The Robots

Black Dalek, from bbc.co.uk

I had a peculiar experience in the supermarket yesterday. I was just picking up a copy of the "Radio Times", having to choose between the cover with the Cybermen and the one with the Daleks. Naturally, I went for the slightly more iconic Daleks, but on making the choice a shiver ran down my spine.

I was transported back to being a small child, having the same sensation of fear and excitement and antici....pation when waiting for the next episode of Doctor Who. I also had the same sensation of my own pester power, nagging my mum to buy Weetabix (which of course I couldn't stand) as it came with a Doctor Who board game and little cardboard figures for the game. Of course you needed four boxes of said cardboard-like cereal to make the whole game, so I dutifully had to munch through 3 boxes to ensure getting them all (don't laugh, one went on eBay for £50). I remember some of the cardboard figures - I had several Daleks, a Sea Devil, a Yeti and a couple of Sontarans...I think - I could be confusing those with other freebies. I eventually graduated to owning an ersatz Doctor Who board game, the rules of which were so damn complex my friends refused to play. So I won every game, as Teddy wasn't so hot with the dice.

I know I've blogged before about Doctor Who before, but it is a testament to the show - both now and then - that those feelings, memories and the anticipation are there now. Tonight's season finale was great (although how Tracey Ann Oberman retained her soul I don't quite know - do Cybermen get distracted whilst upgrading?) and I'll be hanging on until Christmas for the next episode....