Well, that didn't take long at all. Just over two weeks since the end of the sixth season of Doctor Who (or the 32nd season to be perfectly correct), I am already obsessing over it and missing it like crazy. I definitely think it is time to start watching the current series again from season 1.
I’m pretty partial to the Doctor Who theme tune but I have to be honest: I prefer the previous versions. I miss the bass-driven sounds of the original theme tune, with the beautiful riff at about 0.34 and 1.31.
I miss the excitement of the theme from the early to mid-1980s, with its futuristic, electronic flavour. That is the theme I grew up with and I will always love it. The riff was present again at at 0.36 but it sounded more electronic and robotic.
When the show returned in 2005, it took longer, but that magical, majestic riff played in at 0.56 and 2.04. To me, it gives the theme a sense of occasion, circumstance, excitement and importance.
It probably sounds silly, but I really miss that riff in the current theme tune. To make matters worse, the theme ends just before the riff would begin. I know I am meant to feel grateful that the theme is now shorter and the episode begins sooner but it doesn’t feel right.
It is like eating half a hot dog*, I feel utterly unfulfilled every time I hear it and I rush off (after the episode) to my iPod to listen to The Orbital version. The Orbital version, “Doctor?”, is really a tribute but it has everything. It has the deep baselines of the original, the futuristic feel of the 1980s version, the magic and circumstance of version from 2005 but most importantly, it has that riff.
This is a fun fan video featuring the Orbital version. It is a real pity that there is no official video but I thought it was slightly more fun than the versions of them performing it in concert (even when Matt Smith joined them at Glastonbury).
*Disclaimer: This analogy might only work if you are as crazy about hot dogs as I am. In fact, this whole post might only work if you are as crazy about Doctor Who as I am.
