Need an account? Members If you're a member and have a print subscription, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Not yet a member? Click here to see your options for becoming a member. Doctor Who documentary explores how a sci-fi classic shapes real-world purpose at Showboat Theaters in Hermann Filmmaker and former area resident Ross Ruediger holds a Q&A with a few of the audience members after the showing of his Doctor Who inspired documentary, inDoctornated, on Saturday at the Showboat Theater in Hermann. photo by edward gehlert Proud mother, Rita Eakes, poses with her director, producer and screenwriter son, Ross Ruediger, after the Missouri premiere of his documentary inDoctornated at the Showboat Theater in Hermann on Saturday while long-time friend Eva Gehlert shows her support. Photo By edward gehlert Wednesday, November 19, 2025 11:18 am By Edward Gehlert, Staff Writer HERMANN — Doctor Who inspired documentary, inDoctornated, made its Missouri debut at the Showboat Theater in Hermann on Oct. 15, bringing the movie home in more ways than one. Hermann is hometown to director, writer and movie producer Ross Ruediger and the historic Showboat Theater where he saw many of the movies that first sparked his imagination, making the venue a meaningful place for him to share the film with Missouri audiences. This independent documentary steps outside the familiar television universe of aliens, time travel and blue police boxes to explore something far more grounded — the lives of everyday people transformed by Doctor Who. Through three American fans, the film examines how a decades-old sci-fi series can ignite passions, guide values and inspire meaningful careers built on creativity and compassion. inDoctornated is produced by Unassuming Pictures and co-directed by Ruediger, a longtime Doctor Who fan who grew up in the Herman and Owensville area before moving in high school to San Antonio, Texas, and Chris Hansen. The documentary follows engineer Brian Uiga, environmental scientist Sarah Roberts and writer Lee Hurtado. Each credits the show with shaping their personal and professional paths in unexpected ways. Instead of focusing on conventions or collectibles, inDoctornated explores how one television series becomes a moral and emotional compass, steering people toward purpose and connection. One of the film’s biggest surprises, Ruediger said, came from Hurtado, whose role emerged almost by accident. “He was under my nose the whole time,” Ruediger said. “We shot with him for an hour, and when we left, my co-director Chris said, ‘Why can’t he just be our third subject?’… He’s kind of the most beloved figure in the film.” Hurtado’s journey, which includes narrative work for Morgan’s Wonderland — an inclusive theme park located in San Antonio for individuals with disabilities — highlights the show’s emphasis on representation and empathy. His story anchors the film’s emotional core. Uiga’s segment focuses on engineering and media preservation, showing how curiosity and innovation can help rescue aging film and safeguard cultural history. Roberts’ journey shows how stewardship, compassion and responsibility, recurring themes in Doctor Who, guided her into environmental science. Ruediger’s own connection to the series began in Owensville, where late-night broadcasts on KETC (St. Louis channel 9) sparked both imagination and ambition. “My mother let me stay up until midnight on Sunday nights to watch it,” he said. “I got a dishwashing job for $20 a night so I could buy my own VCR to record it.” He recalls standing beneath a rural light pole after some episodes, staring at the stars and imagining the universe the show revealed. Trips to early St. Louis fan functions helped cement that lifelong connection. In fact he was driven by one of his high school teachers, Glenn Duncan, to his very first convention. As online spaces grow increasingly hostile when it comes to some fandoms, inDoctornated offers a counterpoint, highlighting the positive aspects of the Doctor Who fandom and that it is built on respect rather than division. “A healthy fandom supports one another no matter what their opinion of the show is,” Ruediger said. “We both love the same thing, and we can love it for different reasons, and that’s okay.” The film took nearly a decade to complete. Much of the struggle, Ruediger said, came from the realities of independent filmmaking. Funding was scarce, and many who contributed never received the compensation they deserved. Still, the film exceeded his expectations. “The movie is better than the movie I envisioned in my head,” he said. “Things happen that you can’t plan. You can’t truly plan a documentary.” For young creatives, especially those from small towns, Ruediger offers some practical advice when it comes to making films. “If your goal is to make a living doing it, it’s going to be hard going,” he said. “If your goal is to tell stories, you might just get to the making-a-living part…Concentrate on telling good stories first.” Ruediger hopes inDoctornated will serve as a bridge for fans during the gap before new Doctor Who episodes arrive in December of next year. Premiering at the San Antonio Film Festival in July 2025, inDoctornated has already drawn attention for its universal themes of hope, growth and the search for purpose. Even those who have never seen an episode of the show have connected with its message. At a time when division dominates headlines and online communities, the documentary stands as a reminder of what storytelling can do when it lands in the right hands. Whether through engineering, science or writing, the film argues that stories, no matter their origin, can shape lives, build community and inspire people to do good long after the credits roll. Other items that may interest you Source: http://www.gasconadecountyrepublican.com/stories/doctor-who-documentary-explores-how-a-sci-fi-classic-shapes-real-world-purpose-at-showboat,247247