My wife and I take our kids each week to watch the new episode at a old fashioned, 1 screen theater. It's free, you get to watch the episode in a theater of fans, they serve beer, and my kids usually dress up in Doctor Who related costumes. We've literally done this for years; so long in fact that I can't remember when we started going (maybe Smith's first year?). We've become good friends with the 2 people who run the theater and they do a great job promoting a fun atmosphere. It's an old 1930s building with a great vibe to it too. We helped the managers decorate the theater in Doctor Who related stuff for the 50th anniversary and watching the special there with a packed house was incredible. Where else can you order Jammie Dodgers and watch Doctor Who!
We learned Saturday night that their contract wasn't being renewed by the 95 year old owner and they had essentially been undercut by another local theater management group who plan to gut the place and put in a modern bar along with the movie screen. They are devastated and honestly so are we. In fact the wife of the couple really couldn't talk about it without crying. We have plenty of bar/theaters around town, and it's frustrating to see the destruction of something I felt was special and unique to make way for something that isn't.
As this season of Who was ending, so was our special way we watch the program. Like a Time Lord, our viewing habits will regenerate and go on. But I feel my favorite viewing experience, like my favorite Doctor, is now in the past and behind me.
And much like the Doctor, I'm mad enough (Hell Bent) about the circumstances around how this takeover went down that I'm already talking to another theater in town about showing the next season of Who. They may gut and rebuild our beloved theater, but I think I've ensured that the new managers will never be able to show Who there again.
We learned Saturday night that their contract wasn't being renewed by the 95 year old owner and they had essentially been undercut by another local theater management group who plan to gut the place and put in a modern bar along with the movie screen. They are devastated and honestly so are we. In fact the wife of the couple really couldn't talk about it without crying. We have plenty of bar/theaters around town, and it's frustrating to see the destruction of something I felt was special and unique to make way for something that isn't.
As this season of Who was ending, so was our special way we watch the program. Like a Time Lord, our viewing habits will regenerate and go on. But I feel my favorite viewing experience, like my favorite Doctor, is now in the past and behind me.
And much like the Doctor, I'm mad enough (Hell Bent) about the circumstances around how this takeover went down that I'm already talking to another theater in town about showing the next season of Who. They may gut and rebuild our beloved theater, but I think I've ensured that the new managers will never be able to show Who there again.
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