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Doctor Who's 13th Time Lord Announced: Actress Jodie Whittaker (bbc.co.uk)
Peter Capaldi, the 12th Doctor Who, had said that he wanted to see a woman replace him in the Tardis, and so did former Doctor Who stars Billie Piper and Karen Gillan. And today it's official: "the 13th incarnation of Doctor Who will be portrayed by an actress," writes Slashdot reader Coisiche -- specifically Jodie Whittaker, who American viewers may remember from her performance as CIA officer Sandra Grimes in the 2014 mini-series "The Assets." The BBC reports:
She was revealed in a trailer that was broadcast on BBC One at the end of the Wimbledon men's singles final... She will make her debut on the sci-fi show when the Doctor regenerates in the Christmas Day show... Whittaker said: "I'm beyond excited to begin this epic journey...with every Whovian on this planet. It's more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope... Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change."
Doctor Who's new showrunner said the 13th Doctor was always going to be a woman -- and that Whittaker was their first choice. "Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role." Doctor Who #12 added that Whittaker "has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. She's going to be a fantastic Doctor." And Will Howells, who writes for the Doctor Who magazine, said "I don't think it's a risky choice at all but if a show that can go anywhere and do anything can't take risks, what can?"
Doctor Who's new showrunner said the 13th Doctor was always going to be a woman -- and that Whittaker was their first choice. "Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role." Doctor Who #12 added that Whittaker "has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. She's going to be a fantastic Doctor." And Will Howells, who writes for the Doctor Who magazine, said "I don't think it's a risky choice at all but if a show that can go anywhere and do anything can't take risks, what can?"
When do we get new episodes? Why isn't there a daily episode? MORE MORE MORE!!!!
and you can't have a female Dr. Who. This is another example of PC bullshit taken too far.
I just hope Dr. Who treats her as an actual Doctor, not just use her to virtue-signal for SJW cred. Dr. Who's increasing politicization is really getting annoying. It's starting to feel like that guy who brings out his one black friend at every party and points to him to let you know that he's a proper non-racist liberal.
When characters are naturally gay or black or whatever, that's great. When they're one-dimensional non-entities who just appear from stage-left in every episode just to remind everyone of their gayness and blackness, that's just virtue-signalling. And it's an insult to real gays, minorities, women etc. who are actual real human beings.
I hope she's a real character. I hope that every episode doesn't revolve around some stereotypical "women's issues" just to trumpet for the thousandth time that this Dr. Who is A WOMAN.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
My only complaint about Doctor Who (all BBC shows actually) is they don't make enough episodes per season.
Because, unlike Americans, they know it will turn to shit if they make too many.
Missy was a exceptional incarnation of The Master as an evil Mary Poppins. Michelle Gomez proved the character can be gender flipped and still retain credibility.
...what?
the people doing the announcing have pushed a gender issue narrative.
Citation needed. The announcement showed her face and her name. How is that a gender issue narrative?
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Go rewatch some of the older episodes with the Master and see if you can still say that. Missy was a poor approximation of the Master and the stupid "Master/Doctor" romance thing they tried to shove into that relationship ruined the character.
If you could the Doctor a Social Justice Warrior he'd take it as the ultimate compliment.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
So because they cast a woman in the role of an alien time traveller who regularly changes form, you're pissed off? You rt are a delicate little snowflake, aren't you?
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Missy was a exceptional incarnation of The Master as an evil Mary Poppins. Michelle Gomez proved the character can be gender flipped and still retain credibility.
Exactly, but they never made a big deal of it so it worked well.
This last companion, however, was an abomination of SJW-ness. Not a single episode went by without them putting some focus on her liking girls and/or (mostly and) some slavery reference. It was tedious, annoying, helped nothing, and damaged the story lines.
Cpt Jack's homosexuality was never an issue and it was never focused on. Martha didn't go around constantly commenting about slavery. Bill was also the first female companion (at least since the reboot) that I would not classify as a "strong woman" (mostly due to her being on about slavery and being gay so much). Seemed she needed more rescuing by the Dr than she did rescuing of the Dr like all her predecessors did.
Hopefully the story will just be "poof, the Dr is a woman" and then it is never mentioned again. If so, it will work well. Based on how they are publicizing it, however, I suspect they are going to work some form of "wait! you're a woman now???" into each episode. That will be a damn shame if that is indeed what happens.
I agree that there should be a female Dr and by all accounts it looks like she is a good choice. I just hope that the writers and producers don't turn it into disgusting political circus to try to make a point that doesn't need making.
I'm a gay man who hates seeing gay characters hammered in to a show just so they have a gay character -- Sulu in the last Star Trek movie being an obvious case in point.
So I'm not sure about changing the Doctor to a woman just because the BBC need more diversity. To me, the Doctor is a male character, and I think should remain so. It's seems like feminism going to far (again?). (Jodie even said herself that she is a feminist).
With Missy, they introduced the idea of a male Time Lord regenerating as a woman, so it's been obvious for some time that this was coming. I'm just not sure I like it.
It happened to Thor too, so.I'm guess James Bond will be next.... Sigh.
I've nothing against woman and strong lead woman characters, it's just changing something because it's the "in thing" or because they feel they have to that does my head in. Like, should Wonder Woman become Wonder Man? Should Aunt Beru become Uncle Stew in the next version of A New Hope just so Star Wars can have a gay parent couple?
We'll see once we see her as the Doctor. I may change my mind. But for now, I'm not sure...
For the most part I expect the BBC is just trying to get rid of the gender debate. No matter when they would replace the Doctor with a female version there will be controversy. So if they do it now, then they can get rid of the hurdle. If they found a talented actor and have good writers and directors, then things should be fine.
Being that Capaldi wasn't that popular Doctor (I actually started to warm up with him this season) People are up for a change, back to a more vibrant Doctor.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Exactly! there is a BIG fricking difference than having a character who simply happens to be "x" than one whose entire reason for being is to be "x". A perfect example of doing it right? Heimdall in the Thor movies. Nobody gives a shit that he is black because he is a well written character who just so happens to be black. He is brave, loyal to his friends, willing to charge in despite extreme danger, one tough SOB. Nobody cares about his skin color because it simply isn't relevant to the story or the character it is simply a trait like being tall or strong which frankly is how it should be if we actually care about people being treated as equals and not objects.
Contrast this with how Hollywood portrays gay people which is still so cringe its pathetic, they always seem to go full Will & Grace stereotype gay. They can't just let a person be a person who just so happens to be gay, nope its "hey did you know I'm gay? Because i'm totally gay, yup as gay as gay can be uh huh that is me" which I have no doubt we'll look back in 20 years and see this virtue signaling for what it is...as racist as anything Amos and Andy did back in the day because they aren't allowed to just be people,normal folks with thoughts and fears and anxieties like everybody else, nope they have to go "magical negro" only its "super happy gay friend".
So if its a case of the Doctor simply ending up with a gender swap this regen, looking down saying something snarky and then moving on like "Oh well at least I'm not white haired anymore, it was making me feel dreadfully old" then it will be great....but considering how many times I've seen the word "diversity" thrown in there which in left wing speak always translates to "hey we're gonna be racist/sexist now, gotta fly the flag and show we are loyal to the cause"? I have a feeling we are gonna be in for some serious cringe.
lets just hope they don't end up killing the show because as we have seen people are REALLY getting fucking sick of being preached at and if the show becomes nothing but left wing politics and virtue signaling? I don't even see hardcore Dr Who fans wanting to tune in for their weekly dose of Who if it becomes nothing but propaganda.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Being that Capaldi wasn't that popular Doctor (I actually started to warm up with him this season) People are up for a change, back to a more vibrant Doctor.
Interesting. I have to say I loved Capaldi, and I thought his portrayal was great. Some of the scripts, on the other hand, could have used another go or two round the editor's desk before being OK'd. I'm hopeful the writers will do better by Whittaker.
A thousand pounds of wood moving at 300 feet per minute. Don't get in the way.
Re-imagining the Doctor has been kinda the point ever since the first re-generation. The whole idea of the show for N years now has been 'OK, now we've got a new primary, how's this one different'. If that doesn't work for you, I can't see why you'd have watched Eccleston, let alone be commenting on the subject.
A thousand pounds of wood moving at 300 feet per minute. Don't get in the way.
Called it 2 doctors ago...
...And I'll call this one for the record: next will be a minority, the following one will be transgender.
There will never again be a white, male Dr Who.
You called it two Doctors ago and have been wrong twice, so now that it's eventually a woman you take credit? Do you write horoscopes for a living?
This sucks. Why the fuck do they got to go and ruin a perfectly good thing? The doctor is a MAN and always has been. If they want a woman, they should have made a Doctor Who spinoff or something. Better yet, maybe they could try creating something entirely new and unrelated.
Nope, Doctor is an alien, not a man.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
The best thing about this is the whiny men complaining.
Time to grow a pair guys and join the 21st century.
XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
What if they use their toilet plungers to rape the Doctor? Tjat would be awesome. Seeing a toilet plunger ripping up throug her uterus
While it may have been "matter of fact", it served no purpose in the story other than "hey! look! I'm a lesbian character!".
Can you cite specific examples? It just seems like if a gay character mentions that they have a same-sex love interest, it's somehow an overt "hey! look! I'm a lesbian character!" move.
The original Star Trek and earlier Dr Who pulled off the ability to normalize such things specifically because they didn't make a deal out of it.
The original Star Trek made a huge deal out of it constantly. They did entire episodes about racism, were constantly pushing the boundaries with things like the first on-screen interracial kiss, and often it just got silly like the "planet of the Nazis" episode or the space hippies.
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SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
The Master was a rather two dimensional character, which is why they tried to add some depth and give him a chance to develop with the possibility of redemption.
Things had to change after the Time War. In the movie the Doctor is taking the Master to be executed, apparently fine with the concept of capital punishment which seems rather out of character now. After the Time War there are very few Gallifraians left, in fact for a time the Doctor thinks he is the only one. So naturally when he meets the Master he wants to save him, but it ends with the Master dying.
The Missy/Doctor "romance" is entirely one sided, and really just Missy trying to make the Doctor feel uncomfortable.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC