Video killed the Tardis star

[rogue06]

It's like when Ellen DeGeneres came out as gay, and suddenly her sitcom was all about pushing the gay agenda down viewers' throats. I think her show only lasted one season after her celebrated/controversial "coming out" episode.

I suspect once the initial curiosity and novelty of a female Doctor wears off, the ratings will tank, and the BBC will be forced to either make a hasty course correction, or cancel the show entirely.

It will depend on whether the actress can portray a convincing Doctor.

[Mountain Man]

It will depend on whether the actress can portray a convincing Doctor.

I think it depends on how much the creators are depending on stunt-casting to carry the show and to what exent they focus on the gender swap. I can already see the new Doctor exhibiting an attraction to a female character and then saying something flippant like, "What's the big deal? I used to be a man. In many ways, I still am. *wink*" and then the female character swoons. I really fear that's where the show is headed.

[Sparko]

I think it depends on how much the creators are depending on stunt-casting to carry the show and to what exent they focus on the gender swap. I can already see the new Doctor exhibiting an attraction to a female character and then saying something flippant like, "What's the big deal? I used to be a man. In many ways, I still am. *wink*" and then the female character swoons. I really fear that's where the show is headed.

One of the things about Doctor Who is he never gets sexually involved with any companions or anyone else. Even his relationship with River Song was pretty platonic on the screen. He is supposed to be aloof from such things (although he has a daughter so he had to have some relationship with another time lord at one time)

I hope they keep it that way. If they try to change that and put him into some gay relationship or any relationship (heck how would you even figure out which would be a "gay" relationship since he becomes a woman?) then that pretty much ruins the show. And not to mention it is a popular show with kids, so they really need to keep the sexuality out of the show.

[Mountain Man]

They pushed the envelope pretty far last season with the character of Bill. The season finale even had a lesbian kiss. I wouldn't be surprised to see them push it even further with a female Doctor, especially given this last season's subtle, and in some cases overt, attempts to push the idea that sexuality is a social construct and not a biological reality.

[Adrift]

One of the things about Doctor Who is he never gets sexually involved with any companions or anyone else. Even his relationship with River Song was pretty platonic on the screen. He is supposed to be aloof from such things (although he has a daughter so he had to have some relationship with another time lord at one time)

I hope they keep it that way. If they try to change that and put him into some gay relationship or any relationship (heck how would you even figure out which would be a "gay" relationship since he becomes a woman?) then that pretty much ruins the show. And not to mention it is a popular show with kids, so they really need to keep the sexuality out of the show.

Didn't he have a pseudo-romantic relationship with Rose, which is why they cloned him so that he and Rose could live happily ever after?

Also, didn't Community predict the female Doctor Who shtick in one of their episodes and hate her?

[Mountain Man]

Didn't he have a pseudo-romantic relationship with Rose, which is why they cloned him so that he and Rose could live happily ever after?

Also, didn't Community predict the female Doctor Who shtick in one of their episodes and hate her?

Rose was definitely portrayed as a love interest but primarily for the 10th Doctor. Then there was River Song who eventually married the 11th and shared some adventures with the 12th. However, even before that in the classic series, it was strongly implied that Doctor #4 and Romana, a female Time Lord, were romantically involved, but this largely reflected the real-life romance of actors Tom Baker and Lala Ward. And then there was Doctor #3 and Jo Grant who shared a certain, understated affection, with the Doctor even becoming very slightly jealous when she became romantically attached to another character on the program. Even going all the way back to the first Doctor, he flirted with a woman in ancient Roman times and accidently became engaged when he unknowingly performed an obscure ritual (making her hot chocolate, of all things).

It's this consistency that leads me to argue that the Doctor's character is essentially male. His sexuality, on the relatively rare instances when it has been addressed, has never been ambiguous.

[Sparko]

Didn't he have a pseudo-romantic relationship with Rose, which is why they cloned him so that he and Rose could live happily ever after?

Also, didn't Community predict the female Doctor Who shtick in one of their episodes and hate her?

The Rose thing was hinted at but never acted upon.

and what is "Community"?

[Adrift]

Rose was definitely portrayed as a love interest but primarily for the 10th Doctor. Then there was River Song who eventually married the 11th and shared some adventures with the 12th. However, even before that in the classic series, it was strongly implied that Doctor #4 and Romana, a female Time Lord, were romantically involved, but this largely reflected the real-life romance of actors Tom Baker and Lala Ward. And then there was Doctor #3 and Jo Grant who shared a certain, understated affection, with the Doctor even becoming very slightly jealous when she became romantically attached to another character on the program. Even going all the way back to the first Doctor, he flirted with a woman in ancient Roman times and accidently became engaged when he unknowingly performed an obscure ritual (making her hot chocolate, of all things).

It's this consistency that leads me to argue that the Doctor's character is essentially male. His sexuality, on the relatively rare instances when it has been addressed, has never been ambiguous.

Wow. You know your Doctor Who. Scary.

[Adrift]

The Rose thing was hinted at but never acted upon.

and what is "Community"?

Community is a goofy comedy about students at a Community College. It starred Chevy Chase in a number of seasons. In one episode two of the characters go to a sci-fi convention cosplaying as their favorite characters from the show Inspector Spacetime (an overt reference to Doctor Who). If I remember correctly they mention that one of the Inspector's was once played by a woman, and that she sucked, but are quick to point out that it was because of the writing, and not because she was a woman.

[Cerebrum123]

Miles Morales should have his own, different, identity (unless perhaps he's Spiderman in a parallel universe). Jane Foster and Beta Ray Bill weren't ever Thor, just people who temporarily wielded Thor's hammer. Which I don't object to in principle (But, gee a space horse? Bleh).

Ever watched the 'Diversity and Comics' channel on YouTube?

AFAIK Miles Morales only took up the mantle of Spider-Man after Peter Parker died, at least that's the way they portrayed it in one of the games I play. They are calling Jane Foster Thor, and Thor has been going by Odinson. Beta Ray Bill is weird yeah, but kind of an interesting character IMO.

And, no, I haven't watched that channel.

[Just Passing Through]

I wouldn’t really care if the Doctor regenerated as a woman, if that was all there was to it. Gender has never been particularly relevant to the role, in my opinion. But when the new actress introduced herself by starting out, “As a feminist, as a woman...” it points toward a pc agenda as the entire driving impetus. I haven’t seen any of the Bill episodes (I dropped cable tv a year ago and have no desire to go back), but I’ve never liked Capaldi as the Doctor anyway (his annoyingly moronic sense of humor), so maybe I’ll check out the series again sometime around 2020, or maybe not.

Just wanted to remind people that even George Takei thought it was a mistake to make Sulu gay in the latest movie. That’s messing with canon.

[Mountain Man]

Wow. You know your Doctor Who. Scary.

It's been my all-time favorite TV show for the past 30-years, which is why feminising the Doctor feels like a kick in the teeth to me.

[Mountain Man]

I wouldn’t really care if the Doctor regenerated as a woman, if that was all there was to it. Gender has never been particularly relevant to the role, in my opinion. But when the new actress introduced herself by starting out, “As a feminist, as a woman...” it points toward a pc agenda as the entire driving impetus. I haven’t seen any of the Bill episodes (I dropped cable tv a year ago and have no desire to go back), but I’ve never liked Capaldi as the Doctor anyway (his annoyingly moronic sense of humor), so maybe I’ll check out the series again sometime around 2020, or maybe not.

Just wanted to remind people that even George Takei thought it was a mistake to make Sulu gay in the latest movie. That’s messing with canon.

Capaldi has been dynamite in the role, so no complaints from me on that account.

I hadn't heard that interview, but doesn't surprise me. As I said, this last season has covertly and overtly attempted to blur the lines of traditional sexuality.

Former DOCTOR WHO actor Peter Davison (Doctor #5 and my personal favorite) has been rather adamant over the years that the Doctor should never be played by a female, largely because the Doctor's character is iconically male.

[Adrift]

AFAIK Miles Morales only took up the mantle of Spider-Man after Peter Parker died, at least that's the way they portrayed it in one of the games I play. They are calling Jane Foster Thor, and Thor has been going by Odinson. Beta Ray Bill is weird yeah, but kind of an interesting character IMO.

And, no, I haven't watched that channel.

Eh, Miles Morales and Jane Foster are both widely considered part of the transparent attempt on Marvel's part to create the illusion of diversity in their line by hijacking established characters. A lot of fans found it irritating at the least. I think people want diversity, they just don't want it at the sake of established popular characters. We don't need half a dozen new Spider-Men that each correspond to a different ethnicity. A good writer should be able to create new and unique compelling characters with diverse ethnicities if that's what they're going for.

[Adrift]

It's been my all-time favorite TV show for the past 30-years, which is why feminising the Doctor feels like a kick in the teeth to me.

When I was a kid back in the early 80s I had a friend who used to run around with the fourth Doctor's scarf. The show used to freak me out, personally. It was that theme song, and how creepy and lo-fi the whole thing looked (I like the song now). When the series was rebooted my girlfriend and I got pretty into it, but I had to bail some time towards the end of the tenth Doctor. It was just too silly for me, and his powers/mythology were too inconsistent, which is kind of why I wasn't surprised that they sprung the whole "The Doctor is now a woman" thing.

Assuming Doctor Who's audience leans mostly male (I know that definitely holds true for the long time, hardcore fans), I'd be surprised if she lasts long. Sci-Fi audiences typically enjoy protagonists they can identify with, which is why the more popular characters have always been nerdy males.