So I’m a bit of an opinionated asshole. It’s quite subtle but it’s a facet of my character that you may have picked up on. I used to blog quite a lot as a way of venting my frustrations and putting my thoughts down into words. That’s something I would like to get back to doing so we find ourselves here.
THERE’S A BLOODY FEMALE DOCTOR! THE SKY IS LITERALLY FALLING! IT’S ALL OVER!
*cough*
The internet went into meltdown Sunday afternoon as the BBC revealed that the 13th Doctor would be played by Jodie Whittaker. It’s a move that I personally applaud and really support but it’s pretty clear that isn’t the opinion of everybody. In fact, some folks have (rather predictably) reacted in what can at best be described as apocalyptic fashion. There are loud proclamations of never watching the show again, statements that this is all part of some ongoing gender war from “feminazis”, or that it’s POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD™!
Let me start by quickly addressing my history with Doctor Who. I can remember watching repeats on TV as a kid and always finding the title sequence really quite scary. I’m not going to fashionably claim to have been a massive fan because in truth I wasn’t, but I did watch a fair bit. Fast forward to the return of the show in 2005, I can remember being sat in the pub where my then girlfriend worked watching Rose on the tv following a football match (I think this is correct anyway). I remember finding it mildly interesting but not being drawn to watch another episode and so I didn’t until 14th April 2007. Whilst at someone else’s house the episode Gridlock was being broadcast and I ended up watching it and quite enjoying it, this led me to go back and catch up on what I had missed since 2005.
I became rabid and took in all that I could, then with everything seen I started seeking out classic episodes. Whilst I can’t claim to have watched every episode available I feel I’ve seen a good amount of the show’s history and by now was considering myself quite a devoted fan. I continued watching each episode as it came and continued being a very vocal fan of the show through the podcast I was hosting at the time.
I could now stop and explain how my enjoyment of the show began to take a serious downward path during series 6 but Moffatt bashing is boring and perhaps best saved for another time. What matters is that I found myself less excited, no longer rushing to see new episodes and, instead, watching them at some point later in the week. I feel it relevant to mention this as I know I am not alone. The show’s viewership and place amongst casual fans have clearly dropped during the Moffatt period, it could be argued that this should be expected of any show after a 10+ year period but even the most ardent of Moffatt-supporters would be hard pressed to deny that he has a number of shortcomings and issues as a showrunner.
Through series 9, in particular, I found myself really dissatisfied and pretty much done with following the show closely. Series 10 has just finished broadcasting and despite having the one truly standout episode (World Enough and Time) it was a season of very average and not particularly moving episodes (with exception to the terrible three parter in the middle). The show needs new blood and a strong injection of life.
A new writer in Chris Chibnall is coming for series 11 and though I really enjoyed his work on Broadchurch it should also be remembered that he is responsible for Dinosaurs on a Spaceship. I am optimistic of a new writer and I like that he reportedly went in and told the BBC that the show needed radical changes if he was to take the job. I like this and it makes me want to tune in for his first series but there’s something that makes me wants to tune in even more.
JODIE WHITTAKER
I won’t sit here and claim to be her biggest lifelong fan but I loved her work on Broadchurch and also thought she was brilliant in both Venus (a seriously underseen British movie) and the Black Mirror episode The Entire History of You. In the three roles I just mentioned she has shown emotional depth, the ability to inhabit a role comfortably and most importantly to connect with me as a viewer.
But it’s not her acting that matters is it? There’s only one thing that really matters in all this. She’s a woman.
Now I don’t want to claim that every person who is against this casting is a sexist or a misogynist because that’s reductive and doesn’t really help in anyway. Do I think there is a proportion of people who are against it for those reasons? Hell yes I do. Those people are a waste of time addressing though so why even bother. Instead I want to address the folks that are against this decision for other reasons.
Basically, I don’t get it. I genuinely do not understand why it is a problem on any level. If people were seeing her name and then expressing their disappointment based on her previous work I would be fine with that, we all have opinions on what actors we like or dislike, but that’s not what is happening here. Instead we are seeing people using her gender as the reason for their dislike and I just do not get it.
I could sit here and type up a load of things from the canon of the show that demonstrate how this was always a possibility for The Doctor but that’s been done in plenty of other places. However I do seriously wonder how a character who is renowned for changing every facet of his appearance and personality is somehow precious to his gender. If I were to list the things that define The Doctor to me gender is not essential to any of those.
Anyway, I want to understand why this is a problem. James McClean from BeyondKasterborous made a statement that some people may be attached to the character as a male in the same way that other viewers may be attached to the TARDIS appearing as a Police Box. I spent a bit of time considering that and though I see the point I’m not entirely sure the two things equate for me.
What matters to me going into series 11 is that we get good writing from Chibnall and his team alongside good acting from Whittaker and whomever she gets paired with. That’s what is really going to decide whether this works or not. Until series 11 is done and we can sit back and take a critical and informed view of the product it’s pointless sitting here and shouting about it.
It also should be noted that the above works both ways. It’s equally important that those of us who are pro-Whittaker are not already declaring it a success without seeing the finished product.
As for statements such as “This show clearly doesn’t want me as a viewer” or “How can I identify with The Doctor anymore?” I have to be brutally honest in saying I can’t take this crap seriously. I could make a long list of female fictional characters who I consider to be good, identifiable role models where their gender isn’t particularly relevant to the things that make them such.
I have very mixed views on how the change should be addressed on screen. I think directly addressing sexism and reactions could be a walking on eggshells type affair. There’s potential for some very strong story there but it will require a very competent writer and I think I’d prefer we end up with a more neutral approach where the show doesn’t really feel the need to address gender as important. The reason for that is that gender is not important. This shouldn’t be news to any adult but the differences between men and women (excluding the obvious physical ones) are purely social constructs and something we need to start moving beyond.
So in summary I am hopeful. I am looking forward to the show. I am glad to see progression. I am a little happy to see upset man babies. Most of all though I just want to enjoy the show again and if that means it stars a female Doctor then I am all for that.