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Originally Posted by Severian
Hmm. I'm not sure I agree. I mean, yes, there's the kooky Britishness, playful and whimsical, and yes I'd toss Time Bandits and Jules Verne in the same general pile, but I don't think the Doctor is anything like Nemo really. Sure, there are surface similarities, but Nemo is a hyper-politicized anti-hero. The Doctor is a hero hero, in a super traditional, no question about it kind of way.
Not that I think the Doctor anything like Kirk either. But that's because Star Trek spreads its philosophical, sort of theoretical representation of "humanity" out over a handful of characters from a handful of races. The Doctor is, I think, very much an ideal for humanity just like the premise of Star Trek is — Star Trek just doesn't compact its version of the ideal into one body/mind. Doctor Who does.
In my mind, the mythology is really closest in spirit to that of Superman. A British, intellectual, brains-over-brawn Superman. Both characters are sort of demigods (or godlike figures) who, despite being ANYTHING but human, choose to embody the best of what humanity "can be" (never will be). Both characters have the power to, in one way or another, simply force the world around them to bend to their will, and just be good and be decent, like they are, but both characters hold onto a strong conviction that humanity's choice in this is absolutely necessary, so they choose to act as guides instead of enforcers.
Both characters are basically metaphors for "God" existing as a result of human action. "God" or ultimate goodness achieved through eternal compassion.
Now obviously there are a ton of differences between Superman and the Doctor, but I think comparing the Doctor to another "mad" or daffy scientist on a cruise through the unknown is just way too easy, and probably places undue importance on the circumstances (a ship, a journey, a mystery, companions) and not enough on the real heart of the character, which is, for lack of a better term, benevolent, nearly-all-powerful superbeing with a savior complex.
I don't know though... you've seen more of the original series than I have, I think, and maybe my assessment is more based on the newer Who, but I still think there are some definite similarities between Star Trek and Doctor Who in terms of general premise, if not in a character-by-character level.
Y'know?
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