Richard Dawkins- Doctor Who appearance.

Page 1 of 1 [ 9 posts ]

Joined: 27 Apr 2006
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 18,779
Location: Right behind you...

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.

_________________
(No longer a mod)

On sabbatical...

iceb
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Age: 68
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,562
Location: London UK

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.

_________________
Wisdom must be gathered, it cannot be given.

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

foxman
Velociraptor

Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 425

08 Apr 2008, 1:11 am

Awesome.

_________________
...And when Love speaks to you, believe him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
-Kahlil Gibran

lau
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Age: 76
Gender: Male
Posts: 9,798
Location: Somerset UK

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!".

_________________
"Striking up conversations with strangers is an autistic person's version of extreme sports." Kamran Nazeer

Betzalel
Deinonychus

Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 317

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?"

Quatermass
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 27 Apr 2006
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 18,779
Location: Right behind you...

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.

_________________
(No longer a mod)

On sabbatical...

NewRotIck
Snowy Owl

Joined: 16 Jan 2008
Age: 185
Gender: Male
Posts: 148
Location: New Zealand

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
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Age: 76
Gender: Male
Posts: 9,798
Location: Somerset UK

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.

_________________
"Striking up conversations with strangers is an autistic person's version of extreme sports." Kamran Nazeer

Betzalel
Deinonychus

Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 317

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.

Page 1 of 1 [ 9 posts ]

Jump to:

Richard Dawkins- Doctor Who appearance. Post Reply New Topic

Richard Dawkins- Doctor Who appearance.