# From Doctor Who to Doctor...Who? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557 "2017-07-05T19:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/202 "2017-07-17T17:13:32Z")
“I’m not a (fill in the blank) hater but…” _never_ works the way you think it will. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/203 "2017-07-17T17:13:34Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Yeah, fine, call me shallow if you want; but maybe the first female Doctor Who should’ve been, like, five-nine, so as not to start off with two strikes when striding in to work the Instantly Authoritative schtick? _Two_ strikes? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/204 "2017-07-17T17:16:25Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > _Two_ strikes? You know. Uppity women. ---
**Author:** ![abashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@abashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abashed)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/205 "2017-07-17T17:17:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m not sure you quite understand what the “Basic Premise” of the show is. That the central character is male, a futuristic ‘knight in shining armour’, if you will. Would you like to see a female James Bond? It just wouldn’t work. Nothing to do with sexism, just what’s plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/206 "2017-07-17T17:21:08Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > That the central character is male, a futuristic ‘knight in shining armour’, if you will. Would you like to see a female James Bond? It just wouldn’t work. Nothing to do with sexism, just what’s plausible. I’d have no problems with Jamie Bond. The movie ‘Atomic Blonde’ was billed as just that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/207 "2017-07-17T17:22:39Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > _Two_ strikes? Yes. Some folks are sexist, and will assign a strike against her for being a woman. Other folks are, presumably, going to assign a strike against her for being short. I’d figure it’d be easier to overcome one irrelevancy than to overcome two. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/208 "2017-07-17T17:23:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You know. > Uppity women. Oh. I thought he had something against northerners. ---
**Author:** ![abashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@abashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abashed)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/209 "2017-07-17T17:25:30Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It has been abundantly clear, and frequently stated for many years now that Doctor Who is not ‘set in stone’ as a white male. It was only a matter of time before she became female, or black, or Indian or whatever. > > Anyways, polls are showing @ 85% support for this, so count yourself among the vocal minority who are attempting to find nefarious reasons for what the rest of us have accepted and anticipated for years now. There is no reason why traditionally male characters should not be portrayed as females. However, what I am saying is it will inevitably change the whole ethos of the story and possibly alienate traditional aficionados. The same thing would apply, for example, if a female played the role of James Bond. BTW, I’m always suspicious of unofficial poles. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/210 "2017-07-17T17:26:33Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > BTW, I’m always suspicious of unofficial poles. People who are unofficially Polish? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Galanthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Galanthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galanthus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/211 "2017-07-17T17:33:15Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > People who are unofficially Polish? :dubious: _Snerk_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/212 "2017-07-17T17:34:55Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > That the central character is male, a futuristic ‘knight in shining armour’, if you will. Would you like to see a female James Bond? It just wouldn’t work. Nothing to do with sexism, just what’s plausible. Yeah, because the James Bond movies are well-known for their plausibility. A few years ago, i went to see the movie _Salt_ starring Angelina Jolie. It was basically a James Bond/Jason Bourne movie, with a female lead. Really no more implausible than a Bond movie. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/213 "2017-07-17T17:35:21Z")
Maybe it’s just the hair, but does anybody else see a resemblance between [the new Doctor](http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article10810001.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Screen-Shot-2017-07-16-at-162819JPG.jpg) and [UNIT Chief Kate Stewart](http://cdn1.sciencefiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Doctor-Who-The-Power-of-Three-5-Kate-STewart.png), as if the Doctor were somehow paying tribute to the Brigadier by regenerating into a form that resembled his daughter? Probably not, but I hope we get to see the two meet. I think Kate would approve of the new look. ---
**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/214 "2017-07-17T17:36:58Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > … I have no objection to gender if it means improving something or other but I often feel it is just a ‘box ticking’ exercise in an effort to challenge men’s perceived power over women… At the risk of piggybacking a comment made by **@iiandyiiii** , perhaps you might consider what inherent biases and prejudices you have, which informs your belief that ‘improvement’ should be the baseline for accepting ‘gender’? Has _every_ new Doctor been an ‘improvement’ over every previous Doctor? Like, seriously, it can’t even be a lateral move? ---
**Author:** ![abashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@abashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abashed)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/215 "2017-07-17T17:39:03Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Yeah, because the James Bond movies are well-known for their plausibility. > > A few years ago, i went to see the movie _Salt_ starring Angelina Jolie. It was basically a James Bond/Jason Bourne movie, with a female lead. Really no more implausible than a Bond movie. I don’t think Angelina Jolie has the build to ward off the villains James Bond has to. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/216 "2017-07-17T17:40:03Z")
> [@Galanthus](#): > > _Snerk_ 🙂 Apparently it’s the “in” thing among today’s youth-ordering Gołąbki or Golonka at resturants, spontaneous mazurka and polonaise mob dancing etc. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/217 "2017-07-17T17:41:20Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > I don’t think Angelina Jolie has the build to ward off the villains James Bond has to. 😃 Neither did Roger Moore, but it worked just fine. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/218 "2017-07-17T17:43:42Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > That the central character is male, a futuristic ‘knight in shining armour’, if you will. Would you like to see a female James Bond? It just wouldn’t work. Nothing to do with sexism, just what’s plausible. Why? Seems perfectly plausible to me. Maybe what you see as “plausible”, some of see as simply “it’s always been that way”, and that familiarity and comfort isn’t reason enough to keep it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/219 "2017-07-17T17:44:42Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > I don’t think Angelina Jolie has the build to ward off the villains James Bond has to. 😃 Oh, ghod-you are going to continue digging this hole, aren’t you? Would you happen to be familiar with a couple of movie franchises titled “Tomb Raider” and “Resident Evil”? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/220 "2017-07-17T17:46:27Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Other folks are, presumably, going to assign a strike against her for being short. That’s just stupid. Women should not be judged by their height. They should be judged by they’re weight. Is she too fat to be the Doctor? Does her butt jiggle too much to be a believable Doctor butt? ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/221 "2017-07-17T17:46:54Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > There is no reason why traditionally male characters should not be portrayed as females. However, what I am saying is it will inevitably change the whole ethos of the story and possibly alienate traditional aficionados. The same thing would apply, for example, if a female played the role of James Bond. > > BTW, I’m always suspicious of unofficial poles. The premise of _Doctor Who_ is “Time-travelling alien (who regenerates a completely different body rather than dying) explores the universe and helps people in crisis, often with one or more human companions.” In none of the complaints about this casting have I seen anyone put forth a convincing argument that this premise doesn’t work if the alien is female. Maybe you’ll be the first, but I’m not optimistic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557.md?page=12)