Below is my interview with Louis Trapani of the popular Doctor Who podcast, Podshock. Please note that this interview was conducted some two weeks before the broadcast of Matt Smith's debut episode "The Eleventh Hour."
Hi, Louis. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. To start, let’s ask a little about yourself: who are you, where you’re from, and anything you’d like to share about your education and career.
You are quite welcome. Thank you for asking me.
How did you first become a Doctor Who fan and what appealed to you about the program?
Many people ask me when I first became a Doctor Who fan, though not many ask what appealed to me about the program. Firstly, I originally became exposed to Doctor Who in the late 1970s. It was on Saturday mornings here. A local station syndicated it with 2 episodes back to back around 10am. Unfortunately at that time, I had a paper route (yes, at one time there were kids that delivered newspapers door to door... Newspapers? Well, they were publications printed on paper that covered the news and articles of interest before the days of the internet, but I digress). Because of my paper route, I wasn't home all the time when they aired Doctor Who, so it was difficult to follow the stories because I would see parts 1 and 2 and then miss 3 and 4 the following week.
It wasn't until my local PBS station started to show them daily (one episode per weekday night) in the early 1980s that allowed me to get hooked on it.
I believe there are many factors that appealed to me about Doctor Who. It is a British series and therefore didn't fall into the usual trappings that may US television shows often do at that time. Also being British, I enjoyed the cultural differences inherited in it. The main character is eccentric, anti-authoritarian, someone who was very much going against the grain and society norms in many ways, I found that to be very appealing. He is a mysterious alien, yet very humane. The protagonist tackles injustice with brains and wit on a weekly basis. Also unlike so many US science fiction television series he's not trying to make romantic or sexual overtures to everyone of the opposite sex he may happen upon. The focus on Doctor Who was on story and characters. Of course there is the format. It can go anywhere and any time, the possibilities are limitless.
How has it been to be an American enthusiast of a British sci-fi series? How does Doctor Who culturally “cross-over” for you as an American fan?
Being a British show is part of its appeal. That quality needs to remain in the series. I wouldn't want an American version. It's essential that it remains a British series, especially when it comes to the lead actor. As far as fandom goes, like anything today, we are a global community. The internet has brought us all together as one big village. Whereas back in the early days of the Gallifreyan Embassy there was a bit of divide between the US and UK or for that matter any other country in the UK because it would take many months (if not longer) before new episodes from the UK would make their way to PBS stations here in the US. So there was a disadvantage being a fan outside of the UK, it is much less so today. Today, new episodes are shown outside of the UK, just weeks afterwards, if not days.
On the note of Doctor Who across the world, what is it about Doctor Who that enables the program to resonate with fans from so many different parts of the world, such as Australia, Canada, the US, and Europe?
I believe it is pretty much what I said before. What appeals to me about the series, also appeals to others across the globe, no matter where they may be located. The format and premise of the series is so open and so appealing... but it's more than that as I said before with everything that is so appealing about the series.
It is fantastic especially for the US that the series does resonate because mainstream US television is non-cultural. It is very much an isolationist state of television. In fact to this day, Doctor Who is not shown on 'mainstream' channels here in the US, and really no overseas produced series is unfortunately. The studios feel that most Americans won't understand accents or understand the cultural differences and people will tune out. They would rather take a good idea from the UK or elsewhere and remake it for the US. Some of which have been successful, but just as many fail. It is a real shame. Most US television viewers are not exposed to international television, and lack the cultural richness it provides.
Relating to this question, the Eighth Doctor was once referred to as “British,” to which he replied “Yes, I suppose I am,” and yet the Doctor is in fact an alien. Do you feel Doctor Who functions as a categorically British series or does it manage to transcend national or cultural identities?
As I mentioned earlier, the series and the title character is British and should remain so. Even though he is not human and comes from the planet Gallifrey, he remains British. Having said that, he does transcend national and cultural identities as evident from the series being so popular worldwide.
Returning to your life and involvement with the program, you are very well-known as being one of the core team of Podshock, the Doctor Who news webcast arm of your website Gallifreyian Embassy. Tell us about the history of this project: when and how it started, who was involved, and what has kept it going over the years?
The Gallifreyan Embassy website is the internet presence of the organization that was formed a quarter of a century ago. Whereas 25 years ago we were mailing a printed newsletter to members, we now do it online via our website as well the podcast. Five years ago, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Gallifreyan Embassy, the website was transformed into an interactive medium. It was also at that year that the series returned to television with Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor. Podcasting was born the year before in 2004. With the series back on TV, it only seemed natural to start a podcast about. Unfortunately, the podcast was delayed a bit because I had lost my voice due to a case of bronchitis at the time. Once I recovered, we began work on the show. My friend, Ken Deep who had been with the Gallifreyan Embassy since the very beginning had been doing radio work at that time. So it was only natural to ask him to be a part of it, and it was only natural for him to jump on it. James Naughton had his own show which he covered Doctor Who from time to time. Having listened to James, I knew that the chemistry would be right with him, and Ken, and myself. I felt it was important that we have a UK perspective on the show and being that the Gallifreyan Embassy was now international, the podcast should be as well. So we gained correspondents from Canada, Australia, Germany, and so on. Now Doctor Who: Podshock is in its fifth year and is as strong as ever.
As part of Podshock, you have often featured notable authors, actors, and commentators connected to Doctor Who. Who have been some of your favorite or more memorable guests? Have you featured any guests on the webcast affiliated with other sci-fi series such as Star Trek, Star Wars, or The X-Files?
Yes, although for the most part Doctor Who: Podshock features guests that have some sort of connection to the Doctor Who series, over the last 25 years we have interviewed many that have also crossed over other science fiction series. A good example of that would be our most recent episode which among the many guests on it were Daphne Ashbrook and Yee Jee Tso, both from the 1996 television movie. Yet both have appeared other series in the same genre like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Knightrider, etc. We have also interviewed Terry Nation, the creator of the Daleks, yet he also created the popular British sci-fi series, Blake's 7 as well.
In addition to Doctor Who: Podshock, there are other shows which I host and produce for Art Trap Productions that extend pass Doctor Who. So I had opportunities to have discussions with other guests without any Doctor Who connection whatsoever. Be it from Star Trek, Futurama, or even Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
As a prominent Doctor Who fan you have become a regular guest at conventions. Which conventions do you usually visit and what are some of your fondest memories of those experiences?
As you know, Doctor Who: Podshock has been doing a live show on stage at the Gallifrey One conventions in Los Angeles the last few years and we will be back next year. In addition to doing a live show there each year, we also do live shows on the other US coast as well at I-CON in Stony Brook, NY. In fact, we will be there again next week doing a live show for I-CON 29. Another show in the northeast which have attended is the New England Fan Experience. They usually have at least one Doctor Who related guest.
I have many fond memories of conventions long gone. Such as the Spirit of Light conventions which had organized shows such as WhoEvent85 in King of Prussia, PA and the TARDIS 22 in Chicago. Anything you are able to get Jon Pertwee with Patrick Troughton and/or Colin Baker together at the con, you are guaranteed a great time. Sadly, Jon and Patrick are gone now. I will always have fond memories of those conventions.
Today, I would have to say it is the annual Gallifrey One conventions. It doesn't even matter which guests they invite, I enjoy being with all the friends that converge there as much I do with seeing the guests.
Besides Podshock, do you organize and conduct any other webcast series?
Yes. As I eluded to before, I host and produce other shows such as The Sonic Newsdriver, The Hitchhiker's Guide to British Sci-Fi as well as a few other shows in the works coming from Art Trap Productions. You can find them all at arttrap.com.
Looking back over the last half decade have seen Doctor Who emerge from relative obscurity after its 1989/1990 cancellation through various book ranges, audio releases, and comics. What is it in your opinion about Doctor Who that kept the concept alive and developing during the fifteen years it was off-screen? Of those ranges, the books, comics, and audios, do you have a particular favorite media which you feel captured and serviced the series particularly well? If so, why and how?
Ah yes... the lean years. All Doctor Who fans are grateful for the various mediums producing Doctor Who content during that time. From original novels to audio dramas to BBC's own webcasts. They all helped bridge the gap. In addition to new content coming out during those years keeping Doctor Who alive, there were also VHS releases of the television series then eventually followed by DVD releases. That latter often containing extra material which also quenched the thirst of fans wanting more. Seeing the television episodes restored on DVD with extras have been probably the most satisfying for me. Even though I had recorded them all when they were shown on PBS, some of those recordings had not always been the best quality even then and now twenty-odd years later, don't hold up well, especially when you are viewing them on today's high definition televisions.
Since 2005 Doctor Who has been back on television. Please tell me your thoughts on the “RTD Era” of the program including the spin-off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and what you feel were the overall greatest strengths, and if any, weaknesses. Do you have any specific favorite episodes or moments from this period?
Wow. Well, we could do a two hour podcast on this question alone. As we have said on our show time and time again, we are very grateful for what Russell T Davies and those working with him. If the 2005 series was not successful, we could be back in "the lean years" again now without new episodes. He brought the series into the 21st century. Gave it new legs. New energy. New clout. All while paying tribute to the years that had gone by. That same energy can be seen in the spin off series like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. There had been many strengths and memorable moments throughout this era, but I have to say that the overall strength of the 2005 series really but the series on firm ground. Bringing in writers such as Paul Cornell, Steven Moffat, Rob Shearman that year added the strength of RTD's own work and really put the series on the map. This is not say what followed it didn't have its strengths and memorable moments as well, it did as evident with stories such as Human Nature and Blink. The latest Torchwood series outdid itself. Children of Earth is outstanding. The Sarah Jane Adventures has just been commissioned for not one, but two new series by the CBBC, that is a testimony right there that they are on the right track.
For the final question, where do you imagine the series progresses under Producer Steven Moffat and with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan as the Doctor and companion Amy Pond?
I haven't seen anything that would make me think that we shouldn't expect the series to continue where it left off and go even further. Steven Moffat has proven himself as a popular writer for the series already. We have only a short scene with the 11th Doctor and just bits and pieces of him with Amy Pond in the promotional trailers thus far, but so far, they both seem outstanding. As for those prejudging Matt Smith as being too young, I say that is nonsense. Give him a chance. he is only a couple years younger than Peter Davison when took the part. I remember all the naysayers saying he was too young at that time too.
In two weeks time we will have the first full story with Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor, in the episode, The Eleventh Hour. I and everyone on Doctor Who: Podshock are very excited about the new series and are eagerly anticipating it. You can hear us review each new story on our show at http://gallifreyanembassy.org or podshock.net.
Thanks for allowing me share my thoughts here.
Louis Trapani, thank you as always.
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