) she announced it was Gratuitously Violent and it was banned. Can you imagine what she would say if she were alive to watch the tele nowadays. c
Ha! I just told Pete this and he said, “well, it was violent, but I don’t think it was gratuitous..”.. :) xx
Tom baker was the first Doctor Who that I watched with any regularity. The show was broadcast Sunday nights on our public broadcasting network in Detroit. I was an adult by then and there was no chance I’d find it at all frightening. It was quaint, if anything. Still, i’ve watched it since and will continue to watch it until the Doctor is no more. And then I’ll watch out for the Daleks, the opportunists! :)
They can fly now, John! Remember when a set of stairs would stop them? :)
(Laughing) Yes, I do!!!
My favourite doctor is Tom Baker, although David Tennant is a close second. My daughter is now a huge fan also, but the weeping angels terrify her, (she is almost 18). Any potential boyfriends have to pass the ‘Dr Who fan’ criteria before she will contemplate going out with them.
On a side note, I haven’t killed my leeks, and they are reproducing. Yay. Thanks again :)
Tracey, that’s great news about the leeks, thanks for letting me know! :) David Tennant was a pretty wonderful Doctor, wasn’t he?
Yes, he was a wonderful Doctor….and pretty darn cute too. :)
My husband would have loved this! He introduced me to Doctor Who and I now enjoy the series too, but I think I can never quite be at the same level as he is. Watching from a child onwards gives a whole new level of dedication that adult discovery can’t match :)
He and Pete could have swapped stories! Pete’s STILL slightly appalled at all the romance in the reboot series! :D
I confess I’ve never seen a Dr Who episode. Fascinating exhibition, thanks for sharing. And lunch looks yum :)
Hi Cindy! It was fun, but lunch was just spectacular – everything I love on a plate – octopus, sardines, tarama, eggplant, dolmades and greek salad! :) xx
Hello Celia. I am not into Dr Who…I just don’t get it, obviously I have completely missed the point somewhere along the way!
But, the ABC centre looks amazing, I am a huge fan of the ABC (radio especially) so I loved your photo. Your lunch looks so vibrant and tasty!
I just have to add that your sourdough ciabatta worked beautifully for me yesterday. I am not sure I had a technical ciabatta shape but it was delicious. We had home raised lamb patties, homegrown salad and ciabatta ‘burgers’ for dinner. A winning combination, I am grateful for your practical bread recipes and techniques. You were right…ciabatta is a doddle. Have a great week x sorry for the long comment :)
Jane, you’d love the ABC centre, and I believe they do tours there as well! When we were walking up the street towards the building, they were playing (loud enough to hear from a block away) the theme music from the ABC news! :)
And I’m so happy that your ciabatta worked well – I’m not sure there is a set “shape” as mine turn out in all sorts of strange ways – we should just call them all rustic. :) And btw, I love it when you leave me long comments! xxx
I have not seen an episode of Doctor Who. Sounds like you and Pete had a fantastic and fun trip down memory lane.
Love the way you ended your afternoon, the mixed cold entree with crusty bread rolls was perfect.
Thanks Norma, it was absolutely delicious! My favourite dish at the restaurant! :)
My Peter would love this, Celia… and so would I! Wish we could get there…. I saw daleks at the Academy of Science (or Shine Dome) in Canberra and was so excited… they weren’t standing still, and they were making noise and waving their toilet plungers around! LOL. I have watched Dr Who since I was about 12, I think, maybe earlier.
David Tenant and Matt Smith are my favourites, but I did love Tom Baker too! Wonder what this new doctor will be like?!
I will exterminate! I will exterminate! I will exterminate!
ok I’ll get me coat and go then :) actually the daleks and the cybermen used to scare the PANTS off me as a kid regardless of the fact they filmed in Snowdonia and I recognised it, it somehow made it even spookier from behind the sofa on a Saturday night :)
Snowdonia, Claire! We’ve been watching documentaries on Snowdonia, what an amazing place! I reckon you’d have loved this exhibition! :)
I can’t say that I’ve ever followed Dr. Who but that Dalek with the toilet plunger arm would sure come in handy around the house.
Hahahaha! Could you imagine…”oh excuse me, I just need to borrow this arm for a minute…” :)
Catching up on posts, thank you for sharing this, the exhibition sounds fab and the fact that it is free…arghhh, wish I was in Syd. My husband and I both Dr Who fans from way back. My fave from the original ones is Jon Pertwee (my first Dr…funny when everyone says that it sounds like first boyfriend!) and loved David Tennant. Matt Smith has been great too and I know Peter Capaldi will do a grand job. Like your Pete my scariest episodes were the Spider planet ones, they still send a shiver down my spine. I loved the fact that in the olden days the stories were built up over several episodes. And finally (!), we went to a brilliant exhibition a few years back at Earls Court, took our nephews and the little one was so scared we had to take him out, but now he goes around dressed as Matt Smith’s version! Sorry for the long comment ;-)
Danielle, I think you’re wonderful! Every time I put up a post that I’m not quite sure about, you leave me the loveliest comment and make me feel so much better about posting it, thank you! I’ll let Pete know you were just as scared by the spiders, though you probably didn’t fancy Leela as much as he did. :) I wish your nephew could have come to the exhibition – Matt Smith’s costume was on display! :)
Oh I definitely have to go for a visit. Monkey Boy would love it! Not that he’s supposed to be watching it, cheeky bugger ;-)
It’s a great exhibition B, just be aware that it’s closed the first week of September… x