When I was a freshman in high school, my local PBS station, WYES, aired their first broadcast of the British science fiction program Doctor Who.

The year was 1981.
The Doctor was Tom Baker.
The Companion was Elisabeth Sladen.
The story was 'Robot'.
And I was hooked!

At 10:30 pm, over the next 42 Saturday nights (yes 42 Saturday nights with two pre-emptions), WYES aired the entire run of Tom Baker era stories. This was 7 years of Doctor Who, crammed into under 10 months viewing. The original stories had been broadcast on BBC1 as multi-part serials, averaging 25 minutes each week. The average story was 4 episodes long, with the average series running 26 episodes.

For the American Tom Baker broadcasts in the early 80s, the American distributor, Lionheart, offered PBS affiliates the series in both the original episodic format and in an edited 'omnibus' movie-style format. Reference: Doctor Who in Canada and America

The later is how I first viewed Doctor Who. Every Saturday night WYES would air a complete story as a Doctor Who movie! This was something good. This was something great. This would soon be something greater.

About half-way through the run, on Saturday May 2nd, 1981 WYES aired the 1977 story, "The Invisible Enemy". I was a 14 year old boy, living in the Greater New Orleans area and I had just witnessed the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. No, I am not talking about the highly immobile Nucleus of the Swarm. I am talking about K-9, the robot dog. Reference: The History of K-9

This was a dog, that was a robot, and he talked. It was not a man or a monkey in a dog suit. It was a fully functional, motorized robot. I know the fully functional part is a bit of an exageration, but try to think of it in the context of the times. This was the second hook that reeled me in for good. I was now a committed Doctor Who fan.

But it was more than that. The show had sparked something inside me. I wanted to know how this robot ticked. I wanted to make one of my very own. But I did not have the skills, or the plans, but I now had a mission. And that is where I shall leave you until next time .....

P.S. This past weekend was an amazing whirlwind of Whovian activities. Krewe du Who held scheduled events in Baton Rouge, Mobile, Algiers Point and New Orleans!

The most poignant moment for me occured during the Sunday Krewe du Who Femme Doctors Photo Shoot @ Audubon Park. My wife Kristin and I were walking the tin dog through the park, when a little girl of two years old ran up to K-9, while holding a blue balloon and shouting out 'Doggie'! She was precious. Imagine Cindy Lou Who, with a balloon instead of an ornament.

Her mother, father and little sister came up immediately behind her. Her father watched protectively over her as she interacted with K-9. I carefully maneuvered K-9. The look of delight in her eyes, as K-9's tail wagged and his ears spun, instantly melted my heart. If that wasn't enough, when her father eventually came over and picked her up, she kissed K-9 goodbye.

The look of wonder in the eyes of a child. That, more than anything else, is what makes being a Whovian so special.

Paul M. Patecek,
The Prime Mover
Krewe du Who