New Doctor vows to regenerate hero stereotype

[TimeLady]

Whittaker, 36, said she hoped her casting would inspire young girls to aim higher.

“There’s the chiselled superhero that we’re used to seeing and we’ve all grown up with but Doctor Who has never been that, which is wonderful. It’s attainable in so many ways,” she told Radio Times. “And now it isn’t only attainable for half of the population. The other half can be the Doctor as well. Girls will no longer just think, ‘Oh, I could be a companion.’ Being the first female Doctor and showing children that their heroes in shows don’t always look the same is a huge honour for me.”

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-promises-to-regenerate-superhero-stereotype-jsvfhx86h

ijustwannadance
"Dr who isn't bloody trans ffs. It's always been known that timelords could be either. The Master/Missy."

Always been known? 'Missy' first appeared in 2014. Dr Who first aired in 1963. Gender-bending in the series is primarily a recent event.

"The only reason the Dr hasn't been a woman before is due to sexism and the presumption that a female lead wouldn't command high enough ratings for a prime time show."

I imagine a transsexual would say the same thing about a trans Doctor and accuse you of transphobic bigotry should you disagree.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

Indeed

FloralBunting
"Codswallop, WonderFluid.

The Doctor is an alien who has the ability to regenerate every cell of his body when he's dying, which also leads to wild personality variations. He has two hearts, a massive lung capacity and a genius level intellect. His race all have these biological capacities, and in very recent years it has been established that sex is also a variable element.

As it happens, there has been a trans actor in Who during one of the most recent series, but it was completely mishandled in my view - the actor was pretty wasted, the character was practically an extra and there were some really weird messages in the plot. But that's by the by."

So, given that these things can be established ad hoc, there's no reason why a transwoman couldn't play the Doctor? By that I mean the Doctor being played as a transwoman by a transwoman.

ErrolTheDragon
"Sci-fi doesn't have to obey human biological laws, or indeed any actual scientific laws. Most people know what 'fantasy' means."

FloralBunting
"I'm sure that those who base their understanding of human biology on 80's body swap movies would be quite likely to look to the Doctor becoming a woman as a blueprint for trans liberation, but the rest of the grown ups understand that high concept science fiction fantasy is a really, really stupid basis for legislation."

I'm talking about conditioning kids into becoming more familiar with the concept of men turning into women, with full cultural acceptance, via pop sci fi. This process is celebrated by some who only see a women replacing a man and appear utterly oblivious that no 12 year old is going to care either about the technicalities of fictional xenobiology or the reality of human genetics and morphology.

The trans community aren't oblivious and will use it as an opening to further their agenda. People on this board and beyond will continue to be mystified as to how the trans cause has advanced so quickly and will default blame the patriarchy rather than acknowledge their own lack of foresight.

This thread used to be fun.

Riiight. So women being pleased about a popular fictional character who famously is played by enormously different actors being played by a woman at last, is women foolishly allowing their own rights to be eroded by daring to hope that they had the same opportunities as men?

I'm not a fan of the idea of casting a woman in the role especially, and not particularly the one chosen, but I will cheerfully get behind the idea if it's going to be used by some to show that women are the architects of their own oppression because TRAs will use pop culture to override biological fact, the Equality Act and the natural instinct we have to protect the vulnerable.

And that's the last word I shall have on this thread about trans issues, because this was a good thread about Doctor Who casting, plots and women's involvement in that.

How 'bout that Delia Derbyshire, eh?

Ahh, a classic example of how a man doing the same would have been swamped in acclaim and rewards.

Although in view of her unconventional life raising her profile raises the risk of her being transed.

I'm talking about conditioning kids into becoming more familiar with the concept of men turning into women, with full cultural acceptance, via pop sci fi. This process is celebrated by some who only see a women replacing a man and appear utterly oblivious that no 12 year old is going to care either about the technicalities of fictional xenobiology or the reality of human genetics and morphology.

What???? Everyone - and I mean everyone - knows regeneration is just a clever means to get a different actor in the role. I watched it since I was a kid in the 60s and I was never that stupid. If a child thinks its real, they shouldn't be watching.

I'm not interested in the Doctor's sex life - tbh, until David Tennant/Rose, I assumed he was asexual.

I'm pretty sure the main 'conditioning' kids will get is that women can be clever, techy and scientific geniuses. They know someone can't really get a whole new body, different in age and/or sex.

Exactly, errol. I hope she continues to put her sonic screwdriver to good use and ditches Capaldi's guitar. Hopefully she'll give Samantha Carter in Stargate a run for her money in the techie stakes.

Not interested in the trans derail...

I'm hoping Bradley Walsh will have a some similar role to Hitchcock and Scully in Brooklyn 99 - the only old white men in the regular cast and they are mostly bumbling fools, incompetent with occasional flashes of redemption. I can imagine him getting into comedy scrapes that the Doctor has to save him from.

I like Walsh as a straight actor. I've enjoyed him in Law and Order once in a while. I'd maybe like a skeptical character who gets his horizons broadened by travel with the Doctor.

Although I'm looking forward to the blooper reel on the DVD release with the inevitable fits of uncontrollable giggles because they do always make me happy.

Oh dear. Just seen the new series trailer. I am trying so hard to be open to new ideas, but 'Will ya be my new best friends?' is about as needy and wet an opening voice over as I can imagine. Meh.

The new trailer really gives nothing away such as new baddies or new and improved Daleks etc
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06f6j8s?ns_mchannel=email&ns_source=&ns_campaign=PAN_SHO_29_DCWComicConTrailer&ns_linkname=bbcone_doctorwhotrailerlaunchcomiconwhoprog_scififantasy&ns_fee=0

I don't like Bradley Walsh. I haven't seen him in anything much other than that reality show about being a conductor with Sue Perkins, Alex James, David Soul, Jane Asher, Jon Snow and Goldie (which Perkins won but Goldie should have)

I can't remember exactly what Walsh did to annoy me. I remember him as being obnoxious, rude and showy- off and a bit sleazy and very much like the clip linked in this thread.

I'm hoping that they're going to make it accessible for slightly younger children than recent series. If adults who know the background were struggling to follow the storylines, that must have been a massive turn-off for any new or younger viewers. If it's going to be a positive influence on girls, they have to be persuaded to watch it because of its entertainment value first and foremost.

(Speaking as some-one who remembers going round the junior school playground with friends (so pre-1965) with an arm sticking out shouting 'exterminate, exterminate' Would that be frowned on today?)

I don't think she's weird enough, but we'll see.
Most of the best doctors (in my opinion) have been a bit of a weird acting style - even Matt Smith.
I agree, it'll succeed or fail on the stories.
The latter Capaldi stories were pretty good, so here's hoping that continues.

The Capaldi stories were spoilt by the fixation on the annoying Clara. The episodes with her tedious and controlling boyfriend were even worse.

The Capaldi stories were spoilt by the fixation on the annoying Clara. The episodes with her tedious and controlling boyfriend were even worse.

Agreed.

I think Capaldi's first series was a total waste. And he was my dream casting as the Doctor, waited years for him. And he was written as an even more bad tempered misanthrope that Six. The subsequent series were much better when he was allowed to be charmingly gruff instead. But overall, it's just a missed opportunity which makes me sad. And reminds me that even if you get what you want, it might not actually be everything you'd hoped.

Completely agree with that too, FB. He was so grumpy during the first series, I ended up not caring about any of the characters, which is a real turn off. He then tried to inject some warmth, but too late. It just looked desperate.

Jodie's new sonic screwdriver revealed.....

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5977197/Doctor-fans-wild-Jodie-Whittaker-unveils-unfortunately-designed-Sonic-Screwdriver.html

What an appalling take on the sonic's new appearance! It's always been vaguely phallic by virtue of being a handheld stick.

FFS, there was a whole section of comedy faux-cock dialogue about Doctors comparing Sonics in the 50th anniversary episode.

Ignoring the odd attempt at a trans derail, I'll be happy if they tone down level of obnoxious cutesiness and Spielbergian emotional manipulation that kept turning up whenever Capaldi and Clara were on screen together. That scene where she was all "I wuv you, magic time traveling granddad!" with him on Santa's sleigh was a disgrace, and everyone involved should be embarrassed not to have been the one who stuck their hand up in the meeting and said "is this not a bit much?"

I think Michele Gomez's Missy will be a hard act to follow in the roster of female bodied Time Nobility.

The emotional manipulation for Clara failed because I could not care less about her. Clara's default setting was winsomely perky. She had no emotional depth.

The Rose / Doctor story was built up slowly over 2 doctors and had depth. Donna was genuinely funny. I would be happy to spend time with Rose and Donna. Amy and Rory felt like a real couple. I liked the ribbing and friendliness of their relationship which Clara and the awful Pink lacked.

Re emotional manipulation my favourite episodes were the Neil Gaiman one with Suranne Jones (The Doctor's Wife) and the Richard Curtis "Vincent". Both were emotionally manipulative but the Jones one was moving- the first and last time the Tardis is made flesh. The Vincent one, well it is a genuinely sad , real story.

If adults who know the background were struggling to follow the storylines, that must have been a massive turn-off for any new or younger viewers.

Every sci fi show needs its geeks but when you go too far and make it just for the geeks then that's a big mistake.