A Message to Haters of the 13th Doctor

Last Sunday it was announced that Jodie Whittaker would take on the role of the 13^th 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 10^th 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

Once Upon A Time Season 7 Episode 1 Recap

Goodbye Storybrooke, Hello Hyperion Heights. After six long seasons of "Magic always comes with a price," and "I will always find you," we now are taking Once Upon a Time in a new direction. Thank God. There is still some fresh meat on the bones of this series after all. Don't get me wrong, I adored all the past seasons in their own unique way. (Save for the Frozen half of season 4. We get it, Frozen is a thing. Can we move on, please?) However, it was starting to drag with underdeveloped characters, repeated stories, and foes. When it was announced that a season 7 would air, despite half the main cast leaving, I was intrigued by the possibilities. And now we have come to the fruit of those possibilities: Hyperion Heights. It was a nice send up to the original pilot episode while setting out to be its own story. It makes it very clear from the opening that this isn't going to be the same old story that we've come to know and love. Henry leaves Sto...

It-A Review

For me, the mark of a scary movie is whether not I can sleep after watching one. After viewing It, I walked away terrified that Pennywise was around every corner ready to snatch me up. A sleepless night was in order for me. I can't even begin to express my awe over this production. The cast is superb. There can't be anything more that can be said about Bill Skarsgard other than creepy . His Pennywise the clown is probably the scariest clown I have seen to date. For the moment he appears in the drain, you know that he is evil. The makeup and costuming make him look menacing, scaring the pants off you at every turn. Even while just looking at him without dialogue, you are terrified. The child actors that make up the "Loser" Club are awesome. They managed to take the typical stereotypes of a clique and manage to make them unique and interesting. Bill was a character I could support and cheer for. I adored Richie and his foul mouthed behavior. Between the terror, h...

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...

The Rant

Search This Blog