Losing Out

I was telling my mother today about my mission to watch the entire Classic series of Doctor Who (which has faltered in recent months, but I'll get back on track).

Mum: I used to love those ones with the military.
Me: UNIT?...The Brigadier?
Mum: Yes. The Brigadier!
Me: I love the Brigadier.
Mum: You can't have him. He's mine.
Me: Fine, I'll have Sergeant Benton
Mum: Oh, Sergeant Benton!

Which of course led to a rather long conversation discussing how the Brigadier needs to be brought back, the Cybermen, Daleks, my mother's fear of some blob monster that came from the ocean (I've no idea what she's talking about with that one) and hiding behind the sofa.

Anyway, this has me thinking. Doctor Who was cancelled before I was old enough to take notice (if I watched it as an little, I don't remember), and besides catching one episode each of An Unearthly Child and The Green Death (if I recall correctly) at some point in my teens, I didn't discover the show until I was twenty, which I find to be really sad. This wouldn't be such a big deal if Who was just a TV show, but in my family it really is an institution. Both my parents grew up on the show and my younger cousins are growing up on the New Series. I feel like I'm missing out. I'm part of a generation that didn't hide behind the sofa as a child because there were no Daleks on telly. My generation was ripped off.

Damn you 1989 cancellation *shakes fist*

I suppose at least I got Captain Planet. I can still sing the theme song.