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Real Or Not Real?

Is Doctor Who a Religion? [VIDEO]

by Rebecca Pahle | 5:45 pm, October 4th, 2012


In the latest video from PBS’ Idea Channel, host Mike Rugnetta makes the case that Doctor Who is in fact a religion, based on its themes (the nature of good versus evil, explaining the mysteries and wonder of the cosmos), main character (the Doctor is “a supernatural force of capital-G good” who defends and betters humanity and has sacrificed himself for it multiple times), and heavily invested fanbase (who are personally impacted by the show and its “cosmology” and have built a community around it). The characteristics Rugnetta brings up about the Who fandom seem to apply to most fandoms, but it’s still a thought-provoking video.

(via: Geeks Are Sexy)

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  • http://twitter.com/yeah_its_me Bri Lance

    I’ve often thought that fandom fills the place of religion for some people, regardless of the characteristics of the specific fandom.

    You have your various sects, which sometimes go to war over slightly differing interpretations of a text. You have your ‘prophets’ (big-name fans, popular fanfic writers) that different people follow, to guide their own textual interpretation. And you have your myths — stories that pop up over and over again in fanfic and the like, and which large groups of people hold to be *true* at some core level.

    Personally, I think that’s (mostly) a good thing. Religious-style thinking seems to be a part of human nature, and I’d rather have people channel it into bickering on Tumblr than actual real-world conflicts.

  • http://twitter.com/Zenjack Jack

    Whovianism? Certainly could be worse religions to follow.

  • Anonymous

    I see this headline, and all I can think of is http://www.homeonthestrange.com/view.php?ID=212 (or, really, that and the preceding comic).

  • Anonymous

    A shout-out to Clifford Geertz! Hot!

  • http://www.mygeekygeekyways.com Starman

    I can see this working, actually. Priests decked out in the holy scarf and long coat with celery pinned to the lapel, as needed. And this inevitable exchange…

    Follower: Why is it that bad things happen to good people?

    Priest: I’ll explain later.

  • Anonymous

    Hmm…the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.
    Well, it’s sure as hell more interesting than any other religion on the market. And by ‘interesting’, I mean entertaining. All Hail Bowties!

  • Anonymous

    As someone who helped a friend paint his life sized Tardis.. I had to chuckle at the shrine comment.

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