If time traveling and galaxy exploration are on your list of reasonably attainable resolutions this year, then you might (should!) be a fan of Doctor Who. In a thousand words or less, I’m going to entice you into the fandom with a bit of a Season 11 (2018, which debuted Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor) wrap-up, a case for why you should (still) be watching Season 12, and also a peek into the lingo of a Doctor Who fan. And you will not need to a language decoder (think Elvish, Klingon or even Dothraki), but if you really want something to read, I’ll list books you might like to pair with the show. 
With the first female reincarnation of the Doctor, Whittaker’s season appears to have been tasked with imparting loads of social meaning and impact in ways that previous Doctors might have been chastised for not doing.1 This isn’t wholly accurate because the reboot has tackled history and historical re-writing with plots that questioned everything from what really happened during Agatha Christie’s lost hours to more weighty plots like assassinating Hitler. But through it all, Season 11 maintained its fast paced and fun-spirited science fiction vibe, able to switch into life-threatening action sequences and then swiftly back into comedy.
Some light “spoilers”2 from Season 11 include the first time since the reboot that the Doctor has had more than one or two companions aboard her Tardis (spaceship, masked as a 1950’s police telephone box; bigger on the inside...it’s a whole thing), and the usual “timey-wimey” space adventures while facing a new alien foe bent on destroying humanity and earth (big surprise!). Along the way there are celebrity appearances (as happens in most seasons) and two emotionally moving historical visits: 1950’s America to prevent the assassination of Rosa Parks, and 1947 Punjab during the partition of India and Pakistan. All in all, despite some audience misgivings, season eleven’s premiere had the largest viewership since the reboot began in 2005.
For this upcoming season of Doctor Who, expect more guest appearances by contemporary (Stephen Fry!) and historical (Nikola Tesla!) figures and the return of two-part episodes as a formatting structure. Indeed, “Spyfall” part 1 and 2, the first episodes of the season, had a one-day limited release in U.S. theaters on January 5. I’m personally looking forward to more historical reframing and also cybermen(!)3 , and hope I’ve piqued the interest of a few new fans, too!
Below are a few books that helped make the wait for this next Doctor Who season a bit smoother than Amy Pond’s wait.4 When you find yourself missing the sound a sonic screw driver makes—and you will—then these books can help fill that void:
The Lunar Chronicle Series by Marissa Meyer takes fairytales to exciting cyborg dystopian realms. This YA series has a core of four books each building on one another as four young heroines overcome obstacles both alone and together.
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K Jemison tells the stories of second-class citizens on a planet that is one mega-continent but with largely fractured societies. There are characters with unexplained magical abilities and a richly explored social backdrop teeming with interpersonal intrigue.
The Binti novella series by Nnedi Okorafor is about the personal journey of Binti, a young gifted African girl who dreams of leaving earth to study at the best university in the galaxy—against her family’s wishes. And although it’s about her individual growth, her story is full of intergalactic implications beyond Binti’s full understanding.
1It should be noted that Jodie Whittaker is not the first female Time Lord in this timeline. That honor goes to Missy (“spoilers”) as the latest incarnation of The Master (The Doctor’s longtime arch nemesis). For introductions to Missy, you can start with Season 8.
2“Spoilers” is what we Whovians say in a shrill British accent in the style of Dr. River Song (played by Alex Kingston) who says it to indicate skipping ahead within the Doctor’s timeline. Use it in a sentence, you ask? River Song, throughout seasons 5-8, is “spoilers” revealed to be not only the Doctor’s wife but also the child of two Tardis companions.
3Early and everlasting alien enemies of Doctor Who and humanity. They aren’t droids but humans reprogrammed through nefarious means into robotic exoskeletons. A Google search of “cybermen through the ages” is a lot of fun...depending on what you think of as fun.
4Last insider lingo, promise. During the first episode of Season 5, we meet a young Amelia Pond, who has a mysterious crack in her wall emitting a strange light. Amelia’s backyard just happens to have been the crash site for a newly regenerated Doctor Who (Matt Smith) and his Tardis. The Doctor tells Amelia he’ll be back in five minutes, but when he returns it’s been 12 years for Amy, now played by Karen Gillam.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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