You've Gone Too Far Now...

...Or "Why I Am  Not Excited About Dr Who".

Apparently I have strange breaking points when it comes to fiction, beyond which the work of fiction is ruined for me.

"Men In Black III" was ruined for me by NASA. More specifically, a tour guide at Kennedy Space Centre, who left us with the catchy information about shuttle launches:

"Within 100ft, the noise will kill you. Within 200ft, the heat will kill you. Within 500ft, the alligators will kill you...The noise and the heat really riles them."

So, [SPOILER ALERT] when MIB go shimmying around on a rocket as it's launching, that was just a step too far for me. Aliens? Why not. Secret mind-wiping government branch with aliens in the kitchen? OK then. Hanging around on a launching rocket? Just too unbelievable.

I was reminded of that by all the recent who-ha (seewhadIdidthere?) about Dr Who's 50th. I've never really been into Dr Who. I like the idea of it and everything, I can understand the attraction, I love how dedicated the fans are, but the actual show has never thrilled me, personally. I'm sure it's excellent, but I just don't like it. I've tried to watch it. For a couple of years, the family Christmases aligned so that we were at the in-laws for the Dr Who Christmas Special which our niece wanted to watch. OK, cool. Never really watched it before, let's give it a go. The first year was alright. I think (if I remember correctly) it was a two-parter and I actually made the effort to see the second half.

The second year...They went too far.

Regenerating man travelling through time and space in a phone box? Fine. Robot dog? Not a problem. Daleks? Cybermen? Sounds OK to me. Dumbledorenezer Scrooge controls the weather? Fair enough. Man who always knows exactly where a screwdriver is when he needs it? Decidedly iffy (or at least it is in our house), but believable. Sharks that swim through the smog of a major city?

You've gone too far now.