The thing is, the U.S. has never (to my knowledge) had the equivalent of a police box, so it's not really all that surprising that a casual Dr. Who watcher wouldn't know that that's what it is. I knew what Dr. Who was since I was a little kid, but I never really watched it until recently, and so for most of my life, until I was in my early 20s, I didn't know that it wasn't a phone booth either. So, I can't really say this guy is stupid, so much as ignorant... which is not the same thing at all. Most people are ignorant about most things. It's just the way things are.
accually The first police telephone was installed in Albany, New York in 1877. Call boxes for use by both police and members of the public were first installed in Washington, DC in 1883; Chicago and Detroit installed police call boxes in 1884, and in 1885 Boston followed suit. the first UK police Box didn't appear until 1891 in Glasgow.
I really have to object to this guy being a dope. He's just brought up in a different country several decades after some of these details would have been relevant to him.
To be fair, half the time the TARDIS was on an alien world or in a part of Earth history where anyone who looked at it would say "huh, that doesn't belong here". Although I bet UNIT has a special file marked "ONLY TO BE OPENED IF YOU SEE ONE OF THESE" just so when the Brigadier isn't around, someone knows what to do.
There's also the fact that the TARDIS clearly reads POLICE [public call] BOX on four sides, and the British phonebooth is distinctly red, skinnier, has windows, and reads TELEPHONE on four sides...
Also, for what it's worth, the Tardis is meant to camouflage in wherever it lands, but the chameleon circuit on the Doctor's Tardis is broken, so it doesn't change its appearance normally.
While it's true that, most of the time, no one will think it's a phone booth, it's also true that most people won't think that it's a vehicle that can travel through time and space and is much larger on the inside than the outside.
I've known about Doctor Who since the '70s, but I didn't bother watching, other than the odd episode here and there, until this last run.
It's worth noting that police boxes are virtually unknown even in Britain these days. To any British person born in the past 60 years, that blue box means 'TARDIS', not 'police'. Even though it was once a common piece of street furniture, the copyright to it is now actually owned by the BBC.
As to why nobody seems to question it in the series, that actually *is* a good question.
The original plan was for the TARDIS to take the form of something that would look normal for the place and time: a column in ancient Rome, for example. But the couldn't afford to build any props other than the police box, so they had to keep using it.
So... much... wrong...
ReplyDeleteAs someone who started watching Dr. Who in 1974, I think the dope kinda has a point.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, the U.S. has never (to my knowledge) had the equivalent of a police box, so it's not really all that surprising that a casual Dr. Who watcher wouldn't know that that's what it is. I knew what Dr. Who was since I was a little kid, but I never really watched it until recently, and so for most of my life, until I was in my early 20s, I didn't know that it wasn't a phone booth either. So, I can't really say this guy is stupid, so much as ignorant... which is not the same thing at all. Most people are ignorant about most things. It's just the way things are.
ReplyDeleteaccually The first police telephone was installed in Albany, New York in 1877. Call boxes for use by both police and members of the public were first installed in Washington, DC in 1883; Chicago and Detroit installed police call boxes in 1884, and in 1885 Boston followed suit.
Deletethe first UK police Box didn't appear until 1891 in Glasgow.
But it says Police Box right... on... it...
DeleteI also thought everyone knew British phone booths were red, so it's obviously not that, so look at the words that are printed right on it.
I'm surprised he even knows what a phone booth is. Seriously, how many phone booths are left out there?
ReplyDeleteI really have to object to this guy being a dope. He's just brought up in a different country several decades after some of these details would have been relevant to him.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, half the time the TARDIS was on an alien world or in a part of Earth history where anyone who looked at it would say "huh, that doesn't belong here". Although I bet UNIT has a special file marked "ONLY TO BE OPENED IF YOU SEE ONE OF THESE" just so when the Brigadier isn't around, someone knows what to do.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget folks!
ReplyDeleteIn TARDIS there is 'tard'!
Whatever that means in this context. o_O
Phone boxes don't look anything like that anymore from what I understand.
ReplyDeleteBut On the other hand, Perception filter.
There's also the fact that the TARDIS clearly reads POLICE [public call] BOX on four sides, and the British phonebooth is distinctly red, skinnier, has windows, and reads TELEPHONE on four sides...
ReplyDeleteEveryone knows Inspector Spacetime is the one who travels in a phone booth. The Doctor travels in a police box. Get it right.
ReplyDeleteThe Doctor probably borrowed a Somebody Else's Problem field from a H2G2 character to rectify that problem.
ReplyDeleteIt's a Police Callbox... not really a phone-booth, per se...
ReplyDeleteHe's not Bill & Ted. (Although The Doctor IS on a most excellent adventure!)
Was he pointing at the actual Tardis when he said this?
ReplyDeleteAlso, for what it's worth, the Tardis is meant to camouflage in wherever it lands, but the chameleon circuit on the Doctor's Tardis is broken, so it doesn't change its appearance normally.
ReplyDeleteWhile it's true that, most of the time, no one will think it's a phone booth, it's also true that most people won't think that it's a vehicle that can travel through time and space and is much larger on the inside than the outside.
ReplyDeleteI've known about Doctor Who since the '70s, but I didn't bother watching, other than the odd episode here and there, until this last run.
It's worth noting that police boxes are virtually unknown even in Britain these days. To any British person born in the past 60 years, that blue box means 'TARDIS', not 'police'. Even though it was once a common piece of street furniture, the copyright to it is now actually owned by the BBC.
ReplyDeleteAs to why nobody seems to question it in the series, that actually *is* a good question.
They do question it actually. It's quite common for people to at least express confusion at the sight of a Police box in that day and age.
ReplyDeleteThe original plan was for the TARDIS to take the form of something that would look normal for the place and time: a column in ancient Rome, for example. But the couldn't afford to build any props other than the police box, so they had to keep using it.
ReplyDelete"I'M TRAPPED IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!!!!!!"
ReplyDeleteThey're quite commonplace in Glasgow, Scotland.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/tardis/
They have phones in booths now? Finally! I can stop lugging this cell phone around!
ReplyDelete