Anglophilia: my personal obsession

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m obsessed with “Sherlock” and “Doctor Who.” Not “I-watch-every-episode-when-it-comes-out” obsessed, but “I-AM-GOING-TO-BUY-EVERY-PIECE-OF-MERCHANDISE-EVER-MADE-EVEN-THINGS-THAT-AREN’T-IN-PRODUCTION-ANYMORE!!!!!!” obsessed. I am still formulating a plan to buy a Sherlockian peacoat (even if they do cost £1350) and have a Sonic Screwdriver Programmable TV Remote on order (available at ThinkGeek!... and no, they aren’t paying me to say that... not yet, anyway.)
I spent last January in London and made it a special point to jaunt down to the Dr. Who Experience, and picked up over £100 in merchandise. We even named our Baker house “221B Baker Street”! I. Am. Obsessed.
What makes these shows so alluring to me? I mean, I have several other shows that I enjoy watching (most revolving around Gordon Ramsay), but I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with those shows. I suppose partly it’s due to their British-ness; after all, I am a self-proclaimed Anglophile. But I also think it has something to do with the craft and skill that goes into making those shows, and perhaps some wishful thinking on my part.
“Sherlock” is simply stunning. The look and feel of contemporary London jumps off the screen. Not only that, but the acting is superb. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman take to their roles of Holmes and Watson with a commitment that you don’t see much these days. There’s a commitment to the characters that you can feel viscerally. It’s as if you’re simply looking into a window and seeing these people live and work and, sometimes, die.
“Doctor Who” is a very different creature. It’s clear from the outset that the show is campy, corny, crazy, clever, charming, complex and every other ‘c’ adjective you can think of. The show isn’t meant to be realistic; I mean, it follows the adventures of a mystical Time Lord who can bend time and space whenever he wishes.
It walks the perfect balance between over-the-top ridiculousness and heart-wrenching drama, all while maintaining a youthful energy. If only Paideia lecturers could harness that... But I digress. “Doctor Who” succeeds because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s chock-full of a special Who-ness that’s all its own.
As a (fairly) successful actor, it’s my dream to someday play the Doctor, as both the first American and first non-white to every portray him. Barring that, you can see me on Broadway in the 2030 musical adaptation of “The Room!”
Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make the trek out to Baker and participate in my weekly murder mystery skit where I, as Sherlock Holmes, solve the case of “The Study of the Four Scarlet Hounds of Fear Who Stole the Engineer’s Greek Interpreter’s Carbuncle, While the Three Red-Headed Bachelors and Black Peter Made Off with the Bruce-Partington Plans.” (Next production scheduled for Friday, Sept. 21! I hope to see you there!) Until then... Allons-y! DAVID TENNANT 4 LYFE!