Experienced

So, the Doctor Who Experience at Olympia in London.

It is testament to the change in attitudes towards one of our most beloved and longest-running Sci-Fi TV serials that such a thing exists in the first place. Normally, this kind of show-and-tell with interactive bits is reserved for the likes of Star Trek - many times this afternoon I was comparing this experience to the Trek show at one of the hotels in Las Vegas - and, while small and nowhere near comprehensive, this show is perfectly formed, and wisely keeps itself from becoming a Who Geek's paradise.

You start in a small hall with displays of costumes and set decorations from the most recent series and, at the appointed time (yes, tickets are timed entry) you are lead by staff (conveniently yet incongruously wearing shirts with 'STAFF' printed on the back) through to a storeroom on Starship UK (from The Beast Below) where an information unit (from Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead) highlights some of the more interesting exhibits before the Doctor interrupts from his prison in the Pandorica MkII ("It's not even a different colour! Boring!"). Without going into too much detail about the storyline, you're lead through the TARDIS (not really enough interactive bits, pneumatic floor), into a Dalek spacecraft (with hints of upcoming events?), through a dark cavern with a couple of 'statues' and into a room with an impressive 3D cinematic presentation (not much to it, though). From there, you're released into the main museum section, filled with costumes, props, and two (count 'em) TARDIS control rooms. Monsters old and new are presented well, including a range of Daleks from the oldest to the newest... and it's very strange to see how their height changed over the years. The weirdest thing, though, is how much of this show was "on loan from private collector", including the older of the two control rooms! I know the BBC is notorious for disposing of its old props, but it was sad to see how much was on loan.

The section on sound effects and music could have been a bit larger, or had a bit more variety, but it was a nice inclusion nonetheless, highlighting the important role played by the Radiophonic Workshop. One other cool-for-kids section was the mirrored area where the choreographer from the TV show has done a video that teaches visitors how to walk like Cybermen and the scarecrows (from The Family of Blood).

The gift shop - somewhat unsurprisingly - is well stocked with DVDs, but at prices far above the average high street shop. You'd have to be very forgiving, desperate, or just overcome with Time Lord Geekiness to pick up your boxed sets there. On the upside, they're also very well stocked with the action figures (and I'm still amazed that the BBC bothered with such luxuries, let alone did them so well), playsets, and myriad sonic screwdrivers... from the custom Wiimote, through pens, torches and projectors, all the way to an actual functioning screwdriver in the shape of the current Doctor's multi-purpose tool. I didn't buy anything this time, but I may check the price of the Wiimote elsewhere, and pick one up on my next visit - yes, I'm geeky enough to go a second time, I think. Maybe even one of the screwdrivers, as a funny gift for my father. A life-size Karen Gillen standee was tempting... but I think not.

Depending on how quickly you pass through the museum section, and how scrupulous you are about taking photos (or taking advantage of the green screen photo booth) the event could take anywhere between an hour and two hours... so it's £17 well spent.

Actually getting there turned out to be a rather strange experience, but only because I'd forgotten what time I was supposed to be meeting my old mate Paul. He'd emailed me earlier in the week, to say that we were booking to go in at 2pm, so we should meet at 1pm. Somehow, in the intervening time, I'd been rolling those times an hour backward every time I thought about it. I went to bed last night thinking we were going in at 1pm, so meeting at noon... and got up this morning thinking we were going in at noon... so I was waiting at the station for Paul shortly before 11am. When it became clear, over an hour later, that something was more seriously adrift than I had guessed, I decided to head home and check the email. Sure enough, when I got home, fired up the computer and re-read his instruction... it was time to leave again. I admitted my mistake when he arrived at the station, and he found it quite amusing. Considering I have a calendar hung up in the hallway, you'd think I'd write it up there, including the times...