Last of the Time Lords: Doctor Who in DC

by Gabriella Nicastro

Most likely, within the first ten minutes of someone meeting me I will talk about my undying love for Doctor Who. Even my birthday cake last year was a TARDIS.

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(photo by Gabriella Nicastro)

At which point I will excitedly being explaining the  concepts of time lords, a big blue box, time travel, daleks, maybe some overarching key themes….and then a short while later I’m staring into glazed Cyberman-type eyes. It’s ok, finding fellow Doctor Who fans is not easy in DC.  

Black Cat's high-tech advertising.
(photo by Gabriella Nicastro)

Imagine then the whirlwind of happy TARDIS emoticons running through my head  when seeing Black Cat’s advertisement for  “DOCTOR WHO HAPPY HOUR.”  

What? Drinking and watching an episode of Doctor Who?! Sold.

I went the same night that Iron Man 3 opened so I was expecting only a handful of people. I should have known better. Whovians are nothing if not loyal. And as I found out, Whovians are also very punctual. The event started at 7:30 but a line (a line!) officially started outside the premises around 6:30. Note: I recommend beers at Standard three doors down if loitering on the street is not for you. 

Once the doors opened around 7 you had time to get a drink at the bar and then walk into the back room where a big screen was set up.  Chairs are set up theatre style and quickly filled up.

Surround sound, a crowd, and a screen.
(photo by Gabriella Nicastro)

The lights went out and then – the Doctor Who theme song is blasted in surround sound. Then, the voice of the Doctor, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” The episode, Last of the Time Lords had begun.

I loved it.  Not just because it’s an amazing episode (hello, John Simm), or because the venue is laid-back and chill; it's one of the rare times and places in DC where a worn-out t-shirt in a bar is accepted, if not welcomed.  But there’s nothing quite like watching a program you love with other people who love it as much as you do.  

For example, [minor spoiler alert] At the end of the episode when Capt. Jack tells Martha and the Doctor “The face of Boe, they call me,” the room erupts with knowing chuckles as the scene makes reference to one of the great mysteries raised earlier in the season. Forty-five minutes later, Black Cat shows the trailer for the next Friday, and folks head out of the room and back into the bar area.  Many leave but a few stay behind to mingle, drink, and talk Who.  

A lonely beer - for a lonely time lord.
(photo by Megan McGrath)

To me, watching a Doctor Who episode in a roomful of strangers, in (essentially) a bar just further brought home some of the themes of Doctor Who.  That you aren’t alone in the Whovian universe; trying something new with old friends (and perhaps meeting new ones) is always fantastic; and location is half the fun… and isn’t that what the Doctor is all about?

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Editor's Note: Thanks to our guest whovian, Gabriella Nicastro, for today's article. The Black Cat has Doctor Who Happy Hours every Friday tonight's event features "Partners in Crime" (S04E02). It's also just an hour or so before the Cheeky Monkey Sideshow performance so you could do a double feature this evening! Don't forget to also check out their Saturday Hellmouth Happy Hour - tomorrow's episode is Older and Far Away (spoiler alert: it's that one that distills any dislike of Dawn into 190 proof hate - so make sure you buy drinks to match). Well, what are all you Who fans waiting for? The line starts in six and a half hours!