Skip to main content

A Message to Haters of the 13th Doctor

Last Sunday it was announced that Jodie Whittaker would take on the role of the 13th Doctor replacing Peter Capaldi. While most of the reactions have been positive, it’s alarming how many have been equally as hateful. And it’s baffling because it all has to do with gender.

I confess that I’m a bit of a newcomer to the Doctor Who fandom and I have a lot to learn, especially with looking at the classic series. However, I’ve seen enough Doctor Who to recognize when people are in the wrong about casting choices. So let me clarify a few things for those haters:

One, the Doctor is an alien. Unless you are not familiar with the series or living under a rock this whole time while watching, it means not human. It means that he doesn’t abide by our understanding of being, what gender is. As far as I understand it, the Doctor has never said that he is a man. He is just a being from a different world. And while he has up to this point been played by all male leads, it doesn’t automatically make him a man. His companions, generally are the ones who make the distinction and from what I see the Doctor just plays along. It’s no different when the Doctor and his companions land on an alien world and blends in just so they can help save the day.

Michelle Gomez took over as the Master in series nine of the new series, a role that had been portrayed by male actors. It gave a fresh take on the character and allowed said character to have different avenues to explore and play with. Her Master or “Missy” as she was called was more diabolic and evil than her predecessor, John Simm.

Two, if you are a true fan of Doctor Who, who he becomes is part of the show’s appeal. He has evolved so much from the bumbling space hermit. Just from watching the new series, I can track how far the character has come. From “Rose” the Doctor has been battle scarred and broken from the events of the Time War. He has changed from being closed off and broken to someone who is willing to step in and speak up when something is wrong.

And finally three, the real reason there should be less hatred among fans is that the Doctor stands up for all people, all creatures, regardless of creed or belief. In the episode “New Earth” the newly minted 10th Doctor says to Rose Tyler after she makes a fuss about cats in robes, “Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow.” This emphasizes the Doctor’s ideology that all creatures need to be treated with equal value. The Doctor believes in peace, in doing what is right.

In closing, a woman as the Doctor should have very little impact as long the character continues to stand up and take action against enemies that threatened the universe. I will be watching Doctor Who with Jodie Whittacker as the Doctor and I can’t wait. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Annabelle Creation-Review

I adore scary movies. I like the thrill of being scared, of ducking behind my bag of popcorn when the scary monster jumps out on some unsuspecting victim. I lie awake at night terrified that said movie monster is going to jump out and attack me in my sleep. Sadly, Annabelle Creation did none of those things for me. I slept like a baby last night. I laughed at how comical the "scary" demon looked and I felt the urge to throw my popcorn at the movie screen. I scratch my head at how Rotten Tomatoes has an 83% approval rating for this film because I don't see what was so exciting about it. Annabelle Creation is the latest venture in The Conjuring universe. It the second film that focuses on the cursed doll Annabelle that Ed and Lorraine Warren procured on one of their supernatural excursions. Annabelle (2014) focused on how the doll got into the hands of the medical students featured in the introduction of The Conjuring. This film, Annabelle Creation, hones in on how ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A show to Binge if you aren't already watching-This is Us

Copyright NBCUniversal Before watching this show, I never saw any of the trailers. I didn't hear a peep about it. It was a rainy Wednesday morning and I was looking to watch the Mindy Project on Hulu. However, my computer decided to have a fit and click on an ad for This is Us on Hulu. Cursing my computer, I just let the video play. I had a coat of paint on my nails and didn't want to risk ruining the keyboard. I told myself that if whatever I was watching was so terrible I would turn it off as soon as the paint dried. But I didn't. I kept watching. I was introduced to three different stories and characters all just living out a birthday. Not a monumental birthday like an 18th or a 30th. Nope, just a run of the mill banner year birthday. Yet all of these characters decide that on this day that life is going to change. Jack becomes a dad. Randall goes in search of his birth father. Kevin decides to leave his sitcom acting job to become a stage actor. Kate decides to...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Orville-A surprising series opener

Fox did not do a good job in advertising this. From the promos, it was selling a Star Trekesque space adventure with dirty Seth MacFarlane jokes. And while there were some off-color jokes occasionally through out the episode, what we got was the groundwork for an epic space adventure. Sci-fi programs of late have been dark and gritty with characters that were just too out there to connect with. The Orville was light hearted and fun. Macfarlane wrote and stars as Ed Mercer, a down on his luck captain who finds himself in the charge of the Orville and its motley crew which include his ex-wife who he finds in bed with an alien. Their first trip out, they are tricked into landing on a planet where the head of the science department has created a time altering device. Fights break out and an epic space battle charges on screen. The sets are slick and glossy which is surprising for something that initially seemed like an excuse to cosplay Star Trek. It's light hearted ho...
Post a Comment
Read more