It all started when the aliens began drinking at my bar

Going to a university which was and still is used as the setting for a flagship British sci-fi series takes getting used to, especially if you’re a fan of said show.

Cardiff University's new vice chancellor was more right wing than his predecessor


Now I’m talking about Doctor Who and Cardiff primarily and as a former student of the University there (Cardiff University not UWIC for any pedants out there) it’s been an odd experience seeing places I recognise mocked up as a historical locations since leaving. If nothing else it spoils the suspension of disbelief.

The case in point came when the first new episode since June was shown – the catchily titled “Let’s Kill Hitler”. Of course this required the eccentric Time Lord and his chums to visit Nazi Berlin, or as I saw it, my old university buildings draped in Nazi regalia. The most ironic fact of all this was in one of the same buildings now “Nazified” as Hitler's headquarters for the purposes of sci-fi is actually named the "Temple of Peace" in real life. Weirder still, in the building next door I spent hours of my life extensively studying the effects of Nazi propaganda on mass media theory and picking apart how it was effective. 

 When the aliens started drinking there it just wasn't the same anymore

This is not the first time I’ve seen this happen post uni. I remember during the episode that saw David Tennant turn into Matt Smith that the Doctor visited my old university bookshop for a book signing and then proceeded to go to an alien bar, which happened to be one of my old night spots. You know you’ve been away from a place for a long time when your drinking holes turn into the Cantina from Star Wars. 

I think the point of all this is that fiction and reality should never mix. 

A real blog post (and not hopeless ramblings) next time. 

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