# 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:** 7
**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, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/121 "2017-07-17T03:45:05Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve always identified with the Doctor as male. I’m not sure that I can let go of decades of watching the character. He’s a very old friend. Out of curiosity, which do you figure would be harder to accept: this, or Jane Bond? ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/122 "2017-07-17T03:54:05Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve always identified with the Doctor as male. But what do you think it is about the character that makes masculinity essential? I mean, everything else doesn’t seem to matter: if he’s old or young, bubbly or cranky, blond or grey, zany or Scottish, it’s all well and good, as long as it’s a ‘he’. Why should having a penis be the one unalterable constant about the character? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/123 "2017-07-17T04:05:14Z")
I’m not sure. I’ve always seen him as a fatherly figure to the companions. Certainly he filled that role with Amy. The affection between the Doctor and companion is what makes the premise work. A new Doctor is never easy to accept. It usually takes awhile to see how the actor settles into the role. The chemistry he has with the assistant. I can’t explain why I like a show or not. I may end up liking this change. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/124 "2017-07-17T04:10:41Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m not sure. I’ve always seen him as a fatherly figure to the companions. Certainly he filled that role with Amy. He certainly didn’t with Rose, or Donna, for entirely different reasons; and Amy also didn’t really see him as fatherly, I think. In fact, there have probably been about as many companion relationships as there have been companions. > [@](#): > > The chemistry he has with the assistant. > > I can’t explain why I like a show or not. Well, but you might question where your reaction comes from, especially in this case, where you haven’t actually seen the show yet, which doesn’t seem to be a factor in your judgment. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/125 "2017-07-17T04:10:49Z")
…I don’t want to pick on this guy. But his reaction is absolutely hilarious. "Its a woman! No no no no no!" "I'm starting a petition! This can't happen!" ---
**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, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/126 "2017-07-17T04:14:21Z")
That’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/127 "2017-07-17T04:16:01Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I haven’t memorized each time it’s happened but recently they had a black soldier integrated into a Victorian (went back and checked I guess Edwardian, set a few years later than I thought but doesn’t change much) unit and showing a picture of his white fiancée who he was hoping to get back to. Yes that felt jarring to me. In 1893 Sir Author Conan Doyle write a [Sherlock Holmes story](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Yellow_Face) involving an inter-racial marriage between a white woman and a black man, and the resulting child. I’m sorry you find such things jarring, it might be more an artifact of white-washing history than actual historical fact. There have been black people in London for centuries and yes, some of them fell in love with English people and even married. In 1762 a future French brigadier general was born to a French nobleman of European descent and a slave woman of African descent. In 1802 that general’s son was born, a man of 1/4 African descent and 3/4 European, who went on to become member of the prestigious French Academy after writing such classics as _The Three Musketeers_ and _The Count of Monte Cristo_. Really, white people and black people have been marrying each other since forever, yes, even in England. As I said, it only seems “jarring” because history has been largely white-washed. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/128 "2017-07-17T04:21:00Z")
The term “fatherly figure” does not once come to mind when thinking of either David Tennant or Matt Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/129 "2017-07-17T04:21:30Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I guess they’re determined to lose this show’s audience. Get it cancelled again. If you don’t want to watch you don’t have to. > [@](#): > > Obviously there are men and women on Gallifrey. They have children. The Doctor has mentioned his childhood many times. This has been well established. Galliferians aren’t genderless aliens. It’s also been established that Time Lords can change gender for some time now. > [@](#): > > The BBC could have introduced a interesting female character from Gallifrey. They did. Her name was Romana. Why do you want the to repeat themselves? > [@](#): > > Hopefully it’ll be cancelled before much longer. This is getting embarrassing. Hopefully, we’ll get to see other diverse actors play the Doctor for another half century. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/130 "2017-07-17T04:23:12Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > She was good in St Trinian’s. And after Capaldi, Nardole, and, I fear, Bill, it’ll be nice to have someone easy on the eyes. Shush, you - I thought Capaldi was sexy. And FINALLY a doctor in my age range! Fantasizing about Matt Smith was like contemplating jail bait to me _{{{shudder}}}_ ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/131 "2017-07-17T04:41:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It will be easier for younger fans to accept this new version. Many have only seen the last Doctor and maybe Matt Smith. Nope, you can’t blame your attitudes on the age of the fandom. I’ve been watching the show since Pertwee was the Doctor, and I’d love to see what a woman can do with the role. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/132 "2017-07-17T05:58:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > People who object to a female Doctor Who are only showing off their lack of imagination. > > I think it’s a fine choice and allows for new types of stories and adventures. > > Of course, this happens every time a new Doctor is announced: > > 1. When a new Doctor is annouced. “How could the pick that actor/actress? It’ll ruin the show!” > 2. Actually seeing their first episode. “Well, that wasn’t as horrible as I thought.” > 3. At the end of the first season. “He/she is OK.” > 4. At the end of the second season. “He/she is really growing into the role.” > 5. When it’s announced the Doctor will leave. “Oh, no! How could they ever replace him/her?” > 6. When a new Doctor is announced. “Return to #1” Pretty much [on the nose](http://i.imgur.com/wrxZeW5.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/133 "2017-07-17T06:26:20Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > the showrunners are taking a real risk here, what with the currently rising tide of misogyny and MRAism among the show’s nerdy core audience. Despite what you seem to think, adult nerdy males are _not_ the show’s core audience. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/134 "2017-07-17T06:46:18Z")
I remember reading an article about four or five years ago, probably around the time of speculation on who would be Doctor Twelve, that laid out the methodology they thought the Doctor Who powers-that-be were following, which said things like “You can’t go female or black straight away, you have to ease into it. Start out with an established actor with gravitas, then take a small risk with a largely unknown to test the waters, then go young to please a whole new generation who are now five years older than when it began, now go old and hark back to the original to keep the old school fans happy. Now, at last, finally you can take a big risk with something new, either a woman or a person of a different race, though probably not both at the same time.” I wish I could remember who it was who wrote it, as I had that in mind as the speculation for this year was going through its motions. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/135 "2017-07-17T07:25:23Z")
Looking forward to see where this goes. I’m sure there will at least be a lot of fuel for “very serious fights” on topics that are actually a matter of taste. (I have a couple of middle aged brit facebook friends who’re not connected. They take their Doctor Who “very seriously” and post takes on the most recent episodes, and for some strange reason they don’t agree what is a good or bad episode.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/136 "2017-07-17T07:33:52Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Despite what you seem to think, adult nerdy males are _not_ the show’s core audience. Right - in my experience, it’s adult nerdy _females_ who are the true hardcore viewers. ---
**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, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/137 "2017-07-17T08:46:32Z")
I’ve never followed Dr. Who but I hope this new appointment isn’t just based on sexual equality but also on the best person for the job. I have my doubts because the inbuilt feminist bias nowadays built into our society would tend to make it doubtful. It’s not that I have a problem with a woman playing Dr. Who per se, but I resent the ‘box ticking’ exercise that seems to go on all the time. This new approach is going to change the whole ethos of the series, which may or may not be a good thing. We will see. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/138 "2017-07-17T08:50:10Z")
> [@abashed](#): > > I’ve never followed Dr. Who but I hope this new appointment isn’t just based on sexual equality but also on the best person for the job. I have my doubts because the inbuilt feminist bias nowadays built into our society would tend to make it doubtful. It’s not that I have a problem with a woman playing Dr. Who per se, but I resent the ‘box ticking’ exercise that seems to go on all the time. So basically you have a strong opinion on something that won’t affect you and which you know nothing about. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/139 "2017-07-17T09:16:31Z")
I am rather pleased with the choice. This offers up the opportunity for so many new types of stories and character interactions. If the writers are up to the challenge this could be a real shot in the arm for the show. (If they’re not, I’m sure that certain folks will rush to blame it all on the fact that “they made the Doctor a woman”.) So here’s hoping. That’s my perspective as an adult male. A rather different - and important - perspective came from a friend’s six-year-old daughter who, upon hearing the news, said: > [@](#): > > That means _ **I** _ could be Doctor Who! Which is a punch right in the feels, right there. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557/140 "2017-07-17T09:38:11Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve always identified with the Doctor as male. I’m not sure that I can let go of decades of watching the character. He’s a very old friend. Maybe the previews and show buzz will spark my interest. I’d gotten very excited with the possibility of the actor that looks like Hartnell exploring the early Doctors origins. > > It will be easier for younger fans to accept this new version. Many have only seen the last Doctor and maybe Matt Smith. > > It’ll help if the writers preserve essential elements of the character’s personality. Like they’ve done with other new Doctors. > > I do wish Jodie Whittaker well. I know little of her work. I’m sure she’ll do the best she can. This seems pretty damn different than your initial reaction. Maybe you’re growing! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-doctor-who-to-doctor-who/790557.md?page=8)