The INSIDER Summary:
- BBC has announced that a woman will be playing the title role on "Doctor Who" for the first time ever.
- Jodie Whitaker will take up the mantle from Peter Capaldi when the Christmas special airs this December.
- The reactions from fans have been mixed.
- A lot of fans feel like the Doctor should always be a man, and will be boycotting the show.
For the first time in its 54-year run, Doctor Who's titular character will be played by a woman.
The much-buzzed about announcement was made this past Sunday after the Wimbledon's men's finals. In a dramatic video, BBC revealed the 13th Doctor as Jodie Whittaker, well-known for her role with costar and former Doctor David Tennant on "Broadchurch," as well as the popular sci-fi mystery show "Black Mirror."
Although it has been confirmed by Whovian lore for some time now that the time-traveling alien known as The Doctor can regenerate into any form, regardless of race, gender, or even species (can you imagine a Dalek Doctor?), the Doctor has always been a white man since the show premiered in 1963. The announcement of the historic gender change has sent a shockwave through the fan community, and reactions are mixed, to say the least. Many are furious that the tradition of the show has shifted course and equate the change to a "liberal agenda."
R.T. Davies had respect for Doctor Who's history. Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall use it as a venue for PC propaganda. #BoycottDoctorWhopic.twitter.com/CCTsmzbkcJ
— Darren Stuart (@boogiejuice69) July 16, 2017
If regeneration means Doctor Who can be a woman then why can't Doctor Who be a horse?
I bet the lefty liberal pc brigade can't answer that
— Martin (@Geordie_in_VA) July 16, 2017
The Daily Mail doing what the Daily Mail does.#Pathetic#DoctorWho#DoctorWho13pic.twitter.com/p6eQnS12Wk
— The Last Timelord (@TimelordLast) July 17, 2017Fans are claiming that they will boycott the show, and others vow to never watch again.
@ChrisChibnall why have you ruined my childhood,my sons 6yr old son 2 for pandering to PC, Loosing the core of the show #boycottdoctorwho
— cookpaul25@yahoo.co. (@cookson2011) July 17, 2017
A woman can't be Doctor Who
He's a doctor, not a nurse
— Big Woke Smoke (@Mick_Kraut) July 16, 2017Others are defending the casting choice:
An alien "randomly" regenerates into 12 consecutive white men, but sure, a woman in the role of Doctor Who is weird. #JodieWhittaker
— Charles Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) July 16, 2017
*Enters mind of someone who objects to woman taking role of Doctor Who*
"Wow, it's so much smaller on the inside"#DoctorWho13
— Peter Broks (@peterbroks) July 16, 2017But Whittaker wants to reassure fans of her respect for the iconic nature of the role:
"I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender,"Whittaker told the BBC in her first interview post-announcement. "Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."
She already has blessings from current and former Doctor Who actors:
Gwaaaaan #jodiewhittaker#doctor13🎉🎉🎉🎉
— Pearl Mackie (@Pearlie_mack) July 16, 2017
B O O M 🙌 Change isn't a dirty word!!!! 🦋 #Doctor13https://t.co/TNmw2qnD1W
— Freema Agyeman (@FreemaOfficial) July 16, 2017
Jodie Jodie Jodie Jodie Jodie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉
— Karen Gillan (@karengillan) July 16, 2017Although some fans are adverse to change, Doctor Who has been evolving sociopolitically for several seasons now. On the sixth season, the show depicted its first inter-species lesbian romantic relationship. And this past season, the new companion, Bill, is a lesbian character with romantic interests and dating woes.
The fandom has been loudly buzzing with speculation about a female star ever since The Doctor's nemesis, the Master, regenerated on the eighth season into a quirky, sarcastic woman nicknamed Missy.
So, the signs were there for a female Doctor. It was only a matter of time. The show is also getting a new showrunner, Chris Chibnall ("Broadchurch"), who will be replacing Steven Moffat next season.
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