Let’s Talk Doctor Who
By: I.Am.No.Man.
So, there was some big news in the nerd world this week.
BBC’s hit show Doctor Who announced Jodie Whittaker as the 13th incarnation of The Doctor. That’s right. A woman. And I am all here for it. It may feel like the show is capitalizing on Wonder Woman’s badass female lead energy, but Doctor Who has been heading in this direction for several years. After all the jokes, gentle nudges and outright demand from the fans, we will finally see our female doctor hit the screens in early 2018.
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40624288
The Setup
With the introduction of Missy (Michelle Gomez) as The Master, Doctor Who began to test the waters for the fans interest in a female protagonist/antagonist. She is a fantastic opposite to Capaldi’s simmering performance. She is impulsive, uncaring, and just the right amount of insane to balance out the Doctor’s ‘save the world’ missions. Missy’s latest story line has been intriguing, but if this season’s finale is the last we see of her, I will be quite disappointed. Hopefully the writer’s got most of their “Surprise, I’m a woman!” jokes out of the way during the last few episodes of series 10. I don’t know how much more Master on Master kissing I can handle.
Capaldi’s run got off to a slow start for me. I absolutely loved Matt Smith’s iteration of the Doctor and I do still miss that loveable, goofball mischief-maker. Clara’s (Jenna Coleman) storyline never kept my interest, even though I wanted to like it. I don’t think I ever recovered from the brutal farewell to the Pond’s. The stories have been lacking for me ever since, across all of Steven Moffat’s platforms. (I’m looking at you Sherlock!) Capaldi has the acting chops, no doubt about it. But I didn’t feel the same excitement at his introduction as when Eleven walked through the projections of his old regenerations in his very first episode. I never understood Capaldi’s old rock star, magician, intense eyebrow vibe. Clara’s relationship with him was… weird at best. And Nardole (Matt Lucas)? Ugh. He and Strax are just interchangeable, potato-head, alien misfits.
It's not mean if it's true!Bill Potts has been the singular saving grace of season 10. Though even she had her bumps and near-miss moments as well. She was the first openly gay companion on the show, and boy did they make sure you knew it in every episode. There was even the quintessential “lesbians always die” episode. She did have most of the funniest, emotional scenes in this series, and her fate in the finale has me on pins and needles. After all of the boundary pushing and tension testing Doctor Who has been doing lately, it’s good to know it was all leading up to Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor.
What's in store
If the new showrunner, Chris Chibnall of Broadchurch and Torchwood fame, can amp up the storyline and character building, the show may see a renewed interest. Jodie Whittaker is a wonderful new addition to the cast. She is utterly captivating in Broadchurch, another BBC hidden gem. Her performance as a grieving mother trying to solve her son’s murder still gives me chills. I sincerely hope the writers can give her the story she deserves. Now, there is still no news on who Thirteen’s companion will be. We’ll have to wait and see if Doctor Who is brave enough to put two female leads on screen or if they’ll play it safe and give us a male, Rory-esqe, companion. Either way I can’t wait until series 11 premieres!
We just have to make it through one more Christmas special….Oh god. Please not another ‘Return of Doctor Mysterio”. Why? Just…Why?
