Jodie Whittaker is the 13th Doctor

[YellowSubmarine]

Will the Doctor be able to just take charge in historical situations or will it be more of a challenge? Is the new Doctor going to make more commentary on sexual politics or not? Even things like when the Doctor showed up at Bill's house with the roommates, does that play differently with a woman?

If she crashes a spaceship from the future, that would be no different than one of the male Doctors doing it. If she crashes a party in the 19th century, that would be the beginning of something interesting. I'm actually looking forward to stories taking place in the past, because the show may get an interesting change of perspective there.

However, given the past Doctor's personalities, and how all her incarnations have handled being the elephant in the room so far—ignoring any social norms and dodging all questions—she still wouldn't need to change herself even the slightest, even if the show tries to put on a new perspective. She could act the way a 21st century woman or a man would, blissfully unaware that this is causing turmoil for the fragile 19th century souls. That's, of course, not how the Doctor ever acted, and any historical situations would hardly be a match for Eleventh's performance at the start of The Time of the Doctor. So the Doctor would just be the Doctor being the Doctor, even if the world around her suddenly changes.

I'm slightly disappointed there's no naïve companion to deal with her regenerating this time. I began Doctor Who with binge-watching the Ninth,* and I didn't know the Doctor regenerated, so my disappointment at the Tenth's appearance rivalled Clara's welcoming of Capaldi. I think a gender change would have made that all the more hilarious. Although slightly cruel, as Clara definitely had a crush on him.

* ENT: Future Tense brought me here!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Adult Life Skills, currently on Prime Video, was recommended by Den of Geek and BFI. Have to say it was an enjoyable film. Worth watching for an idea of her if you've not seen much.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The thing that worries me is, what happens if the ratings tank even further, whether it's due to all those who are outraged tuning out, or just a continuation of the downward trend we've seen?

Do they ride it out, or dump Jodie in hopes that will cause the rebound we haven't seen yet?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Best not to worry about these things. For all the talk of dropping ratings I don't believe it has ever dropped out of the top ten for the day of broadcast.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Best not to worry about these things. For all the talk of dropping ratings I don't believe it has ever dropped out of the top ten for the day of broadcast.

Absolutely. But they obviously know they're doing something risky if they've been reading boards like this and hearing the vitriol.

I seriously hop the ratings go up, so there isn't even a discussion in that regard.

With Orphan Black wrapping up, this leaves one show I like to watch. I want it to be good as much as anybody.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Given everything that went on during his time in the role, it's remarkable - and brilliant - that Colin Baker has retained so much enthusiasm for the show. I read that Graun piece a few days ago; it just made him even more likeable.

Ian Levine is an irrelevance. To put it politely.

I follow Colin on Twitter and he's clearly a lovely man. I just wish I could like his portrayal of Six better!

 

[Lonemagpie]

I love how people worry about the "ratings" as if raw numbers mattered nowadays - they don't, it's the share of the wiewing public that matters, and that has stayed high throughout Nu Who.

On an unrelated note, the 13th Doctor has always been female - Joanna Lovely, er, Lumley, was the 13th in Curse Of Fatal Death...

 

[Jayson1]

Here is my take on the issue. I'm sure many people wanted the new Doctor to be a woman. Would this count as sexism by going in with a preference? If someone has the oposite preference I'm not sure I see the difference.

Why they want these preferences will be different of course. If you want it woman it can be because you wanted to see a new twist on the character, a strong female role model,or a particular actress you are found of and you think would be right for the part. Me I got to admit I was wanting Hayley Attwell.

If you want it to be a man it can be because of tradition,want a particular actor, maybe don't think woman can play eccentric, or you want a male because you want to have a male role model to look up to. I'm sure sexism or man hating or any of that kind of stuff might factor into the issue for some as well but I would like to think it doesn't make up the majority of the opinions.

For me I was wanting it to be a woman and I wanted it to be Hayley Attwell plus I like it as a new twist on the character we haven't seen before. I didn't get my actress and whether or not the twist aspect works won't be know until we see the character in action. What I did like though in that promotion clip was even though I don't know who the actress is but she felt like the Doctor at first glance which is enough for me to be excited.

Jason

 

[Redfern]

I wish I could find the source again, but I read somewhere Whittaker is currently contracted for just a single series. Alas, some will want to interpret that as "trepidation", "hesitancy" on some party's part. The naysayers will want to claim, "See, even the BBC is unsure about this; otherwise, they would have contracted her for at least three as they did with earlier actors!"

Frankly, I would find it a hoot if she winds up performing the role for 4 or 5 "full" series, staying longer than any of those since the revival.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Absolutely. But they obviously know they're doing something risky if they've been reading boards like this and hearing the vitriol.

I seriously hop the ratings go up, so there isn't even a discussion in that regard.

With Orphan Black wrapping up, this leaves one show I like to watch. I want it to be good as much as anybody.

They take a risk with everything. People hated Smith, vowed not to watch Capaldi, Catherine Tate was going to ruin the show as was Matt Lucas, RTD had a gay agenda that was putting people off, Steven Moffat is sexism personified and I won't watch any more. No matter what they do vocal minorites will hate it and say it's the downfall of the show. Here we are 13 years later.

 

[Spot261]

Objections can be a bit more complex than that, as this lady's post proves.

So, someone who has extremely poor grammar and an inability to form paragraphs believes that the Doctor is a surrogate father figure to her and has thus altered the terms of that relationship and abandoned her by effectively having a sex change?

And we are supposed to take this drivel seriously?

 

[MadeIndescribable]

I'm sure many people wanted the new Doctor to be a woman. Would this count as sexism by going in with a preference?

Not if you want someone of the opposite gender to the way it's always been played in an effort to at least address the inequality.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

They take a risk with everything. People hated Smith, vowed not to watch Capaldi, Catherine Tate was going to ruin the show as was Matt Lucas, RTD had a gay agenda that was putting people off, Steven Moffat is sexism personified and I won't watch any more. No matter what they do vocal minorites will hate it and say it's the downfall of the show. Here we are 13 years later.

I definitely remember all those things, but they weren't near as loud as what we're getting now. I ignore the nonsense, but I know it's there.

 

[StCoop]

I wish I could find the source again, but I read somewhere Whittaker is currently contracted for just a single series..

Despite what sometimes get stated online, I don't think any Doctor gets contracted for more than one series a time. Matt Smith famously wasn't contracted for the 50th Anniversary episode until shortly before it went into production!

 

[Jayson1]

Not if you want someone of the opposite gender to the way it's always been played in an effort to at least address the inequality.

That seems like a solid reason to want a woman Doctor but it doesn't have to be the only way to address inequality. Stronger companions was a first start so they aren't just eye candy. In fact I know when I first started watching the show in 2005 I felt Rose was the star of the show. I was more into her than the Doctor.

We have also gotten a woman Master and Harriet Jones was a woman prime minister. Next step is a woman show runner. For me though the issue doesn't have to be all black and white. You can have one preference or another without it always being about race and gender. While I am sure these things influence everyone on some level it doesn't mean ever human motivation comes just from those issues. I would like to think human opinion is a little more complex than that.

I think the big thing I don't like though is the name calling that comes from both sides. Even if someone has a really horrible idea or belief and we certainly see plenty of that on the internet I kind of like the idea of people being civil with each for no other reason than we are all human beings and even someone who we don't like should be treated with some level of respect because of that. Unless someone is out their hurting people their is nothing wrong with people just being different. Even if that difference comes down to someone being a asshole. I'm sure they think the same thing about us liberals.

Jason

 

[StCoop]

I definitely remember all those things, but they weren't near as loud as what we're getting now. I ignore the nonsense, but I know it's there.

The good part about Series 11 being 14 months away is that at least some of the people who aren't happy now will come round or be willing to give her a try. There'll be that hard-core of haters (who've clearly never understood anything about the character they claim to enjoy watxching) who'll never change their minds but there'll also be new viewers coming in.

In fact, it's actually Chibnall more than Whittake who has a lot to prove in order to keep people coming back after that first episode.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Ian Levine is an irrelevance. To put it politely.

Levine calls himself as a sort of ultimate fan, specifically citing his impeccable memory for remembering details from the Hartnell era. He "fought" for Doctor Who during its first cancellation, but as far as I can tell, he's been extrraordinarily dismissive of Big Finish and their line-up during those very Wilderness Years, not to mention the Virgin Adventures, calling it all fan-fiction (this, from a guy who wrote "Gallifrey" from a "treatment" that Eric Saward allegedly wrote but has vehimentally denied ever doing). So perhaps not a big surprise that he's not a big fan of these kinds of changes.

 

[The Wormhole]

I actually just checked out Ian Levine's Twitter because of this discussion. Sweet fuck! The guy is practically burning Chibnall effigies. No seriously, he's ranting on and on about how Chibnall has ruined his life and destroyed Doctor Who for him. I can't decide which is worse, this or how he went on about Phillip Morris during the missing episode drama a few years ago.

 

[Turtletrekker]

If this has ruined his life then didn't have a life in the first place. He needs to get one.

 

[StCoop]

Levine calls himself as a sort of ultimate fan, specifically citing his impeccable memory for remembering details from the Hartnell era. He "fought" for Doctor Who during its first cancellation, but as far as I can tell, he's been extrraordinarily dismissive of Big Finish and their line-up during those very Wilderness Years, not to mention the Virgin Adventures, calling it all fan-fiction...

And yet has paid for various Doctor Who actors to appear in Fan Films made solely for his benefit. (And he's had 'Mission to The Unknown' and 'Shada' animated for his benefit as well.)*

As someone who actually knew Ian in person years ago, before joining the long list of people on his enemies list, I can also assure you that while he might have saved a bunch of episodes from being destroyed he didn't do it for the benefit of the Fans, he did it for himself and for the glory it would bring to him.



*For those of you who don't know he's got a looooot of money.