Richard Dawkins- Doctor Who appearance.

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08 Apr 2008, 12:46 am

It had to happen. I mean, he's married to Lalla Ward (who played the second Romana) and he was a friend of former Who script editor Douglas Adams.

I didn't quite know where to put this. So I'm putting this here. Here's how it went down:

Quote:

Professor Richard Dawkins, the celebrated biologist and writer, is to appear as himself later in the current series of Doctor Who. Executive Producer Russell T Davies made the announcement in an interview with the Independent on Sunday. He said the show's crew were delighted to see Dawkins on set: "People were falling at his feet ... We've had Kylie Minogue on that set, but it was Dawkins people were worshipping."

Dawkins is the author of many best-selling non-fiction works, from The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker to The God Delusion, and is a powerful communicator of both Darwin's evolutionary theory and the merits of atheism.

He holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, though he is perhaps equally well known amongst some Doctor Who fans as the husband of Lalla Ward, who played former companion Romana! He was also a close friend of former script editor Douglas Adams, to whom he dedicated The God Delusion.

Now there's an endorsement.

If you want me to move this elsewhere, say, to the TV section, let me know.

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iceb
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08 Apr 2008, 12:53 am

The new series started Saturday here its great!

Interesting, My boyfriend was talking about The God Delusion and I immediately found myself quoting Douglas Adams.

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Last edited by iceb on 08 Apr 2008, 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

foxman
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08 Apr 2008, 1:11 am

Awesome.

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lau
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08 Apr 2008, 9:11 am

I find it truly amusing, the people who appear on Doctor Who, these days.

And they are all so grateful for being asked. In "Doctor Who: Confidential", you see them wandering around, bemused, on set, saying things like "I don't beliiieve it!".

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Betzalel
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08 Apr 2008, 10:25 am

That is the last man I would be falling down at the feet of. I really hate the political agenda that the new Doctor Who has taken. I still am a fan but my reaction to dawkins being in an episode is "so what?"

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08 Apr 2008, 5:27 pm

Betzalel wrote:

Well, I wouldn't be worshipping him, but I would try to have him autograph something, not to mention meet his wife.

You seem to forget anyway, the Doctor himself is apolitical, but is rather something of an anarchist.

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NewRotIck
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09 Apr 2008, 12:13 am

Quote:

Professor Richard Dawkins, the celebrated biologist and writer, is to appear as himself later in the current series of Doctor Who.

...though he is perhaps equally well known amongst some Doctor Who fans as the husband of Lalla Ward, who played former companion Romana! He was also a close friend of former script editor Douglas Adams, to whom he dedicated The God Delusion.

Um ... doesn't that break the Fourth Wall? It's kind of like the Terminator going back in time to kill Arnold Schwarzenegger or something...

lau
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09 Apr 2008, 6:54 am

NewRotIck wrote:

Quote:

Um ... doesn't that break the Fourth Wall? It's kind of like the Terminator going back in time to kill Arnold Schwarzenegger or something...

See "Last Action Hero".

Also, Doctor Who has never had much respect for walls. E.g. see Anne Droid.

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Betzalel
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09 Apr 2008, 7:19 am

I always saw Doctor Who working in an alternate universe almost identical to our own (particularly when its set on earth) so the idea of richard dawkins being in a show doesn't bother me so much in the sense of "breaking the forth wall"

besides taking the piss has really been what the new doctor who series has been all about since the start. I wish it was like the classic Dr Who but I don't thinkI will ever get that back still even in its current state it is still rather good and certainly much better than the crap americans put out as a devoted fan I'm pretty much obligated to watch it.

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