Why Doctor Who Is Better Than Scandal

**I've been neglecting the blog lately. I've had college finals, moving, and the start of summer classes. To anyone who reads the blog, I'm sorry about this. I'll do my best to be more consistent.**

Before the traditional school year ended, my roommate and I binge-watched different TV shows. I got my boyfriend into Doctor Who. We pretty much watched a season each weekend. My roommate watched Scandal whenever she felt like it. At first I was kind of intrigued but I also have a tendency to become hypnotized by a screen. I also felt obligated to keep up with the show because it moves at an extremely fast pace and sometimes my roommate would miss something and ask me what happened.

Doctor Who, as whacky as it is, is a blend between science fiction and fantasy. It features many aliens, including the Doctor himself, and various monsters.  It is not realistic, nor is it meant to be. It shows its viewers a fantastic escape from normal life. The writers utilize the Doctor's human companions beautifully to illustrate how many of us would react in the imaginative world of the Doctor. The companion is the character that the audience holds on to to view the world of the Doctor while simultaneously grasping the Doctor's hand to not get left behind. The series utilizes many writers who each give a unique argument about life and humanity, the most notorious of the writers being Steven Moffat. Part of the beauty of Doctor Who is that it can take each of these differing perspectives in stride because the Doctor travels through both time and space. Each of his experiences changes him in some way, as well as changing his companion. Though the Doctor describes much of time as "in flux," he himself is "in flux" throughout the series. The adventures and lessons of each Doctor shape the next regeneration. Ten was influenced by the lessons Nine learned from Rose and the love that she showed him. That is part of the reason he is quirky and passionate. Eleven is childlike due in part to many of the losses that Ten experienced. The show can also depict true beauty in humanity and can inspire much hope. It is a truly well done program. 

Scandal, unfortunately, is not as well constructed. It is a cynical show about a fixer who had an affair with the President of the United States. Olivia Pope is the main character of the show, going around with her team cleaning up messes in Washington D.C. They essentially cover up missteps of politicians and pull enough weight to change the outcomes of political races. It is also not very realistic, since it is so fast paced. Half of the things they do could not realistically take place in the time frame that the show suggests. Here is a link to a great SNL skit that parodies Scandal and pokes fun at its fast pace: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/scandal/2755296. It is a show that provides entertainment through its political cynicalness. It implies that the power in democracy lies with those who have money and those who lie. It is contrary to the core principals of democracy that the power lies with the people and that government transparency is of utmost importance. While this may be an accurate depiction of democracy in the United States, people may be less likely to do something about it as a result. The show can fool people into thinking that no matter what they do, things will always remain the same. It also may cause social inertia because people will be conditioned to find entertainment in political scandal. If we are to evolve as a nation, we the people must effect change. No one will do it for us. Olivia Pope will not fix our government and provides little hope of change. 

I consider myself a realist. While I can be quite cynical about politics, I still have hope for change and I know that I can do something about it. The Doctor gives me hope for humanity, while Olivia Pope does not. I think the Doctor is a much better role model.