Amazon, Thank You For Saving ‘Doctor Who’

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Doctor Who

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Dear Amazon,

I know you’re a busy ecommerce ruler and streaming service, so I’ll cut to the chase. Thank you. Your decision to add Doctor Who to your vast Prime arsenal has changed my viewing life.

I wasn’t an instantaneous Whovian, which I think makes my relationship with the Doctor all the more compelling. I finally pressed play at the prompting of several of my friends. I was told to give it a season. If I could watch all of the Ninth Doctor without wanting to dive in deeper, then I would be free to live a Tardis-free life. For over a week, my roommate and I begrudgingly watched Doctor Who, our noses in the air and our hearts cold. However, when we hit Season One’s second to last episode (“Bad Wolf,” in case you’re wondering) something unexpected happened. We felt sad and scared and confused and happy — that entire vortex of emotions only a really good Doctor Who plot line can inspire. After that, we met David Tennant’s 10th Doctor, and from then on we were sold on the series. I mean, come on, Amazon. Who could refuse falling in love with that perfect man?

I wish I could say I’ve been a good Whovian from that day forward, but that would be a lie. My relationship with the Doctor has always been an emotional one, which shows just how powerful this series is and how unstable I am. Any time I knew a major change was going to occur — a companion leaving, a Doctor regeneration, a beloved character becoming an immortal guard — I would drop the series. If I didn’t see the bad thing, then it didn’t happen, right? Besides, I could always catch up on Doctor Who on Netflix when I was ready. Oh how naive I was.

I know that streaming contracts constantly change, but I thought Doctor Who would be immune. It’s Doctor freaking Who. The show has survived for over 50 years; surely it could survive on streaming forever. However, I found myself in a horrible situation at the end of January — Doctor Who was leaving Netflix and Hulu, and I was still a Doctor and a half behind. I thought I’d have to completely abandon this painfully human and delightfully nerdy show about wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey … stuff. But then you swept in and saved the day.

Now that Doctor Who is streaming on Prime, I can finally catch up and face my irrational character fears. But more importantly, this experience has given me a better appreciation for how I should live my streaming life. I have dozens of documentaries and “must watch” series stored on my queue that I’m not actually interested in. After the expiration of Doctor Who, I realized that my streaming list shouldn’t be filled with an assortment of shows and movies I only plan to use as party talking points. It should be filled with narratives I’m genuinely invested in, no matter what anyone else thinks. So what if I’m behind in House of Cards? I’m a re-watch away from reciting all of the Doctor’s time-bending dialogue from “Blink,” and that’s an accomplishment I should be proud of. Additionally, I’ve learned I need to fully embrace those amazing series that resonate with me, even the parts I don’t want to see. I love Doctor Who. It affects me emotionally in a way very few series can. Donna Noble’s story line made me ugly cry for hours, and don’t get me started on Rose or the Ponds. Having a show as smartly human as Doctor Who is special, not just to me, but to the millions of fans who proudly call themselves Whovians and elicit confused looks from their uninitiated friends.

So, thank you, Amazon. Not only have you reintroduced me to one of the greatest shows, sci-fi or otherwise, to ever exist, but you’ve taught me a little bit about myself. Next time I’m looking for a festive fez or a bow tie, I’ll be sure to turn to you first.

Love,

This Renewed Whovian

[Where to stream Doctor Who]

Photos: Everett Collection