# The new Doctor Who sonic screwdriver **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 23, 2018, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411 "2018-07-23T03:51:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/41 "2018-07-24T03:15:28Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > [Old Sonics](https://drwhostuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sonic-screwdriver-theme.jpg) > > [New Sonic](https://www.bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/screwdriver-600x278.jpg?x70969) > > I’ll say it, since nobody else will, it looks like a GD dildo. I’ve never been a “Whovian” but this is just offensive. 😕 That collection of “old Sonics” has 34 examples. But there have only been twelve Dr. Who’s. Why the extra screwdrivers? Also, what the hell is a Great Debates dildo? Is that something moderators whip out when it looks like jackboots aren’t intimidating enough? ---
**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 24, 2018, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/42 "2018-07-24T03:34:14Z")
[Old Sonics](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fpbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FDbowangU8AAWsIj.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonicthehedgehog.com%2F&docid=ePao8kFy96Vn0M&tbnid=gksEtM7FAK1JlM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjln6CT5rbcAhXlilQKHW5kCqEQMwjnASgBMAE..i&w=683&h=384&bih=947&biw=1920&q=sonic%20the%20hedgehog&ved=0ahUKEwjln6CT5rbcAhXlilQKHW5kCqEQMwjnASgBMAE&iact=mrc&uact=8) [New Sonic](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fvignette.wikia.nocookie.net%2Fsonic%2Fimages%2F2%2F27%2FSFModernSonicRender.png%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20171108084934&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsonic.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FSonic_the_Hedgehog&docid=DWzgp0-zhk0lNM&tbnid=57r50SVO6ubQwM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjln6CT5rbcAhXlilQKHW5kCqEQMwjmASgAMAA..i&w=1770&h=3509&bih=947&biw=1920&q=sonic%20the%20hedgehog&ved=0ahUKEwjln6CT5rbcAhXlilQKHW5kCqEQMwjmASgAMAA&iact=mrc&uact=8) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/43 "2018-07-24T03:55:26Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > 😕 :rolleyes: Half the ones in your first link look like dildos. Who is the new one supposedly offensive towards? No, they don’t. Although I will concede there are a few that resemble a speculum. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/44 "2018-07-24T04:05:38Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > No, they don’t. Although I will concede there are a few that resemble a speculum. No, I agree they don’t look like dildos. But some of them do look like “personal” vibrators. You know, the ones with smooth rounded ends and no sharp projections? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/45 "2018-07-24T05:38:17Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’ll say it, since nobody else will, it looks like a GD dildo. I’ve never been a “Whovian” but this is just offensive. Anyone who says that has never seen a fucking dildo. Dildos that look like insects probably exist, but they’d be ridiculously niche. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/46 "2018-07-24T06:05:47Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’ll say it, since nobody else will, it looks like a GD dildo. I’ve never been a “Whovian” but this is just offensive. Googling for “insect dildo”, I didn’t see anything that reminded me of the sonic screwdriver. On the other hand, I can now encourage people to google/not google Ovipositor. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/47 "2018-07-24T06:16:15Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’ll say it, since nobody else will, it looks like a GD dildo. Not aware of Giger having inspired some dildos, but I suppose rule 34 and all that. ---
**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 24, 2018, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/48 "2018-07-24T11:12:43Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > 😕 :rolleyes: Half the ones in your first link look like dildos. And the rest look like dental tools, at least to me. > [@](#): > > Who is the new one supposedly offensive towards? I dunno, but speaking as a woman I’m not offended. I’m not entirely thrilled with it, either, but that’s true of half the sonic screwdriver designs I’ve seen. ---
**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 25, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/49 "2018-07-25T01:29:15Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 > > That collection of “old Sonics” has 34 examples. But there have only been twelve Dr. Who’s. Why the extra screwdrivers? > > Also, what the hell is a Great Debates dildo? Is that something moderators whip out when it looks like jackboots aren’t intimidating enough? It’s fanart someone uploaded, those aren’t from the show. [Here’s](https://img09.deviantart.net/7dc8/i/2012/008/c/9/doctor_who___the_sonic_devices_by_willzmarler-d2yavit.jpg) what they actually looked like. A bunch sure look vibrator-ish to me, if you want to read them that way. So I ask again, who is supposed to be offended here? ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/50 "2018-07-25T04:30:41Z")
Not offended by the new one, but confused. It’s like someone said “Let’s be less sciency, less tech. I’ve got it. We’ll make an alien sonic screw driver. That’s the ticket” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/51 "2018-07-25T11:50:11Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Is that signature new? It took me a second, but that’s pretty funny! Thank you. I’ve had it up for about a month now, but it’s not a revival. It’s _supposed_ to take you a second to get it. I’m glad you did. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/52 "2018-07-25T11:56:01Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Including chairs](https://youtube.com/watch?v=vXrAK6sUZ_0#). NOT THE COMFY CHAIR! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XnS49c9KZw8/hqdefault.jpg "Comfy Chair") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnS49c9KZw8) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/53 "2018-07-25T20:38:38Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > Seriously? It buzzes, rotates, and is curved at the end… I’m calling vibrator. Yeah. My first impulse was “rabbit vibe”. It doesn’t look girly per se, but it does look a bit like that particular sex toy. Alternately, it looks more like “old, rediscovered technology” than previous incarnations. Sort of like the NuWho TARDIS. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/54 "2018-07-26T15:08:23Z")
I think my biggest objection to it is that the previous incarnations all look superficially like some kind of tool, be it a pen, dental pick cane, what have you. The new one doesn’t; it looks more like an ancient weapon from Alien, as alluded to above, or some obscure object from Babylon 5. I’ve pretty much hated every new incarnation of the Doctor initially (Except for Tom Baker, took to him right away), so I’m sure I’ll dislike Jodi Whitaker as well. Over time, it’ll be “Of course this is brilliant!”. I hope. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/55 "2018-07-26T16:57:37Z")
I don’t think it looks particularly girly but I don’t like it. It seems to me another step in a direction that the show has been going over the last few years. Away from Geeky science, and in the direction of fantasy horror. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/56 "2018-07-26T17:30:36Z")
I didn’t read the thread before looking at the picture, and my instant visceral reaction was “that’s a sex toy”. I never got that reaction looking at the other ones. Obviously I can’t know if I was primed to this reaction by knowing the new doctor was female, but there it is (I’m not going to go google for sex toy picture examples but it’s striking to me). ETA: It’s the way the lower part of the handle curves, and then narrows that really resembles modern sex toy design. Plus the Giger aesthetic is unmistakable. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/57 "2018-07-26T20:44:14Z")
When I first saw a photo of it, I said it looked like a sex toy for a Cyberman. 😛 I picked one up at SDCC, though, because I’m working on a Thirteenth Doctor costume. I still don’t like it a lot, but in person it is kind of cool with a light-up orange insert, a rotating crystal, and two different sound modes. It’s definitely different, and I’m curious to see how they explain it in the show. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/58 "2018-07-26T21:12:56Z")
[quote=“CalMeacham, post:52, topic:818411”] NOT THE COMFY CHAIR! [/QUOTE] No, the [World’s Most Comfortable Chair!](https://youtu.be/Ah7GxKHGHPg?t=91) ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411/59 "2018-08-04T19:38:33Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > No, the [World’s Most Comfortable Chair!](https://youtu.be/Ah7GxKHGHPg?t=91) How about the [tough love seat](https://youtu.be/lZemIAlxh6w?t=3m19s)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-doctor-who-sonic-screwdriver/818411.md?page=2)