One of my core childhood memories is me being really excited because a new girl came into our year. When I told my mum she made me promise to not talk about doctor who, because I’d never be friends with her if I did. Then midway through our first conversation the girl straight up asked me if I watched the show.
“You like that Doctor Who, don’t you?” Me, a Gallifrey Basing, Big Finish listening, Ex-Fan Made Trailer maker, with Murray Gold headlining Spotify Wrapped every year, and 100s of DVD, Blu Rays, Doctor Who magazines… “Yeah, I sometimes watch it”
I think the Neurodivergent experience of Doctor Who nails it. Many of us who watch Doctor Who are (autistic here) and that is what people think everyone is. There's a lot of things to hyperfocus on (missing episodes, fashion, merch etc). Given the overlap between Neurodivergent and Queer means there's a lot of similar experiences. Doctor who has always been the show for making the voices of the unheard known and some people just can't accept that as a, sometimes, popular programme on BBC1
I got into an argument with one of those “R I P DOCTOR WHO” people and was told I never watched the show and was lying about everything ie owning figures, DVDs, Blu Rays, etc
Ask me that 10 years ago, I would've said no. These days, it's so toxic out there that it feels icky to even try and defend your point. It's like arguing with toddlers, and it makes you feel depressed to be part of it all.
I'm a 66 year old Doctor Who fan. I've watched this wonderful show since 1963. Despite a brief time during the 2005 renaissance ( when Doctor Who was briefly cool) I NEVER EVER told anybody about my dirty little secret. Last year I discovered some fantastic UA-cam channels ( and some very dodgy ones). Among my favourites are yours and the 50% Doctor Who boys. I've discovered a community of like minded people and very late in life found my tribe. I've also found it to be a divided and angry place to be. I grew up in the UK where in the 1960s it was THE tea time family show everyone loved. In 1966 my family became"£10 Poms" and we moved to Adelaide South Australia. I grew up in the working class Northern Suburbs. I quickly learnt what not to say to avoid having the living sh*t beaten out of me. Weirdly the one constant in my life is Doctor Who. Very nice piece Josh, I can always depend on you to be informative, insightful and witty.
@@SebTheNoob314 indeed it is. Makes me think I should look into joining a club or something. Weirdly ( probably because of the shame thing) I've never met a true fan in person. Although to quote Groucho Marx ... I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member
Doctor Who is life, Doctor Who is everything. If Doctor Who has a thousand fans, I am one of them. If Doctor Who has a hundred fans, I am one of them. If Doctor Who has only one fan, I am that fan. Doctor Who is everything that binds my mere existence on this mortal world.
Before I retired, I was known as the "Bow Tie Guy" at the coffee shop near my office which never bothered me in the least. Everyone in my circle of friends knows about my passion for Doctor Who and is kind and understanding. They know that all of the 1/6 scale Big Chief Studio figures and the Tom Baker scarf my Grandmother knit for me when I was ten are on full display in the living room. Patrick Troughton was my Doctor and so for me, the notion of cringe only come into the equation when we sit down to watch episodes from the Hartnell/Troughton era. Having listened to the audio CDs for years, actually seeing individual episodes after they were discovered was often difficult. In the Tomb of the Cyberman, the creepiness of the Cybermen emerging from the tombs and "You belong to us" is cancelled out by the clearly visible Kirby Wires on Roy Stewart when the Cyberman flings him about. The horrific karma meted out to Klieg is then somewhat spoiled by the empty suit which has its head fall off after being thrown by Stewart. It's all part and parcel of that era and the "special" effects within the grasp of the design and production team. My two sons first watched the shows when they were young and since the show in those days was pitched to a younger audience, those moments which make adults groan inside were fine with them. Oddly, my eldest's favourite episode is the Aztecs, which is far more serious in tone but still has those two moments when first William Russell and then Ian Cullen "wrestle" with the heavy Styrofoam stone inside the pyramid. I'll be 60 next year and will continue to enjoy the show as it continues to develop. I will never sniff "well things were quite different back in my day" because everything needs to evolve to survive. As with everything we love, some people takes things far too seriously and I do feel for them. I love opera but fully realize that despite the music, it is patently a somewhat ridiculous art form but that doesn't bother me at all. Pointing and laughing at something you love is one of the greatest things we can experience in life, whether it happens to be a Zarbi running into a camera or a mate falling on his derriere while chasing after a cricket ball. Thanks for another terrific video Josh!
Yes, fans are cringe. When I say 'fans', I mean 'FANS' (or 'stans' if you will). They - in any fandom, or area - take it too far, too serious, without being aware of ANY borders, personal or professional (towards the people behind the thing they're a fan of). Often toxic, one of the few things they are good for is making them money. They also don't realise they are the least favorite group of people to those professionals behind that series/actor/themepark/hobby/you-name-it.
I refuse to hide what I am passionate about and will not hold shame for my interests. I will, however just use whatever facts I found relevant to conversations.
"Secret fandom"... Watched Blake's 7 starting in the early 1980's in US/PBS while waiting for Dr.Who to come on. Came across a collection of someone's Blake's 7 VHS collection at 1/2 Price Books a few years ago (and buying it all) ... Haven't seen a US DVD/Blu-ray release and probably never will. Glad that Dr. Who has its "waves" of various Era Fans. In a pinch I can (maybe/maybe not) work myself into a Dr. Who conversation in the Wild... But a Blake's 7 conversation? Spotting a Real life Unicorn would probably be easier. The "secret" of the most Secret societies. Considering how the Federation used Blake to Exterminate its opposition... We probably need/want to keep a low profile. Publicly throwing around how Evil the "Federation" is in Sci-Fi circles can give the wrong impression if Star Trek fans are near...
Fan culture just needs a bit of reform- debate with respect, consider the subjective opinions of other etc and maintain boundaries when it comes to actor's personal lives etc, nothing bad about fandoms. Honestly i encourage them, and can genuinely say that being in a fandom and enjoying the media to a greater depth has saved my life on more than one occasion- dr who being one of those shows
My partner is a devout Catholic, which puts any of my obsessions to shame really. Ultimately, it all comes down to personality. Some people are very open and outgoing about things and others are not. The only regret I really have in being a Whovian is the tendency of family members to buy you anything with the diamond/neon/taxi (delete as applicable) logo on it. Which is why I ended up with four different versions of Galaxy 4 in different media. From the same person.
I'm so sorry to hear that a lot of women and girls who like shows such as Doctor Who faced a lot of discrimination. No one deserves to go through that. Everyone should be able to talk about Doctor Who and stuff they like in a safe space. I like Jodie as the 13th Doctorby the way and I do miss her in the role. Hopefully videos like what Josh has put together will help bring a bit more awareness and consideration to others.
I didn't find Doctor Who until high school, after a lifetime of being a Trekkie. I was bullied for so many other things, no one considered the sci-fi worth the effort. Once I hit college things changed, as often happens, and I found a sci-fi community, with several different fandoms represented. I also was first introduced to Doctor Who with all Doctors 1-4. The local PBS station played it weekday afternoons, so had to fill in the most recent received with older stories to have enough to fill the time.
FORGET SOICAL CUES! IF THEY WANT TO BE WRONG THEN THEY MUST SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS. The consequences? A forced trip to my basement where they are tied down and made to watch the one thing I never could.... The Web Planet.
10:21 what's funny is that the first time i saw some of dr who was when my dad was watching love and monsters on the living room tv, i thought it was weird as hell, fast forward a few years later and i absolutely love dr who, it's all i currently talk about, and im probably even more of a fan that my dad
I use the perfect get-out-of-jail-free card. It's my autistic hyperfixation, and anyone who is willing to understand and accept that is at worst "okay fine", and anyone who isn't willing then I don't want to be my friend anyway
I'm a total nerd. I'll talk to anyone about it, try to convince them to watch the show (not a billion times, just once), talk about the good things, bad things, the way humans can learn from it,.... And I'll NEVER be 'ashamed' of it or say that it is my 'guilty pleasure'. Doctor Who is the BEST show in the universe. It has been going for 60 years, I mean. A show can't be running this long if it is bad.
I’ve noticed something else in regards to trauma-induced fan siege mentality for some fans: *adopting the judgemental attitudes of their old bullies, against the things those bullies liked.* I’ve noticed this with fan opinion on sports, evoking the same sentiment for football evoked in the IT Crowd - “It’s just some blokes kicking a ball in a field with no complexity or nuance, enjoyed only by rabid, thuggish fans who take it too seriously” - but without a shred of irony or self-awareness. I am a Doctor Who fan, and I also support my local football team and love the institution of English football. It fills me with no end of shame to see sports fans denigrate Whovians, and to see Whovians denigrating sports fans in turn. I guess if my little rant has a moral, it’s that we shouldn’t let our trauma and hatred define us more than what we love, lest we become exactly what we hate.
SPORTS FANDOM PRIVILEGE: When I worked in retail on Saturday nights I'd have drunk guys come in and say "aww, did you see the football/cricket game today or didn't you get to watch it in here?". I'd try and politely explain that I didn't watch it because I'm just not that interested in sports but they'd then spend the next minute unwarrantedly describing the details of the game to me. I felt like I was being frowned upon because I wasn't a fan of it and wasn't interested talking about it.
Yeah I’ve experienced this. Sports really are just like any fandom. Some of them dress up, they know stats about their fandom that others don’t care about. Would t miss an installment. Yet they think they are different.
As a Doctor Who fan who likes open minded crossovers, I've been bullied, witch hunted and harassed by toxic "crossover sense purists" for commissioning unique Doctor Who crossovers I'm a fan of and to call it "cringe" is completely disrespectful and spiteful.
I had a similar office faux pas just recently. Catching up with a colleague about the new series and Time Lords using the definte article. I mentioned Romana and he just looked back as if he was trying to solve a maths problem. Then it occurred, no-one really watches classic Who. Thank god I didn't mention Morbius.
I'm 18, American, yet my favorite doctors are Patrick Troughton and Colin Baker, and one of my favorite villians is the Toymaker and favorite episode is Evil of the Daleks. Yeah, I'm really weird. Ive always had trouble fitting in, being the only introvert in a family of extroverts. But after I started watching Doctor Who, meeting other fans and making videos on it, I felt better and just started loving being a fan of the show. Doctor Who has some INCREDIBLY passionate fans. The fact that people have been watching it since 1963 is just amazing to me. Thus ends this massive comment.
I'll be 40 this year, so I grew up in the Wilderness years. As a brit, the show was always there, and I honestly can't remember the first time I heard about it. I remember seeing clips of the William Hartnell era; I remember sitting down to watch the Movie on an old tiny black and white TV because parents were watching something else downstairs; I remember watching the thirtieth anniversary special Dimensions in Time (in 3D!), and the Comic Relief special Curse of the Fatal Death; I remember a friend loaning me The Dalek Invasion of Earth and Remembrance of the Daleks DVDs; I remember excitement at hearing it was coming back, and hoping my prediction of Anthony Head being the new Doctor would be true because at the time, I was a much much bigger fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As such, Doctor Who wasn't really my 'thing' when I was younger. It was just always there, like the wallpaper. I felt rather privileged that, while I obsessed over Buffy, I was never bullied for it. In fact, all my friends loved the show too. But I was the one who had memorised all 144 episode names of the show (as well as Angel), and could recite them like the alphabet. I was the one who screamed 'Bloody Hell!' when Willow healed Tara from her insanity. I was the one who went over to my mate's house because he had Sky and so I was able to watch the show before the internet spoiled it for me, and shouted 'NOOO' when the signal dropped for a few seconds, afraid I was going to miss a vital piece. It was the reason I got an Amazon account so I could buy the book-style DVD sets that had come down to £30 each because they looked so good, and my VHS tapes were beginning to take up too much room. I embrace Doctor Who as a campy, quaint, too-ambitious-for-its-own-good, show, and often say I don't like it in spite of its hokey style, but because of it. My dad disliked the first two episodes of the new series, but I felt they were both very in keeping with the spirit of the show, and while Boom was a massive step up in actual quality, having a god like villain dressed as a keyboard climbing out of a piano to play non-diagetic music is *exactly* what the show has been like for over 60 years. And yet, I feel more embarrassed to still enjoy Buffy, despite it being more of an influence in my youth, and never being bullied for it, and for it to still be regarded as a groundbreaking show that has very few embarrassing scenes compared to Doctor Who. I love both shows, and am in the middle of a rewatch of them both (and still cringe when Andrew blurts out that he's 'watched every episode of Doctor Who but not Red Dwarf', despite the fact that unless the trio invented some form of time machine off screen, he wouldn't have been able to do that). I no longer build my entire personality around a show like I did in my Buffy obsessed days, and I find it off putting when others do it. I find it to be ... should I say ... childish? I don't know if that's the word, I mean, there's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish is there?
When I was younger, I made the mistake of making the identity solely based around the fact that I was a Whovian Nowadays, whilst I am still a fan, I’m able to keep it more under wraps so my obsessions don’t seem as overwhelming anymore. Also, I feel like I’ve now got a wider variety of interests and hobbies which definitely does help
I think the most cringe thing I've witnessed a Doctor Who fan do is start up a channel doing crappy reviews in their bedroom when they were entering their teens. It was me! I did that! I've certainly been bullied for being a Doctor Who fan, and given some of the stuff I've put out on the internet, maybe it's warranted? But I've never really been shy for expressing who I am, especially now that I'm older and am always going to conventions with my Dalek props, meeting the stars and getting on the same train as Sophie Aldred, and having her walk past and say hi, that was crazy. I do worry that Doctor Who has become my personality, not because of shame exactly, a bit of shame never hurt anyone. But when I am able to make a connection to the show in my lectures or casual conversation, I get the feeling the people around me are probably a bit exasperated, and it's like expected. It's something I'm working on, but I will say that I worked on a uni event at my uni where I brought my Daleks to a night out, I was operating one of them, hitting the dancefloor, it was very fun, and my two mates from Musical Theatre who have a passing interest in the show and sit down to watch it when the new stuff is on respectively absolutely loved seeing my Dalek and we're putting videos on their snapchats and stuff, it was lovely.
My dad had to go away for work several times a week. I would stay with my aunt while he worked. Watching Tom Baker era Who with her as a child who was just trying to not act scared that his dad was away is something I'll never give up. I love the show and will defend it forever.
This is a timely video and I thank you for this Josh! During a time that the fandom is so divided and everyone’s at each others throats for liking or not liking something, or saying the wrong thing, this is a breath of fresh air. And I say it’s timely because it’s a reminder that we’re all outcasts, and have suffered because of it. Not just because most of us are neurodivergent or queer, but because we’re fans of something that often gets stigmatised. Almost all of us have been bullied and humiliated because we love this silly little show. We often lose sight of that amongst our fandom. We love Doctor Who. And that should be the starting point of any interaction we have with our comrades. We may love different parts of it, but we’re fans *because* we love it. That’s what unites us.
I'm more mildly in the Doctor Who fandom, however there are fandoms where I'm much more invested but honestly I've definitely backed far out of the social aspect for them because of toxicity inside the communities. One such example is the Star Wars community, I really enjoy a lot of Star Wars content but I'll never be the first to bring it up in public settings just because of the reputation the community has had over the past decade or so.
You make a very important point about neurodiversity and mutual respect. Fan shame is worth talking about, and it can be broken down into various demographics-gender and sexuality, age, where you live, profession (if old enough), or grade level (if still in school). For example, I'm a Gen X male (older than you appear to be) living in the United States, neurotypical, and I work in education. Many people commenting would have different experiences from me. All of these layers of context influence my own experiences. The terms "nerd" and "geek" aren't as widely derogatory as they were when I was a teen, but context matters. They still can be derogatory. Or they can be complimentary. As a teen in high school I would have wanted to avoid identification as a nerd or geek and in fact I took steps such as playing sports to not be labeled one even if I watched some "nerdy" things like Trek. I discovered Dr. Who later in life. You are so right to point to toxic masculinity in this culture. In the US, this sort of thing was glamorized in Big Bang Theory with male scientists portrayed as nerds while showing clear toxicity. The toxic and divided nature of the Who, Trek, and other fandoms is also important. This is closely linked to sociopolitical differences. Some Who fans are highly conservative and others are highly liberal, the divide is significant. This is closely related to the racism and misogyny you talk about.
I'm a huge geek/nerd, but I've never made my interests my "personality." So unless someone saw my media collection (more-so as an adult), or a few of my toys growing up, I was pretty much like "every other kid." Both my mom and dad got me interested in basically every show I'm about to list. I grew up watching the original Star Trek films in the late 80s, started with TNG basically from the beginning. I've watched all Star Trek programming made from the 1960s until the early 2000s countless times. I watched all those hammy 70s sci-fi shows, Battlestar Galatica, Buck Rogers, etc. Later on (years after getting into Doctor Who), I got into Blake's 7. I was, and am still, a huge fan of Babylon 5, basically watching that show at least once in full every other year. I started watching Doctor Who from an old PBS recording of the Five Doctors. It was my only substantial experience with Doctor Who until the 1996 TV movie, which I watched on the Fox network and re-watched countless times from my off-air VHS recording. I started watching classic Doctor Who in 1997 or 1998 when I finally realized it aired weekly on my local PBS station (at 11pm!). The first episode I watched with my younger brother was "The Power of Kroll", and we kept watching. Dedicated fan here. Over the next 3-5 years I watched the entire series run over and over and over again. Even being married for the better part of a decade, I've never introduced my wife to Trek, B5, Who. I was able to get her to sit down to watch the first 20 MCU films. She hasn't read or seen Lord of the Rings, and those are some of my favorite books and films ever made. She vocally obsesses over Taylor Swift and I quietly obsess over my sci-fi. As I enter my 40s, "Fandom" is exhausting. There's no middle ground with most people. You're either expected to enjoy everything that is produced, slop and all, or you're expected to hate it all just because it wasn't produced 20+ years ago. I decided to take my Dad's approach - just watch what you like. Despite being a huge Trekkie, he skipped most of Voyager and would come and go when it came to Enterprise. "Life is too short." When Voyager was on, he would retire to his den and read a book. I consider myself a huge fan of Doctor Who, but with 60+ years of content, I'm happy just sticking with what I like and if the franchise moves on without me, I'm mostly fine (or I guess apathetic) about it. I'll always have The Power of Kroll.
I never feel embarrassment by being part of a fandom….well except for the times other fandom members mindlessly defends a bad product because, someone they dislike says that it is bad.
28:25 Josh, it's Sunday. Why did you have to remind me of that Doctor Who fan clip 💀😂 (Only kidding around, I dont think I'd be able to talk to Jenna either😅)
this truly is one of your best if not the best video youve ever made, and youve made some absolutely amazing videos before this one!! such an interesting topic with such well delivered points, it was a captivating watch, thank you for making this! as an autistic and queer fan of doctor who i appreciated it so so much, i think its such an important video!
Brilliant video Josh! Weirdly I’ve never had an issue with being a fan of Doctor Who, and sticking with it through the wilderness years. My love of the show never went to an overriding passion though. I read the target novelisations of 60’s and 70’s Who I’d missed, got the magazine, but didn’t venture into the novels brought out once the show ceased. I love other things equally though, Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5 were favourites in the 80’s and 90’s, and Blake’s 7 was near the top late 70’s. I have recommended all these to people over the years, but I know that not everyone would like them, and certainly some episodes of all of those series are absolutely dire, but most shows have that. People just bemuse me at times, everyone has their own level of intensity to a particular thing, and that’s great, but everyone should realise that not everyone is going to share their own personal obsession with a particular thing, and trying to converting people to yours is not the way to go, if you want to keep friends. I admire people who do cosplay, I certainly wouldn’t be confident enough to do it. And people who put out content like yours Josh are contributing in a loving and meaningful way. What disturbs me are those who put out purely negative content, demeaning and belittling others for what they try to do. I admit I am not fond of Jodie’s era, but it still had some good episodes. I don’t believe anyone involved in creating shows has the intention to harm the franchise concerned, even when they make mistakes. So analysis of them that is purely negative and full of bile is not constructive. The rage these content providers feel towards these franchises is toxic beyond belief, I wonder why they bother with them at all. The only caveat I have to that is in the 80’s when Michael Grade sought to cancel Who. I remember an article in DWM that said that a whole season on DW got the same budget as one episode of Red Dwarf in the final season. Who could never look it’s best given that, but they did a damn good job considering what they were given.
I can talk to my relatives about Doctor Who casually. The show's so obscure here in Sweden that they pretty much don't *have* an opinion about it otherwise, period.
Doctor who has been a core part of my life since before I can even remember, and often times, I've felt like an outsider because of it. I started watching the classic era during the capaldi years when I was 15. The show was so popular when I was younger, but during my teens it felt like something I had to hide. New who wasnt even popular then, let alone the classic era. I can admit that during this time, this pushed me into being a pretentious fan who looked down on "casuals" which is something I regret. Moreover, starting from when I was 17, I wanted to reinvent myself as someone "cool" and "edgy", and that meant Doctor Who had to go. I built up a lot of shame and embarrassment around it, and no longer wanted to associate myself with Doctor Who (even though I was really getting into big finish at the time, but only in utmost secrecy). However, in my second year of university, I met someone who was a modern Doctor Who fan that wanted to get into classic who. And gradually, the floodgates were opened again, and I wasn't afraid anymore to be known as a whovian. They really helped me to embrace that side of myself again and to not be ashamed of it. At the same time, they also helped me to have the confidence to come out as trans (another thing that I was deeply ashamed of and kept very hidden). It's so hard going about life keeping your true self locked away, and I've learnt slowly that I don’t need to do that anymore. Thanks for this video, and I hope the message reaches those who need to hear it.
Dearest Josh - loved this video and thank you so much for making it. People can be such D**ks (Fans or otherwise) - I'm so glad there are so many wonderful people though :) I always liken this to people liking football/sports - they don't feel bad for going on a bout it - so why should I? Bullies and people who looked down on me at school, college and in life always got a shock - I value the things I enjoy far more than what some "Not-We" thinks. My friends know that my Hearts beat for this show and I will talk at length often.... but they are still there :) I hope you (and all who watch/read) will feel comfy in their skin - however weird, nerdy, giddy about Dr Who they are - and know that YANA and please don't be ashamed... ever -:) x
I was raised on Doctor Who. My "cringiest" thing is that my first words were "Docta Hooo". I've been a member of so many fandoms over the years from Transformers to Discworld, Star Trek/Wars/Gate, TTRPGS and Magic the Gathering. There are some I feel more "safe" in being open about, whether because of my passion or how core it is for me. My office's at home and at work are filled with Doctor Who memorabilia, but just 2 shelves for my office at work, don't want to look unprofessional... I used to be so much more active in some of my fandoms, always on the forums/reddits and such, but time has drawn me further and further away over the years. The Imposter Syndrome set in pretty hard and I don't feel like I can go back. I cosplay at cons, and when approached or asked, I will launch a good discussion, but the toxicity in so many fandoms has made interaction that much less appealing as well over time.
For me, I've been a fan all my life and love visiting the filming locations. I have found that leaning into my travels which the show has led me to has been the best bridge between fan and non-fan. It's truly wonderful.
For me I’m a Batman power rangers and doctor who fan and outside of UA-cam it can’t feel awkward being a power rangers fan even though I grew up with the show watching it since it premiered but where the awkwardness comes in is when i get my rangers merchandise since most of it is in the toy sections of stores and it can feel awkward at times cause of that section being seen as for kids even though the adults collectible figures are lumped into that section cause of also being seen as a toy but with Batman and the doctor they are more acceptable especially since the the superhero boom with all the movies we have gotten and how it’s become more acceptable to label yourself a nerd even though I think most people use the term nerd wrong and the term geek world fit them better cause they don’t actually try to learn about what they are claiming to be a fan of like a nerd would like be with Batman l have tried to learn everything about the 60’s tv show and movie cause it got me into loving Batman but my love grew into a general love of Batman with the doctor I’m just happy watching the show no matter who is playing the character
I'm the level of fan that I kneejerk defend the "love life" joke of Love & Monsters every time it comes up. So, you know, at least you don't have that problem lmao
I work at pound bakery, and one of the people that come in every so often, and he has a tardis key pendant and an outfit to match, and I really like him. and I like mlp and often go out in my mlp t-shirts. :D
another comment from me! I always feel ashamed for talking about my special interests not only Doctor Who but also The Beatles, Helluva Boss or The Monkees.
Bravo! You hit the nail on the head with this one. And, as an American football fan, I can safely say that there is something like this on all levels where that type of fandom is concerned- it's just more socially acceptable.
I definitely can relate to this I was utterly obsessed with doctor who in my early years and still am but I've learned to control my power. Whenever I try to talk to someone new I always hide it, even from my best friends. Sometimes it annoyes me but I think it's good to hide my dark doctor who side from people.
I started watching Doctor Who in 1975 but I didn't really become a fan until Colin Baker. So my peak fandom matched Doctor Who's first ending and its lowest ebb publicly in the UK. But it was so obvious if you knew me that I was a Doctor Who fan so when I went to university I stuck up Doctor Who photos in my room and bought my Doctor Who stuff. And I've always wanted everyone to love it as much as I do - so all my friends and family have been made to watch stories. And The Horns of Nimon - for various reasons - is my favourite Doctor Who story of all time. I've just always worked on the assumption that everyone is a nerd but that there are some things - sport for example - where nerdiness is more acceptable.
Wait this was a great video. Earned a subscriber! I actually don't know anybody irl who watches DW so all fandom related things are actually from the Internet Fandom. I think this impacts a LOT of my experience and might make it more "cringe" than it needs to be. Longing for the day I see a "Doctor Who Fan Club" or a DW pin in a colleague's backpack or...something. Lol.
Offline or online makes a *massive* difference to my view of fans. The offline lot are usually endearing if very eccentric, and very often possessed of some genuine talent. Anyone with the time, effort, and talent to recreate Colin Baker's outfit and have the guts to wear it in public, I tip my proverbial hat to. Online fandom however...certainly in the case of Doctor Who make me both cringe and my skin crawl. The bad faith critics who you can tell want to make a name for themselves by slating the show (they existed back in the days of the Classic series too, believe it or not!), and the bad faith praise where people go into paroxysms of glee over an objectively bad episode and respond viciously to the mildest of disagreement. Maybe it's just the internet doing what the internet does, and souring things for the rest of us.
I’m very happy to tell anyone I’m a fan. I read my DWM on the train, and have a few Who T-shirts. But I’d never go to a convention or anything like that. I prefer to engage with and enjoy the show alone.
Loved this video! My experience is an odd one. Im definitely the oddball that goes on a little too much about it yet when it comes to to being part of the who community im too shy to make friends/lack the ability. Same for comic con. I hsve friends and loveee them but i find it strange how i hsve never befriended people in a who space even though id love that. Ive viewed content online that ive believed very cringe 😅 but now I'm older i appreciate its people expressing themselves. I do talk a little too much about it with my "normies" friends but i think they have accepted it as one of my quirks .
The community note is very important. One of the good things about fandom(s) is that you can have conversations across age groups regarding - in this instance - Dorothea Chaplet's unfortunate nickname or what the colonists in a Pertwee story are actually eating if the crops keep dying. I wouldn't know what to share with my older brother, but I can communicate on a level with people in their twenties about something that happened before either of us were born. There are not many other scenarios in which this is likely to occur. Unless I start waving the Union Jack or cosplaying Winston Churchill. And I have no interest in joining the Conservative party.
Nice video! I never gave this much thought but I would never be seen dead in tardis merch out of embarassment however I saw a lost moon of pooch t shirt and was so tempted to buy it because it would allow my whovianness to slip under the radar of normies whilst showing off my fandom to other fans. It's like i'm trying so hard to hide my doctor who nerd cringiness 😂😅
After going through the school experience I did in the early 2000s, it wasn't until my mid 20s (So not that long ago!) that I really accepted who I was and began to love it. Now I'm in a relationship and a lot of other great things happened after I went through that. - It's just a matter of loving what you do and not giving a thought to what others think, ultimately it doesn't matter and if it makes you happy, go for it. Edit - I wrote this before I got to the bullying section, nice to see my sentiments reflected, great video Josh!
The way I knew in my BONES how you were gonna cut to Love & Monsters when you talked about normies walking in on you watching when it’s the most cringe moment possible
These days there are some positives to fandom. I went to my first convention earlier this year and it was a fantastically friendly and welcoming experience. Maybe that is the key to owning up to your own fandom - getting offline and meeting other fans in person.
Growing up in the 60's and 70's I had the pleasure (?) of being in the minority at school - the group that I hung out with were all British save for three of us (two Australian and one Chilean) - DR Who was not spoken of openly BUT all the British friends knew and liked the show and it was not wise to say anything about the show because British Fans and Non Fans would band together to protect what they viewed as their show. If anything was the target of bullying it was between those who liked Lost In Space or Star Trek - you didn't have the choice of liking them both like I did
Excellent, interesting and so right. I bloody love Doctor Who and I have friends that wouldn't understand my love for it. I am so careful that now I hide it almost like a weird secret 😂❤😂❤
Great video! I can't share any of my fandom with "normie" friends, as they don't watch the shows and they listen politely, but their eyes glaze over. I learned not to share fandom as a kid, being the only person I knew who liked old movies. This was decades before the Internet, so I only had my mom and old people to talk to about my film love! Lol.
Years ago, a good friend of mine wanted to help me after I had a painful dating experience. Without asking me, he made a Facebook post telling all single lady friends he had that I was an available guy and shared a couple of examples of my fandom involvement that I had some shame issues with. As soon as I read it, I filled with dread and shame. It wasn’t that it wouldn’t have been nice to find someone with similar fandom interests (which I later did and found my soulmate), but sharing that fandom info without my consent felt like it was going to have the opposite effect he intended. I reached out after and he understood, but also told me that I shouldn’t try to avoid sharing the things that make me happy.
Excellent, honest and personal video. I actually took part in the survey, but my answers weren’t as thorough as others. I do my best to not judge anyone based on their background or identity, because we all have Doctor Who in common. We’re all misfits, and shouldn’t have to adhere to any standard of “average, acceptable fan”. There’s no point in being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes.
I always assume when someone talks about something nerdy I like, I assume they know the bare minimum and act as such casually unless they start asking about more or talk about something more in depth with it. The nerdiest I get with Doctor Who casual fans is that sometimes I'll mention if a new who actor comes back in Big Finish. Which I guess mentioning Big Finish alone can be a lot lol.
12:00 I think you hit the nail on the head with the idea that Doctor Who, as it exists, needs some level of international engagement in order to still exist at the level it does. And being on Disney+ really is its best chance at that survival. 12:30 Oh now that's an interesting graph XD To any statisticians out there, is that dip for 9 normal? Or normal-ish? Like, it's just so pronounced! I had forgotten this anecdote until after I finished answering the questionnaire, so I'll just drop it here: A few years back in college, myself and my friends were in one of the lounges, hanging out. I was talking to one of our female friends, as we had just found out we're both Transformers fans. So, I (a male) asked her "How'd you get into the series?" And after I asked her that, there was a very visible but very quick twinge across her face of "Oh god, is this guy going to be weird about this?", and just as quickly in my mind I was thinking "Oh god, no, I don't mean this in a gatekeepey way! I swear I'm just trying to make conversation!" The conversation got back on course after that, but it is very awkward/frustrating that otherwise innocuous questions like that have been tainted by the way certain people behave themselves.
Honestly I consider myself so Based that I actually find it weirder when people aren't passionate about anything and I end up mentally judging them if anything. And this could be on any subject like Dr Who, Anime or even Sports and affiliated supporting teams. A Passion is the true spice of life to me.
I didn’t get a chance to respond to your poll, but this video really resonated with me. Like you, I ‘came of age’ with Doctor Who during the early 2010s. I don’t know if it was ever a massive hit, but I definitely remember feeling more comfortable outwardly expressing my dedication to it more a decade ago. The late Capaldi/Whitaker years have made it feel like I’m the only one to really like it or remember it these days.
At the same time, I had a chance to watch rewatch the Capaldi era with a bunch of my friends during 2021. So many of my friends who had never seen the program and would never search it on their own started resonating with it. It was a beautiful experience. I would love to see it become more popular over here in the States; it would be awesome to discuss Ruby Sunday with someone other than my SO or my father.
“A lot of fans are basically fans of fandom itself. It's all about them. They have mastered the Star Wars or Star Trek universes or whatever, but their objects of veneration are useful mainly as a backdrop to their own devotion. Anyone who would camp out in a tent on the sidewalk for weeks in order to be first in line for a movie is more into camping on the sidewalk than movies. Extreme fandom may serve as a security blanket for the socially inept, who use its extreme structure as a substitute for social skills. If you are Luke Skywalker and she is Princess Leia, you already know what to say to each other, which is so much safer than having to ad lib it. Your fannish obsession is your beard. If you know absolutely all the trivia about your cubbyhole of pop culture, it saves you from having to know anything about anything else. That's why it's excruciatingly boring to talk to such people: They're always asking you questions they know the answer to.” ― Roger Ebert, A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length: More Movies That Suck
id always been a bit ashamed of liking doctor who but never fully. Id tell people i liked the show but never talk abt watching it or what happened last weeks episode or ever get excited about it. I never felt truly ashsmed until recently i told my friends (who ive known a looooong time) i was excited a new series was finally coming out and they didnt say anything but laugh and say "whyd you still watch that show"
growing up, i never really knew anyone outside of my family who was really into doctor who (grew up when eccleston and tennant were the current doctors), so i never really had any of those immediate fandom experiences with the show. it probably didn’t help i grew up in the US and was watching just before it really became the “hip” show of the time. while i did keep up and have kept up with the show, ive found that in my groups of people i interact with the show, it has been accepted as something that “just exists” as it were. I really noticed this when Magic the Gathering had their crossover set with doctor who. it was a new way for me to connect with my (equally nerdy in another way) friends with the program while not needing them to understand who Vrestin is. while my friends might not be as passionate about the show as i might be, i can tell they are just happy to see me happy when we play
Being a fan of anything is really difficult sometimes, just look at me, a Thomas the Tank Engine fan There's not a lot of people around me who share the interests I do Being a public fan has even hindered my love life, last tinder match I got unmatched and removed me from their private account after seeing my public account
I find I'm very good at like... First introducing myself as a casual fan, and then I choose how much to reveal based on how the other person reacts. I've also sometimes pretended to not be that interested in Doctor Who around certain male fans who I just know are going to talk down to me and not engage with the discussions I want to be having. This video was great, and brought back a lot of memories of both good and bad fan interactions that I've experienced over the last 19 years of being incredibly annoying about this TV programme ❤
I think that as an international fan (Hello from Brazil!) Fandom spaces become the only places we have to interact with our niche interests. Of course, we still going to have drama every once in a while, but I think there's this sense of accepting the cringe as part of us as fandom, and that the loudest ones are just expressing their excitement in a different way others might otherwise express. Like, I have zero knowledge about the audio ranges and novels, and yet I'm fascinated by people talking about them.
ill fully admit im the type of fan to openly ramble on about the expanded universe books. like a couple friends would be talking about episodes they think are Dark....and then i chime in like "Allow me to introduce, Rags and Combat Rock"
good video but i have 1 criticism. you didn't really mention what i'd argue is the most annoying and cringy thing about the fandom, which is how they seem super defensive about any criticism of the show whenever it's in what i'd call "a hype cycle" but then conversely are broadly unable to accept those who like the show still when it's not in a hype cycle, which causes a lot of unnecessary toxicity that i've personally seen a tonne of. it results in this passive aggressive reacionaryness to any criticism, or any praise depending on where we are in the hype cycle and has been manipulated by some people to get away with saying horrible things about others in the fandom. i did expect to see it in the discrimination section but what you did talk about was pretty intresting.
I'm happy to be a nerd and a fan. But I have always been less happy with organised fandom. Dipped my toe a few times but always backed away quickly. I dislike the oneupmanship and toxicity displayed by many. Social media has made this even worse. I particularly hate it when you catch yourself being brought down to their level. That is when I feel cringe.
The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve embraced my interests and hobbies as part of myself and share them openly. If others choose to judge me that’s there problem, not mine. The only thing I’m cautious of is not pushing my interests on others if they don’t seem open to them.
SWM here, I've been on a journey with the Doctor since the 1970's and I've always wore my celery stick with pride!! I really Love this channel and I think you are a beautiful person whom I hope to meet someday!!
If dressing up like the 6th Doctor and calling my cat Mrs Peri is cringe, then cring I be.
That's not cringe at all but everyday occurrence 😂
💕💕
Mrs Peri… inferring there is a… mr peri
Omg I love that 😂. That’s a good cringe 😊
oh i like you
One of my core childhood memories is me being really excited because a new girl came into our year. When I told my mum she made me promise to not talk about doctor who, because I’d never be friends with her if I did. Then midway through our first conversation the girl straight up asked me if I watched the show.
"Um, actually, they're called The Doctor"
*WOTAN sweats nervously*
The credits from season 1 all the way up to and including Series 1 sweat nervously!
From Season 19 to Season 26, the character was credited as simply "The Doctor."
Growing up is realising that the character's name is The Doctor. Truly maturing is realising that they are actually called Doccy Who.
“You like that Doctor Who, don’t you?”
Me, a Gallifrey Basing, Big Finish listening, Ex-Fan Made Trailer maker, with Murray Gold headlining Spotify Wrapped every year, and 100s of DVD, Blu Rays, Doctor Who magazines…
“Yeah, I sometimes watch it”
The boldness of being told someone is a Matt Smith fan and instantly gushing to them about Lungbarrow is commendable actually. 😭
SO BRAVE haha
Fandom is never cringe! Bullying the fans is cringe, love us nerds
Fandom is cringe. But what screams more cringe is a need to pick on that.
I think the Neurodivergent experience of Doctor Who nails it. Many of us who watch Doctor Who are (autistic here) and that is what people think everyone is. There's a lot of things to hyperfocus on (missing episodes, fashion, merch etc). Given the overlap between Neurodivergent and Queer means there's a lot of similar experiences. Doctor who has always been the show for making the voices of the unheard known and some people just can't accept that as a, sometimes, popular programme on BBC1
Asperger's is my superpower
I got into an argument with one of those “R I P DOCTOR WHO” people and was told I never watched the show and was lying about everything ie owning figures, DVDs, Blu Rays, etc
That happened to me to when I was defending 13th Doctor.
@@saturn352 not surprised
@@saturn352 same here
Ask me that 10 years ago, I would've said no. These days, it's so toxic out there that it feels icky to even try and defend your point. It's like arguing with toddlers, and it makes you feel depressed to be part of it all.
I'm a 66 year old Doctor Who fan. I've watched this wonderful show since 1963. Despite a brief time during the 2005 renaissance ( when Doctor Who was briefly cool) I NEVER EVER told anybody about my dirty little secret.
Last year I discovered some fantastic UA-cam channels ( and some very dodgy ones). Among my favourites are yours and the 50% Doctor Who boys. I've discovered a community of like minded people and very late in life found my tribe.
I've also found it to be a divided and angry place to be. I grew up in the UK where in the 1960s it was THE tea time family show everyone loved. In 1966 my family became"£10 Poms" and we moved to Adelaide South Australia. I grew up in the working class Northern Suburbs. I quickly learnt what not to say to avoid having the living sh*t beaten out of me.
Weirdly the one constant in my life is Doctor Who. Very nice piece Josh, I can always depend on you to be informative, insightful and witty.
I am 60ish,live in the same area in SA and feel seen, and I thanks.
@@permiek👍👌
Hello SA fans! Geographics make SUCH a huge difference to acceptability. Even if it's within the same state, you're so right.
Nice to see fellow Adeladian Doctor Who enjoyers
@@SebTheNoob314 indeed it is. Makes me think I should look into joining a club or something. Weirdly ( probably because of the shame thing) I've never met a true fan in person.
Although to quote Groucho Marx ... I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member
Doctor Who is life, Doctor Who is everything. If Doctor Who has a thousand fans, I am one of them. If Doctor Who has a hundred fans, I am one of them. If Doctor Who has only one fan, I am that fan. Doctor Who is everything that binds my mere existence on this mortal world.
Before I retired, I was known as the "Bow Tie Guy" at the coffee shop near my office which never bothered me in the least. Everyone in my circle of friends knows about my passion for Doctor Who and is kind and understanding. They know that all of the 1/6 scale Big Chief Studio figures and the Tom Baker scarf my Grandmother knit for me when I was ten are on full display in the living room. Patrick Troughton was my Doctor and so for me, the notion of cringe only come into the equation when we sit down to watch episodes from the Hartnell/Troughton era. Having listened to the audio CDs for years, actually seeing individual episodes after they were discovered was often difficult. In the Tomb of the Cyberman, the creepiness of the Cybermen emerging from the tombs and "You belong to us" is cancelled out by the clearly visible Kirby Wires on Roy Stewart when the Cyberman flings him about. The horrific karma meted out to Klieg is then somewhat spoiled by the empty suit which has its head fall off after being thrown by Stewart. It's all part and parcel of that era and the "special" effects within the grasp of the design and production team. My two sons first watched the shows when they were young and since the show in those days was pitched to a younger audience, those moments which make adults groan inside were fine with them. Oddly, my eldest's favourite episode is the Aztecs, which is far more serious in tone but still has those two moments when first William Russell and then Ian Cullen "wrestle" with the heavy Styrofoam stone inside the pyramid. I'll be 60 next year and will continue to enjoy the show as it continues to develop. I will never sniff "well things were quite different back in my day" because everything needs to evolve to survive. As with everything we love, some people takes things far too seriously and I do feel for them. I love opera but fully realize that despite the music, it is patently a somewhat ridiculous art form but that doesn't bother me at all. Pointing and laughing at something you love is one of the greatest things we can experience in life, whether it happens to be a Zarbi running into a camera or a mate falling on his derriere while chasing after a cricket ball. Thanks for another terrific video Josh!
Josh, tackling a tricky subject, picks a soothing color palette and embraces it.
Dropping subtle hints that I'm a fan of Burnt Orange
Yes, fans are cringe. When I say 'fans', I mean 'FANS' (or 'stans' if you will). They - in any fandom, or area - take it too far, too serious, without being aware of ANY borders, personal or professional (towards the people behind the thing they're a fan of). Often toxic, one of the few things they are good for is making them money. They also don't realise they are the least favorite group of people to those professionals behind that series/actor/themepark/hobby/you-name-it.
I refuse to hide what I am passionate about and will not hold shame for my interests. I will, however just use whatever facts I found relevant to conversations.
10:00 yes I do! One of my favorite episodes! Romana is on fire that story!
“How many Nimon have you seen today? HOW MANY?!”
"You meddlesome hussy!"
My secret fandom has always been Blake’s 7. It makes being a whovian look respectable! 😅
"Secret fandom"... Watched Blake's 7 starting in the early 1980's in US/PBS while waiting for Dr.Who to come on. Came across a collection of someone's Blake's 7 VHS collection at 1/2 Price Books a few years ago (and buying it all) ... Haven't seen a US DVD/Blu-ray release and probably never will. Glad that Dr. Who has its "waves" of various Era Fans. In a pinch I can (maybe/maybe not) work myself into a Dr. Who conversation in the Wild... But a Blake's 7 conversation? Spotting a Real life Unicorn would probably be easier. The "secret" of the most Secret societies. Considering how the Federation used Blake to Exterminate its opposition... We probably need/want to keep a low profile. Publicly throwing around how Evil the "Federation" is in Sci-Fi circles can give the wrong impression if Star Trek fans are near...
Are Blake 7 fans called Liberators? 😂😂
@@Gzeebo sorry, second behind Dr Who
Fan culture just needs a bit of reform- debate with respect, consider the subjective opinions of other etc and maintain boundaries when it comes to actor's personal lives etc, nothing bad about fandoms. Honestly i encourage them, and can genuinely say that being in a fandom and enjoying the media to a greater depth has saved my life on more than one occasion- dr who being one of those shows
People just forget to have nuance about anything, but that's the internet for you.
My partner is a devout Catholic, which puts any of my obsessions to shame really. Ultimately, it all comes down to personality. Some people are very open and outgoing about things and others are not. The only regret I really have in being a Whovian is the tendency of family members to buy you anything with the diamond/neon/taxi (delete as applicable) logo on it. Which is why I ended up with four different versions of Galaxy 4 in different media. From the same person.
I'm so sorry to hear that a lot of women and girls who like shows such as Doctor Who faced a lot of discrimination. No one deserves to go through that. Everyone should be able to talk about Doctor Who and stuff they like in a safe space. I like Jodie as the 13th Doctorby the way and I do miss her in the role. Hopefully videos like what Josh has put together will help bring a bit more awareness and consideration to others.
I didn't find Doctor Who until high school, after a lifetime of being a Trekkie. I was bullied for so many other things, no one considered the sci-fi worth the effort. Once I hit college things changed, as often happens, and I found a sci-fi community, with several different fandoms represented. I also was first introduced to Doctor Who with all Doctors 1-4. The local PBS station played it weekday afternoons, so had to fill in the most recent received with older stories to have enough to fill the time.
FORGET SOICAL CUES! IF THEY WANT TO BE WRONG THEN THEY MUST SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS. The consequences? A forced trip to my basement where they are tied down and made to watch the one thing I never could.... The Web Planet.
No joke it felt unsafe to be a fan who didn't like the casting of Jodie back in 2017-2018
10:21 what's funny is that the first time i saw some of dr who was when my dad was watching love and monsters on the living room tv, i thought it was weird as hell, fast forward a few years later and i absolutely love dr who, it's all i currently talk about, and im probably even more of a fan that my dad
I use the perfect get-out-of-jail-free card. It's my autistic hyperfixation, and anyone who is willing to understand and accept that is at worst "okay fine", and anyone who isn't willing then I don't want to be my friend anyway
I'm a total nerd. I'll talk to anyone about it, try to convince them to watch the show (not a billion times, just once), talk about the good things, bad things, the way humans can learn from it,.... And I'll NEVER be 'ashamed' of it or say that it is my 'guilty pleasure'. Doctor Who is the BEST show in the universe. It has been going for 60 years, I mean. A show can't be running this long if it is bad.
I’ve noticed something else in regards to trauma-induced fan siege mentality for some fans: *adopting the judgemental attitudes of their old bullies, against the things those bullies liked.* I’ve noticed this with fan opinion on sports, evoking the same sentiment for football evoked in the IT Crowd - “It’s just some blokes kicking a ball in a field with no complexity or nuance, enjoyed only by rabid, thuggish fans who take it too seriously” - but without a shred of irony or self-awareness. I am a Doctor Who fan, and I also support my local football team and love the institution of English football. It fills me with no end of shame to see sports fans denigrate Whovians, and to see Whovians denigrating sports fans in turn. I guess if my little rant has a moral, it’s that we shouldn’t let our trauma and hatred define us more than what we love, lest we become exactly what we hate.
SPORTS FANDOM PRIVILEGE:
When I worked in retail on Saturday nights I'd have drunk guys come in and say "aww, did you see the football/cricket game today or didn't you get to watch it in here?". I'd try and politely explain that I didn't watch it because I'm just not that interested in sports but they'd then spend the next minute unwarrantedly describing the details of the game to me. I felt like I was being frowned upon because I wasn't a fan of it and wasn't interested talking about it.
Yeah I’ve experienced this. Sports really are just like any fandom. Some of them dress up, they know stats about their fandom that others don’t care about. Would t miss an installment. Yet they think they are different.
As a Doctor Who fan who likes open minded crossovers, I've been bullied, witch hunted and harassed by toxic "crossover sense purists" for commissioning unique Doctor Who crossovers I'm a fan of and to call it "cringe" is completely disrespectful and spiteful.
I had a similar office faux pas just recently. Catching up with a colleague about the new series and Time Lords using the definte article. I mentioned Romana and he just looked back as if he was trying to solve a maths problem. Then it occurred, no-one really watches classic Who.
Thank god I didn't mention Morbius.
I'm 18, American, yet my favorite doctors are Patrick Troughton and Colin Baker, and one of my favorite villians is the Toymaker and favorite episode is Evil of the Daleks.
Yeah, I'm really weird.
Ive always had trouble fitting in, being the only introvert in a family of extroverts. But after I started watching Doctor Who, meeting other fans and making videos on it, I felt better and just started loving being a fan of the show. Doctor Who has some INCREDIBLY passionate fans. The fact that people have been watching it since 1963 is just amazing to me.
Thus ends this massive comment.
11:08 so me! I think i'm literally the only Moroccan Doctor Who Fan
You’re the first I’ve heard from Morocco!!
I'll be 40 this year, so I grew up in the Wilderness years. As a brit, the show was always there, and I honestly can't remember the first time I heard about it. I remember seeing clips of the William Hartnell era; I remember sitting down to watch the Movie on an old tiny black and white TV because parents were watching something else downstairs; I remember watching the thirtieth anniversary special Dimensions in Time (in 3D!), and the Comic Relief special Curse of the Fatal Death; I remember a friend loaning me The Dalek Invasion of Earth and Remembrance of the Daleks DVDs; I remember excitement at hearing it was coming back, and hoping my prediction of Anthony Head being the new Doctor would be true because at the time, I was a much much bigger fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As such, Doctor Who wasn't really my 'thing' when I was younger. It was just always there, like the wallpaper. I felt rather privileged that, while I obsessed over Buffy, I was never bullied for it. In fact, all my friends loved the show too. But I was the one who had memorised all 144 episode names of the show (as well as Angel), and could recite them like the alphabet. I was the one who screamed 'Bloody Hell!' when Willow healed Tara from her insanity. I was the one who went over to my mate's house because he had Sky and so I was able to watch the show before the internet spoiled it for me, and shouted 'NOOO' when the signal dropped for a few seconds, afraid I was going to miss a vital piece. It was the reason I got an Amazon account so I could buy the book-style DVD sets that had come down to £30 each because they looked so good, and my VHS tapes were beginning to take up too much room.
I embrace Doctor Who as a campy, quaint, too-ambitious-for-its-own-good, show, and often say I don't like it in spite of its hokey style, but because of it. My dad disliked the first two episodes of the new series, but I felt they were both very in keeping with the spirit of the show, and while Boom was a massive step up in actual quality, having a god like villain dressed as a keyboard climbing out of a piano to play non-diagetic music is *exactly* what the show has been like for over 60 years.
And yet, I feel more embarrassed to still enjoy Buffy, despite it being more of an influence in my youth, and never being bullied for it, and for it to still be regarded as a groundbreaking show that has very few embarrassing scenes compared to Doctor Who.
I love both shows, and am in the middle of a rewatch of them both (and still cringe when Andrew blurts out that he's 'watched every episode of Doctor Who but not Red Dwarf', despite the fact that unless the trio invented some form of time machine off screen, he wouldn't have been able to do that). I no longer build my entire personality around a show like I did in my Buffy obsessed days, and I find it off putting when others do it. I find it to be ... should I say ... childish? I don't know if that's the word, I mean, there's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish is there?
When I was younger, I made the mistake of making the identity solely based around the fact that I was a Whovian
Nowadays, whilst I am still a fan, I’m able to keep it more under wraps so my obsessions don’t seem as overwhelming anymore. Also, I feel like I’ve now got a wider variety of interests and hobbies which definitely does help
I think the most cringe thing I've witnessed a Doctor Who fan do is start up a channel doing crappy reviews in their bedroom when they were entering their teens. It was me! I did that!
I've certainly been bullied for being a Doctor Who fan, and given some of the stuff I've put out on the internet, maybe it's warranted? But I've never really been shy for expressing who I am, especially now that I'm older and am always going to conventions with my Dalek props, meeting the stars and getting on the same train as Sophie Aldred, and having her walk past and say hi, that was crazy.
I do worry that Doctor Who has become my personality, not because of shame exactly, a bit of shame never hurt anyone. But when I am able to make a connection to the show in my lectures or casual conversation, I get the feeling the people around me are probably a bit exasperated, and it's like expected. It's something I'm working on, but I will say that I worked on a uni event at my uni where I brought my Daleks to a night out, I was operating one of them, hitting the dancefloor, it was very fun, and my two mates from Musical Theatre who have a passing interest in the show and sit down to watch it when the new stuff is on respectively absolutely loved seeing my Dalek and we're putting videos on their snapchats and stuff, it was lovely.
My dad had to go away for work several times a week. I would stay with my aunt while he worked. Watching Tom Baker era Who with her as a child who was just trying to not act scared that his dad was away is something I'll never give up. I love the show and will defend it forever.
WOAH THAT CLIP OF THE FOURTH DOCTOR SWEARING OMG THAT WAS A SHOCK HOLY SHI
This is a timely video and I thank you for this Josh!
During a time that the fandom is so divided and everyone’s at each others throats for liking or not liking something, or saying the wrong thing, this is a breath of fresh air.
And I say it’s timely because it’s a reminder that we’re all outcasts, and have suffered because of it. Not just because most of us are neurodivergent or queer, but because we’re fans of something that often gets stigmatised. Almost all of us have been bullied and humiliated because we love this silly little show. We often lose sight of that amongst our fandom.
We love Doctor Who. And that should be the starting point of any interaction we have with our comrades. We may love different parts of it, but we’re fans *because* we love it. That’s what unites us.
I'm more mildly in the Doctor Who fandom, however there are fandoms where I'm much more invested but honestly I've definitely backed far out of the social aspect for them because of toxicity inside the communities. One such example is the Star Wars community, I really enjoy a lot of Star Wars content but I'll never be the first to bring it up in public settings just because of the reputation the community has had over the past decade or so.
I prefer to introduce myself with "I'm an artist" but even then, people make sweeping generalisations.
You make a very important point about neurodiversity and mutual respect.
Fan shame is worth talking about, and it can be broken down into various demographics-gender and sexuality, age, where you live, profession (if old enough), or grade level (if still in school). For example, I'm a Gen X male (older than you appear to be) living in the United States, neurotypical, and I work in education. Many people commenting would have different experiences from me. All of these layers of context influence my own experiences.
The terms "nerd" and "geek" aren't as widely derogatory as they were when I was a teen, but context matters. They still can be derogatory. Or they can be complimentary. As a teen in high school I would have wanted to avoid identification as a nerd or geek and in fact I took steps such as playing sports to not be labeled one even if I watched some "nerdy" things like Trek. I discovered Dr. Who later in life.
You are so right to point to toxic masculinity in this culture. In the US, this sort of thing was glamorized in Big Bang Theory with male scientists portrayed as nerds while showing clear toxicity.
The toxic and divided nature of the Who, Trek, and other fandoms is also important. This is closely linked to sociopolitical differences. Some Who fans are highly conservative and others are highly liberal, the divide is significant.
This is closely related to the racism and misogyny you talk about.
I'm a huge geek/nerd, but I've never made my interests my "personality." So unless someone saw my media collection (more-so as an adult), or a few of my toys growing up, I was pretty much like "every other kid." Both my mom and dad got me interested in basically every show I'm about to list.
I grew up watching the original Star Trek films in the late 80s, started with TNG basically from the beginning. I've watched all Star Trek programming made from the 1960s until the early 2000s countless times. I watched all those hammy 70s sci-fi shows, Battlestar Galatica, Buck Rogers, etc. Later on (years after getting into Doctor Who), I got into Blake's 7. I was, and am still, a huge fan of Babylon 5, basically watching that show at least once in full every other year.
I started watching Doctor Who from an old PBS recording of the Five Doctors. It was my only substantial experience with Doctor Who until the 1996 TV movie, which I watched on the Fox network and re-watched countless times from my off-air VHS recording. I started watching classic Doctor Who in 1997 or 1998 when I finally realized it aired weekly on my local PBS station (at 11pm!). The first episode I watched with my younger brother was "The Power of Kroll", and we kept watching. Dedicated fan here. Over the next 3-5 years I watched the entire series run over and over and over again.
Even being married for the better part of a decade, I've never introduced my wife to Trek, B5, Who. I was able to get her to sit down to watch the first 20 MCU films. She hasn't read or seen Lord of the Rings, and those are some of my favorite books and films ever made. She vocally obsesses over Taylor Swift and I quietly obsess over my sci-fi.
As I enter my 40s, "Fandom" is exhausting. There's no middle ground with most people. You're either expected to enjoy everything that is produced, slop and all, or you're expected to hate it all just because it wasn't produced 20+ years ago. I decided to take my Dad's approach - just watch what you like. Despite being a huge Trekkie, he skipped most of Voyager and would come and go when it came to Enterprise. "Life is too short." When Voyager was on, he would retire to his den and read a book. I consider myself a huge fan of Doctor Who, but with 60+ years of content, I'm happy just sticking with what I like and if the franchise moves on without me, I'm mostly fine (or I guess apathetic) about it. I'll always have The Power of Kroll.
I never feel embarrassment by being part of a fandom….well except for the times other fandom members mindlessly defends a bad product because, someone they dislike says that it is bad.
Thank you for exploring the discrimination that is so rampant in fandom. This is such an important conversation to have.
28:25 Josh, it's Sunday. Why did you have to remind me of that Doctor Who fan clip 💀😂
(Only kidding around, I dont think I'd be able to talk to Jenna either😅)
this truly is one of your best if not the best video youve ever made, and youve made some absolutely amazing videos before this one!! such an interesting topic with such well delivered points, it was a captivating watch, thank you for making this! as an autistic and queer fan of doctor who i appreciated it so so much, i think its such an important video!
Brilliant video Josh!
Weirdly I’ve never had an issue with being a fan of Doctor Who, and sticking with it through the wilderness years. My love of the show never went to an overriding passion though. I read the target novelisations of 60’s and 70’s Who I’d missed, got the magazine, but didn’t venture into the novels brought out once the show ceased.
I love other things equally though, Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5 were favourites in the 80’s and 90’s, and Blake’s 7 was near the top late 70’s.
I have recommended all these to people over the years, but I know that not everyone would like them, and certainly some episodes of all of those series are absolutely dire, but most shows have that.
People just bemuse me at times, everyone has their own level of intensity to a particular thing, and that’s great, but everyone should realise that not everyone is going to share their own personal obsession with a particular thing, and trying to converting people to yours is not the way to go, if you want to keep friends.
I admire people who do cosplay, I certainly wouldn’t be confident enough to do it. And people who put out content like yours Josh are contributing in a loving and meaningful way.
What disturbs me are those who put out purely negative content, demeaning and belittling others for what they try to do.
I admit I am not fond of Jodie’s era, but it still had some good episodes. I don’t believe anyone involved in creating shows has the intention to harm the franchise concerned, even when they make mistakes.
So analysis of them that is purely negative and full of bile is not constructive. The rage these content providers feel towards these franchises is toxic beyond belief, I wonder why they bother with them at all.
The only caveat I have to that is in the 80’s when Michael Grade sought to cancel Who. I remember an article in DWM that said that a whole season on DW got the same budget as one episode of Red Dwarf in the final season. Who could never look it’s best given that, but they did a damn good job considering what they were given.
I can talk to my relatives about Doctor Who casually. The show's so obscure here in Sweden that they pretty much don't *have* an opinion about it otherwise, period.
Doctor who has been a core part of my life since before I can even remember, and often times, I've felt like an outsider because of it. I started watching the classic era during the capaldi years when I was 15. The show was so popular when I was younger, but during my teens it felt like something I had to hide. New who wasnt even popular then, let alone the classic era. I can admit that during this time, this pushed me into being a pretentious fan who looked down on "casuals" which is something I regret. Moreover, starting from when I was 17, I wanted to reinvent myself as someone "cool" and "edgy", and that meant Doctor Who had to go. I built up a lot of shame and embarrassment around it, and no longer wanted to associate myself with Doctor Who (even though I was really getting into big finish at the time, but only in utmost secrecy). However, in my second year of university, I met someone who was a modern Doctor Who fan that wanted to get into classic who. And gradually, the floodgates were opened again, and I wasn't afraid anymore to be known as a whovian. They really helped me to embrace that side of myself again and to not be ashamed of it. At the same time, they also helped me to have the confidence to come out as trans (another thing that I was deeply ashamed of and kept very hidden). It's so hard going about life keeping your true self locked away, and I've learnt slowly that I don’t need to do that anymore. Thanks for this video, and I hope the message reaches those who need to hear it.
Dearest Josh - loved this video and thank you so much for making it. People can be such D**ks (Fans or otherwise) - I'm so glad there are so many wonderful people though :) I always liken this to people liking football/sports - they don't feel bad for going on a bout it - so why should I? Bullies and people who looked down on me at school, college and in life always got a shock - I value the things I enjoy far more than what some "Not-We" thinks. My friends know that my Hearts beat for this show and I will talk at length often.... but they are still there :)
I hope you (and all who watch/read) will feel comfy in their skin - however weird, nerdy, giddy about Dr Who they are - and know that YANA and please don't be ashamed... ever -:) x
I was raised on Doctor Who. My "cringiest" thing is that my first words were "Docta Hooo". I've been a member of so many fandoms over the years from Transformers to Discworld, Star Trek/Wars/Gate, TTRPGS and Magic the Gathering. There are some I feel more "safe" in being open about, whether because of my passion or how core it is for me. My office's at home and at work are filled with Doctor Who memorabilia, but just 2 shelves for my office at work, don't want to look unprofessional...
I used to be so much more active in some of my fandoms, always on the forums/reddits and such, but time has drawn me further and further away over the years. The Imposter Syndrome set in pretty hard and I don't feel like I can go back. I cosplay at cons, and when approached or asked, I will launch a good discussion, but the toxicity in so many fandoms has made interaction that much less appealing as well over time.
For me, I've been a fan all my life and love visiting the filming locations. I have found that leaning into my travels which the show has led me to has been the best bridge between fan and non-fan. It's truly wonderful.
That's a good shout!
For me I’m a Batman power rangers and doctor who fan and outside of UA-cam it can’t feel awkward being a power rangers fan even though I grew up with the show watching it since it premiered but where the awkwardness comes in is when i get my rangers merchandise since most of it is in the toy sections of stores and it can feel awkward at times cause of that section being seen as for kids even though the adults collectible figures are lumped into that section cause of also being seen as a toy but with Batman and the doctor they are more acceptable especially since the the superhero boom with all the movies we have gotten and how it’s become more acceptable to label yourself a nerd even though I think most people use the term nerd wrong and the term geek world fit them better cause they don’t actually try to learn about what they are claiming to be a fan of like a nerd would like be with Batman l have tried to learn everything about the 60’s tv show and movie cause it got me into loving Batman but my love grew into a general love of Batman with the doctor I’m just happy watching the show no matter who is playing the character
I'm the level of fan that I kneejerk defend the "love life" joke of Love & Monsters every time it comes up. So, you know, at least you don't have that problem lmao
I work at pound bakery, and one of the people that come in every so often, and he has a tardis key pendant and an outfit to match, and I really like him.
and I like mlp and often go out in my mlp t-shirts. :D
another comment from me!
I always feel ashamed for talking about my special interests not only Doctor Who but also The Beatles, Helluva Boss or The Monkees.
People call me "The COP ROCK guy" and I wear it like a badge of honor.
This is television quality stuff, Josh! Every subscription is definitely well deserved.
Thank you :)
Bravo! You hit the nail on the head with this one. And, as an American football fan, I can safely say that there is something like this on all levels where that type of fandom is concerned- it's just more socially acceptable.
I definitely can relate to this I was utterly obsessed with doctor who in my early years and still am but I've learned to control my power. Whenever I try to talk to someone new I always hide it, even from my best friends. Sometimes it annoyes me but I think it's good to hide my dark doctor who side from people.
I started watching Doctor Who in 1975 but I didn't really become a fan until Colin Baker. So my peak fandom matched Doctor Who's first ending and its lowest ebb publicly in the UK. But it was so obvious if you knew me that I was a Doctor Who fan so when I went to university I stuck up Doctor Who photos in my room and bought my Doctor Who stuff. And I've always wanted everyone to love it as much as I do - so all my friends and family have been made to watch stories. And The Horns of Nimon - for various reasons - is my favourite Doctor Who story of all time. I've just always worked on the assumption that everyone is a nerd but that there are some things - sport for example - where nerdiness is more acceptable.
This is a fantastic video, well researched and well executed. And Deja Vu inducing at the same time
Wait this was a great video. Earned a subscriber! I actually don't know anybody irl who watches DW so all fandom related things are actually from the Internet Fandom. I think this impacts a LOT of my experience and might make it more "cringe" than it needs to be. Longing for the day I see a "Doctor Who Fan Club" or a DW pin in a colleague's backpack or...something. Lol.
Offline or online makes a *massive* difference to my view of fans. The offline lot are usually endearing if very eccentric, and very often possessed of some genuine talent. Anyone with the time, effort, and talent to recreate Colin Baker's outfit and have the guts to wear it in public, I tip my proverbial hat to.
Online fandom however...certainly in the case of Doctor Who make me both cringe and my skin crawl. The bad faith critics who you can tell want to make a name for themselves by slating the show (they existed back in the days of the Classic series too, believe it or not!), and the bad faith praise where people go into paroxysms of glee over an objectively bad episode and respond viciously to the mildest of disagreement.
Maybe it's just the internet doing what the internet does, and souring things for the rest of us.
I’m very happy to tell anyone I’m a fan. I read my DWM on the train, and have a few Who T-shirts. But I’d never go to a convention or anything like that. I prefer to engage with and enjoy the show alone.
That comment about the spreadsheets floored me! 😂
Do I keep spreadsheets myself you ask? Sorry, I'm going through a tunnel, kzkzkzkzkzkzkz.......
😅😅
Loved this video!
My experience is an odd one. Im definitely the oddball that goes on a little too much about it yet when it comes to to being part of the who community im too shy to make friends/lack the ability. Same for comic con.
I hsve friends and loveee them but i find it strange how i hsve never befriended people in a who space even though id love that.
Ive viewed content online that ive believed very cringe 😅 but now I'm older i appreciate its people expressing themselves. I do talk a little too much about it with my "normies" friends but i think they have accepted it as one of my quirks .
The community note is very important. One of the good things about fandom(s) is that you can have conversations across age groups regarding - in this instance - Dorothea Chaplet's unfortunate nickname or what the colonists in a Pertwee story are actually eating if the crops keep dying. I wouldn't know what to share with my older brother, but I can communicate on a level with people in their twenties about something that happened before either of us were born. There are not many other scenarios in which this is likely to occur. Unless I start waving the Union Jack or cosplaying Winston Churchill. And I have no interest in joining the Conservative party.
Nice video! I never gave this much thought but I would never be seen dead in tardis merch out of embarassment however I saw a lost moon of pooch t shirt and was so tempted to buy it because it would allow my whovianness to slip under the radar of normies whilst showing off my fandom to other fans. It's like i'm trying so hard to hide my doctor who nerd cringiness 😂😅
After going through the school experience I did in the early 2000s, it wasn't until my mid 20s (So not that long ago!) that I really accepted who I was and began to love it. Now I'm in a relationship and a lot of other great things happened after I went through that. - It's just a matter of loving what you do and not giving a thought to what others think, ultimately it doesn't matter and if it makes you happy, go for it. Edit - I wrote this before I got to the bullying section, nice to see my sentiments reflected, great video Josh!
The way I knew in my BONES how you were gonna cut to Love & Monsters when you talked about normies walking in on you watching when it’s the most cringe moment possible
These days there are some positives to fandom. I went to my first convention earlier this year and it was a fantastically friendly and welcoming experience. Maybe that is the key to owning up to your own fandom - getting offline and meeting other fans in person.
Growing up in the 60's and 70's I had the pleasure (?) of being in the minority at school - the group that I hung out with were all British save for three of us (two Australian and one Chilean) - DR Who was not spoken of openly BUT all the British friends knew and liked the show and it was not wise to say anything about the show because British Fans and Non Fans would band together to protect what they viewed as their show. If anything was the target of bullying it was between those who liked Lost In Space or Star Trek - you didn't have the choice of liking them both like I did
Excellent, interesting and so right. I bloody love Doctor Who and I have friends that wouldn't understand my love for it. I am so careful that now I hide it almost like a weird secret 😂❤😂❤
Great video! I can't share any of my fandom with "normie" friends, as they don't watch the shows and they listen politely, but their eyes glaze over.
I learned not to share fandom as a kid, being the only person I knew who liked old movies. This was decades before the Internet, so I only had my mom and old people to talk to about my film love! Lol.
Years ago, a good friend of mine wanted to help me after I had a painful dating experience. Without asking me, he made a Facebook post telling all single lady friends he had that I was an available guy and shared a couple of examples of my fandom involvement that I had some shame issues with. As soon as I read it, I filled with dread and shame. It wasn’t that it wouldn’t have been nice to find someone with similar fandom interests (which I later did and found my soulmate), but sharing that fandom info without my consent felt like it was going to have the opposite effect he intended. I reached out after and he understood, but also told me that I shouldn’t try to avoid sharing the things that make me happy.
the shame is real!!!! it's so sad
Excellent, honest and personal video. I actually took part in the survey, but my answers weren’t as thorough as others. I do my best to not judge anyone based on their background or identity, because we all have Doctor Who in common. We’re all misfits, and shouldn’t have to adhere to any standard of “average, acceptable fan”.
There’s no point in being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes.
I always assume when someone talks about something nerdy I like, I assume they know the bare minimum and act as such casually unless they start asking about more or talk about something more in depth with it. The nerdiest I get with Doctor Who casual fans is that sometimes I'll mention if a new who actor comes back in Big Finish. Which I guess mentioning Big Finish alone can be a lot lol.
12:00 I think you hit the nail on the head with the idea that Doctor Who, as it exists, needs some level of international engagement in order to still exist at the level it does. And being on Disney+ really is its best chance at that survival.
12:30 Oh now that's an interesting graph XD To any statisticians out there, is that dip for 9 normal? Or normal-ish? Like, it's just so pronounced!
I had forgotten this anecdote until after I finished answering the questionnaire, so I'll just drop it here: A few years back in college, myself and my friends were in one of the lounges, hanging out. I was talking to one of our female friends, as we had just found out we're both Transformers fans. So, I (a male) asked her "How'd you get into the series?" And after I asked her that, there was a very visible but very quick twinge across her face of "Oh god, is this guy going to be weird about this?", and just as quickly in my mind I was thinking "Oh god, no, I don't mean this in a gatekeepey way! I swear I'm just trying to make conversation!"
The conversation got back on course after that, but it is very awkward/frustrating that otherwise innocuous questions like that have been tainted by the way certain people behave themselves.
Honestly I consider myself so Based that I actually find it weirder when people aren't passionate about anything and I end up mentally judging them if anything.
And this could be on any subject like Dr Who, Anime or even Sports and affiliated supporting teams. A Passion is the true spice of life to me.
I didn’t get a chance to respond to your poll, but this video really resonated with me. Like you, I ‘came of age’ with Doctor Who during the early 2010s. I don’t know if it was ever a massive hit, but I definitely remember feeling more comfortable outwardly expressing my dedication to it more a decade ago. The late Capaldi/Whitaker years have made it feel like I’m the only one to really like it or remember it these days.
At the same time, I had a chance to watch rewatch the Capaldi era with a bunch of my friends during 2021. So many of my friends who had never seen the program and would never search it on their own started resonating with it. It was a beautiful experience. I would love to see it become more popular over here in the States; it would be awesome to discuss Ruby Sunday with someone other than my SO or my father.
Its always an awesome day when Josh uploads 🥰🥰🥰🥰
thanks babes 😎
“A lot of fans are basically fans of fandom itself. It's all about them. They have mastered the Star Wars or Star Trek universes or whatever, but their objects of veneration are useful mainly as a backdrop to their own devotion. Anyone who would camp out in a tent on the sidewalk for weeks in order to be first in line for a movie is more into camping on the sidewalk than movies. Extreme fandom may serve as a security blanket for the socially inept, who use its extreme structure as a substitute for social skills. If you are Luke Skywalker and she is Princess Leia, you already know what to say to each other, which is so much safer than having to ad lib it. Your fannish obsession is your beard. If you know absolutely all the trivia about your cubbyhole of pop culture, it saves you from having to know anything about anything else. That's why it's excruciatingly boring to talk to such people: They're always asking you questions they know the answer to.”
― Roger Ebert, A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length: More Movies That Suck
If a friend says loving the 1st doctor and second doctor as a teenager is cringe then there is no point veing with that friend.
Being I meant😂
I'm impressed with how you managed to make this video so positive and hopeful.
id always been a bit ashamed of liking doctor who but never fully. Id tell people i liked the show but never talk abt watching it or what happened last weeks episode or ever get excited about it. I never felt truly ashsmed until recently i told my friends (who ive known a looooong time) i was excited a new series was finally coming out and they didnt say anything but laugh and say "whyd you still watch that show"
growing up, i never really knew anyone outside of my family who was really into doctor who (grew up when eccleston and tennant were the current doctors), so i never really had any of those immediate fandom experiences with the show. it probably didn’t help i grew up in the US and was watching just before it really became the “hip” show of the time. while i did keep up and have kept up with the show, ive found that in my groups of people i interact with the show, it has been accepted as something that “just exists” as it were. I really noticed this when Magic the Gathering had their crossover set with doctor who. it was a new way for me to connect with my (equally nerdy in another way) friends with the program while not needing them to understand who Vrestin is. while my friends might not be as passionate about the show as i might be, i can tell they are just happy to see me happy when we play
Thoughtful and fun. As always!
Being a fan of anything is really difficult sometimes, just look at me, a Thomas the Tank Engine fan
There's not a lot of people around me who share the interests I do
Being a public fan has even hindered my love life, last tinder match I got unmatched and removed me from their private account after seeing my public account
I find I'm very good at like... First introducing myself as a casual fan, and then I choose how much to reveal based on how the other person reacts. I've also sometimes pretended to not be that interested in Doctor Who around certain male fans who I just know are going to talk down to me and not engage with the discussions I want to be having.
This video was great, and brought back a lot of memories of both good and bad fan interactions that I've experienced over the last 19 years of being incredibly annoying about this TV programme ❤
I think that as an international fan (Hello from Brazil!) Fandom spaces become the only places we have to interact with our niche interests. Of course, we still going to have drama every once in a while, but I think there's this sense of accepting the cringe as part of us as fandom, and that the loudest ones are just expressing their excitement in a different way others might otherwise express.
Like, I have zero knowledge about the audio ranges and novels, and yet I'm fascinated by people talking about them.
ill fully admit im the type of fan to openly ramble on about the expanded universe books. like a couple friends would be talking about episodes they think are Dark....and then i chime in like "Allow me to introduce, Rags and Combat Rock"
good video but i have 1 criticism.
you didn't really mention what i'd argue is the most annoying and cringy thing about the fandom, which is how they seem super defensive about any criticism of the show whenever it's in what i'd call "a hype cycle" but then conversely are broadly unable to accept those who like the show still when it's not in a hype cycle, which causes a lot of unnecessary toxicity that i've personally seen a tonne of. it results in this passive aggressive reacionaryness to any criticism, or any praise depending on where we are in the hype cycle and has been manipulated by some people to get away with saying horrible things about others in the fandom.
i did expect to see it in the discrimination section but what you did talk about was pretty intresting.
I'm happy to be a nerd and a fan. But I have always been less happy with organised fandom. Dipped my toe a few times but always backed away quickly. I dislike the oneupmanship and toxicity displayed by many. Social media has made this even worse. I particularly hate it when you catch yourself being brought down to their level. That is when I feel cringe.
The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve embraced my interests and hobbies as part of myself and share them openly. If others choose to judge me that’s there problem, not mine. The only thing I’m cautious of is not pushing my interests on others if they don’t seem open to them.
Love your channel, Josh! So smart, funny and accessible. Keep it up! 💙
SWM here, I've been on a journey with the Doctor since the 1970's and I've always wore my celery stick with pride!! I really Love this channel and I think you are a beautiful person whom I hope to meet someday!!
If someone said "Oh, this is x and they have a doctor who UA-cam". I would add, "And I get paid for it".
Late to the party here Josh but that was once again brilliant! Amazing stuff mate! ✨
Thanks babes love u xoxo
What a fantastic and important topic for discussion, I loved this so much! Thank you Josh, you're a lovely, thoughtful man, I appreciate you.