Meet the Authors: Tom Dickinson

I can't remember the first time I watched Doctor Who. It's been a constant part of my life since birth. I do have early memories, such as the third episode of Logopoils, not to mention the death of Adric in Earthshock, and I will always remember how as a child I... I...

...I can't do this. I can't lie like this.

Fine, the truth. My first episode of Doctor Who was Rose. That's right, Rose. See, as an American I was only ever dimly aware of Doctor Who during much of my childhood. And I wasn't alive when Peter Davison was the Doctor. When I was born, Sylvester McCoy was the Doctor. Not that I, or anyone around me, knew or cared about Doctor Who. Americans in general are only dimly aware of Doctor Who if at all. There are Who fans, and yes, it's contagious, but it isn't widespread and it certainly wasn't then.

The seeds of my Doctor Who fandom were planted when I read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at age 12. I became a great fan of Douglas Adams and it was through that fandom that I first heard of Doctor Who, but for one reason or another I never bothered to check it out. With the return of the series I heard an increasing level of buzz. I looked into the series and found out about it, and so I decided it was worth my time and got some episodes in 2007.

So, yes, my first episode was Rose. I can see you pointing and laughing at the new-series fan. Does it redeem me slightly that my second episode was An Unearthly Child? So I have never been strictly a new-series fan. And despite the short term of my fandom, I've made up for it in enthusiasm, and although I'm possibly the least expert person writing for this blog, apparently it's been decided that I'm capable of banging out a good review now and then.

When I'm not pretending to be a lifelong Doctor Who fan and writing reviews to that end, I can be found desperately trying to pass exams and doing other things that university students do. I live and study in Rhode Island, which used to be pretty British, though we were the first Americans to declare independence (nothing personal).

Anyhow, it's an honor and a privilege. Sorry, "honour."