Doctors, companions are a big hit at ‘Doctor Who’ convention

By Commodore Dave Mason

LOS ANGELES — Gallifrey One was just what the Doctors and their fans ordered.

Just ask audience members who saw Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker, the seventh and sixth stars who played the title character of “Doctor Who.” The two stars from 1980s incarnations of TV’s longest-running sci-fi show made the audience laugh as they kidded each other on stage at the 35th annual “Doctor Who” convention in Los Angeles.

The convention, officially called Gallifrey One in 35 Millimetre, was a hit with Cassie Queen, who became companion Rose Tyler when the USS Angeles member stepped out of her TARDIS at her first Gallifrey convention.

Cassie put on a blond wig and jacket to dress as Rose. She further got into the spirit of the Feb. 1-3 LAX Marriott convention by exchanging ribbons to add to her name badge. Her dad and fellow Angeles member, Joe Queen, came to the “Doctor Who” convention and enjoyed attending panels with Cassie, who later said she loved Gallifrey.

USS Angeles members Kristine and Dennis Cherry, who are longtime Gallifrey participants, joined Cassie, Joe and me at the convention. Both Cassie and Dennis brought their Whooves, stuffed animals/ponies who are part of the “Doctor Who” universe. And Kristine sold her works at the art show.

We also spent time with our friend Jerry Tien, the longtime commanding officer of a Fremont-based STARFLEET chapter, the USS Eagle. Jerry, Kristine, Dennis, our friend Liz and I gathered for dinner Feb. 2 at the hotel’s Hangar 18 restaurant. Cassie, Joe and I had lunch the next day in the hotel’s courtyard.

We saw a good number of “Doctor Who” stars, including Jenna Coleman, who played companion Clara Oswald, and Catherine Tate, who portrayed companion Donna Noble. Coleman was interviewed on stage. But Tate took all her questions from the audience and worked the room, going down on the floor to interact with fans and make them laugh. 

And fellow British actress Nicola Bryant, who played Peri Brown, the companion to the fifth and sixth doctors (Peter Davison and Colin Baker respectively), told fans about using an American accent as she started her career. It worked too well. Bryant was mistaken for being an American, which proved to be an advantage, since her character, Peri, was an American on “Doctor Who.”

Inside the dealers room, fans got to play around on a TARDIS command console, complete with knobs and dials to get you where and when you want to go. Fans also posed for photos in front of a TARDIS, which I swore at the time wasn’t there just a second ago. Hmm.

More about Gallifrey, including additional details about Bryant’s American accent and the Doctors, will appear in the March edition of Angels Flight, the newsletter that goes to USS Angeles members. To become one, click on “join us.”

Cassie and Joe Queen attend their first Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles. Cassie is dressed as companion Rose Tyler at the “Doctor Who” convention. (Photos by Dave Mason/USS Angeles/Angels Flight)

Jenna Coleman, who played companion Clara Oswald, listens to an interviewer’s questions on stage at Gallifrey One in 35 Millimetre, the annual “Doctor Who” convention in Los Angeles.

A Dalek poses for photos with a fan in costume at Gallifrey One in 35 Millimetre, the annual “Doctor Who” convention at LAX Marriott.

USS Angeles members Kristine and Dennis Cherry attend Gallifrey One In 35 Millimetre in Los Angeles.

Jerry Tien spends time in the ballroom with the main programming at Gallifrey One.