What kind of Doctor do you think Jodie Whittaker will portray?

[Mark_Nguyen]

That suggests that the Doctor has control over what he gets. On several occasions he implies he has no idea (Castrovalva, Day of the Doctor, et. al.) whereas with Twelve it's strongly implied that he subconsciously chose a face he'd seen before for a specific reason. OTOH, it's likewise stated (The War Games, Destiny of the Daleks, Night of the Doctor) that a face/gender can be specified, with help or without. I think that it's within the realm of possibility that they can do it either way, either as the usual lottery or a specific choice. What remains is whether or not Moffatt will deliberately write the reason into the Christmas episode, or (more likely) leave it to the successor to tell us.

As for the portrayal itself, consider that the actor will have the most say over it, so it's probably worthwhile to see how Jodie has portrayed other roles in the past. For example, there are clips of her portral of Antigone online, a role that literally hundreds or thousands of women AND men have portrayed in the past two millenia. Finding someone else's portrayal of Antigone and then comparing it to Jodie's could reveal some insight into how she will approach the character.

As for the writing that will support it, RTD is on record as saying that he literally wrote his 9th and 10th Doctors practically the same, and left it to the actor to interpret it as they saw best. Moffatt IMO has more input in his Doctors and seems to deliberately write them differently, but so much of the actors still manage to shine through.

Mark

 

[ihno]

Even though TIme Lords can be any gender we have the fact that the Doctor has always been a man. Why not explore why he went that way and why hasn't he been a woman before. What if this Doctor choose this option as a means of exploring his/her own self. Basically a more self reflective doctor and one who might not even see herself as being more evolved than humans.

Jason

It was something that Missy did.

 

[Jayson1]

It was something that Missy did.

I could see that. She seemed to reform as a woman so maybe he wanted to try and do the same thing. Problem is i'm not sure what kind of trama would make him want to reform? Galleyfrey was saved so you don't even have that trama to deal with anymore. Maybe something so horrible will happen in the Christmas episode he feels he can't live with himself anymore as he has in the past and needs the biggest change he has ever gone through.

Also is it possible that she could be the first doctor and she will someday transform into David Bradley? That is why he is in the Christmas ep. He wants Capodi help change their own past. Can a Doctor change his/her own past? What if the idea is that they basically want to reset their entire existence by sending the first doctor which is Whittaker on a different path.

This would basically be a reboot since the Doctor would have none of the memories of the past Doctor's or do you think the fans heads would go nuts over this?

Jason

 

[ihno]

I don't think we will see much of her in the Christmas Special. It'll be the ususal last two minutes I guess. Simply because it's Moffat's last episode and he would inferfere too much with the new showrunner if he sets important things about her.
Hopefully Moffat can let his fingers off something "big" or "special" like those nine billion years in this timelord-thing. I want something funny and not too much spectacle.

And I don't think they will make a story arc out of the doctor being a woman now. There are just too many options for doing it the wrong way and make that would the story arc weird.
Alone the idea that they try to explain inuniverse why both had refused for 13+ regenerations to become a woman (in opposition to "we've left that all behind us), would be a rather odd thing to show.

Trying to explain those real-life things inuniverse is too often unsufficient (like this thing they did with the Klingons' appearence in ETP, I strongly prefer the self-ironical approach of DS9).

 

[Ithekro]

Turning all of the Doctor's history on end and essentially starting over would be a bit too far I think. Also that would make Whittaker's Doctor as something other than the 13th Doctor, and if she was actually the First Doctor, or a predecessor to the "First Doctor", taking the "Brain of Mobius" series of Doctors into account and Pertwee's 3rd Doctor talking about his age as correct, that you have a bunch of other fish to fry. Namely the string of pre-Doctor incarnations set before the era of the First Doctor and Susan. Or potentially worse, change the Hartnell/Bradley regeneration into Whittaker instead of Troughton/Shearsmith to totally flip the universe around.

Though there is a question. Is there a pattern going on? While possibly actually including the 9th Doctor, could the 10th be the 1st Doctor proxy, as the 11th Doctor sometimes seemed to channel the 2nd Doctor while the 12th Doctor channels the 3rd Doctor as much or more than the 1st Doctor. Could the 13th channel the 4th Doctor, who was by far the most alien of the group and the one with the largest justifiably ego (the 6th ego was something different from that).

 

[Jayson1]

Turning all of the Doctor's history on end and essentially starting over would be a bit too far I think. Also that would make Whittaker's Doctor as something other than the 13th Doctor, and if she was actually the First Doctor, or a predecessor to the "First Doctor", taking the "Brain of Mobius" series of Doctors into account and Pertwee's 3rd Doctor talking about his age as correct, that you have a bunch of other fish to fry. Namely the string of pre-Doctor incarnations set before the era of the First Doctor and Susan. Or potentially worse, change the Hartnell/Bradley regeneration into Whittaker instead of Troughton/Shearsmith to totally flip the universe around.

Though there is a question. Is there a pattern going on? While possibly actually including the 9th Doctor, could the 10th be the 1st Doctor proxy, as the 11th Doctor sometimes seemed to channel the 2nd Doctor while the 12th Doctor channels the 3rd Doctor as much or more than the 1st Doctor. Could the 13th channel the 4th Doctor, who was by far the most alien of the group and the one with the largest justifiably ego (the 6th ego was something different fro that).

 

[Jayson1]

I had another thought but what if she isn't the Doctor but Susan who I guess must have time lord genes if she was related and being called the Doctor is something that is passed down in the same way we humans give our children our last name. That means the old doctor would still be out their and we would be simply be following a new character.

Also I recall some people talking about the idea of following the master. Could she be the next version after Missy? Perhaps she is the Doctor's mom or dad. Even a timelord has to have parents. You could even possibly see what the more established doctor was like as a child or a teenager. Be interesting to see what TImelord's are like when they are very young.

Jason

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^ Nah, I think if you do this you have to go all the way with this, you can't go with a woman for the first time and then have her be a less than legit Doctor.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think the Fifth Doctor said it best when he looked into a mirror for the first time:
"That's the trouble with regeneration--you never quite know what you're going to get."

Sure, some Time Lords can choose what bodies they're going to regenerate into, but I think most times it's a roll of the dice. As such, some can spend their entire regeneration cycle in the same gender, while others may alternate frequently and not always by choice.

Regeneration can be funny that way, IMO.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

She reminds me a bit of Peter Davison - just from the impression.

That's what worries me. Davison was fine but was way too normal to be the Doctor.

Wow. As this thread made think of a silly joke, I suddenly imagined School Reunion with 13th instead of 10th, and the Doctor introducing herself as Jane Smith. That made me feel sad somehow.

Of all the companions, I think Sarah Jane would be the most approving of a female Doctor.

I mean, other than the UNIT crowd (Who I hope that we will still be seeing. UNIT is far too integrated into the lore and the name "Lethbridge-Stewart" should continue on in the mythos), although I would be interested in Osgood's reaction to the change.

I'd like to see them bring back Sgt. Benton as Minister of Alien Affairs or something. I suspect he would probably be the most weirded out by a female Doctor.

 

[marillion]

Having some additional time to think about all this, another thought just struck me....

So a lot of old-school Whovians are having a little trouble (some more than a little) to the idea of a woman playing the Doctor... Ok.. that aside.. But what about the Doctor himself? He has been a white guy for how long? How old is he now? 2,000 years or something? While Timelords are a far more advanced race when it comes to things like sexism, the Doctor has NEVER been a woman in all that time.. I wonder if the Doctor him/herself might have to take some time to adjust to the idea... Physically, of course, there is always an adjustment period after a regeneration.. But beyond that.. Mentally... Internally, will he/she need some time to take it all in?

Outwardly, SHE is the Doctor and can brush aside/push through any sexism that comes her way from others.. But internally, I wonder if it might be something they explore..

I'd be interested to see how Jodie takes that kind of thing on...

Just some random musings...

 

[Qonundrum]

The one she's told to by the showrunners.

Seems illogical to guess and then get disappointed due to false expectation.

 

[Qonundrum]

Even though TIme Lords can be any gender we have the fact that the Doctor has always been a man. Why not explore why he went that way and why hasn't he been a woman before. What if this Doctor choose this option as a means of exploring his/her own self. Basically a more self reflective doctor and one who might not even see herself as being more evolved than humans.

Jason

Remember last year's story where Capaldi shoots "The General" with a gun, he turns into a she, and she then makes some comments about being back to how she normally expected to be? The Doctor is the opposite of that.

I almost hope they don't do self-exploration after a certain point. Takes away from the mystery of the show. Plus, the most that the show did with self-exploration was Tennant whining "I don't want to gooooooooooo" (regenerates and in doing so starts a fire that almost destroys the TARDIS since regenerations are no longer bodily functions but convenient WMDs, as what Smith used to wipe out a bunch of Daleks with.)

 

[marillion]

Remember last year's story where Capaldi shoots "The General" with a gun, he turns into a she, and she then makes some comments about being back to how she normally expected to be? The Doctor is the opposite of that.

I almost hope they don't do self-exploration after a certain point. Takes away from the mystery of the show. Plus, the most that the show did with self-exploration was Tennant whining "I don't want to gooooooooooo" (regenerates and in doing so starts a fire that almost destroys the TARDIS since regenerations are no longer bodily functions but convenient WMDs, as what Smith used to wipe out a bunch of Daleks with.)

I think it's funny that Jason and I had the same thought.. I just didn't see/read his post before I posted my own.. Apologies!

 

[publiusr]

Having some additional time to think about all this, another thought just struck me....

So a lot of old-school Whovians are having a little trouble (some more than a little) to the idea of a woman playing the Doctor... Ok.. that aside.. But what about the Doctor himself? He has been a white guy for how long? How old is he now? 2,000 years or something? While Timelords are a far more advanced race when it comes to things like sexism, the Doctor has NEVER been a woman in all that time.. I wonder if the Doctor him/herself might have to take some time to adjust to the idea... Physically, of course, there is always an adjustment period after a regeneration.. But beyond that.. Mentally... Internally, will he/she need some time to take it all in?

Outwardly, SHE is the Doctor and can brush aside/push through any sexism that comes her way from others.. But internally, I wonder if it might be something they explore..

I'd be interested to see how Jodie takes that kind of thing on...

Just some random musings...

Good thoughts. Or she could have a sense of being on top of things--like the Seventh...

You do want science and engineering to be precise (remember the Sokal hoax)--but in metaphysics--the idea of different ways of knowing--that's useful here.

The Doctor loses a blind spot. Can see new things that aren't really new--but always there--like the Silents/Silence. The Rani now an icy dude--shades of David in the most recent ALIEN film

Lots of new stories. New takes on stories.

The series needs new life breathed into it.

I really want a Sisterhood of Karn episode with this Doctor. Not quit fitting in--and rejected by her peers.

Apt...

 

[Joe Washington]

Just wanting to put my two cents in...

I would like it if Jodie's Doctor doesn't go through some identity crisis over her sex change. Instead, she should embrace her gender as a energizing fresh start. Moffat describes Capaldi's final episode as "a tale of redemption, and hope, and deciding to carry on". The new Doctor should carry that positive feeling along.

 

[Ithekro]

But will she find what she did with all the "round things"? She use to like the round things.

Assuming they redo the TARDIS interior again.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I think she will be a good Doctor. I'm excited for her and for the new series. She's a good actress too imho.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Something struck me...how large would the 13th Doctor's ego be? It be funny if she had the Tom Baker sized ego and the 2000 years plus experience to back up that ego.

I hope she gets as 2000 year diary too like the one he had.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Isn't she the 14th?

Wasn't there a line in that special where all the Tardises are around Gallifrey and one of the Time Lords says "all 13 of them?"