Doctor WTF

• 03.12.2020 13:14 UTC+01:00
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Many years ago, when I was a mere lad, I used to watch a children's TV sci-fi show, starring Jon Pertwee and then, later, Tom Baker. Unfortunately, it started going downhill after Baker's departure; or perhaps I'd just outgrown it. The last time I saw Doctor Who, albeit in passing, Sylvester McCoy was butchering the titular character. It was so bad that I couldn't watch it, and the show was put out of its misery shortly thereafter.

But, you can't keep a good man, or indeed Doctor, down. Especially when new shows are needed for the schedule. In a flurry of creative apathy, Doctor Who was resurrected in 2005. Or regenerated. Or something—I didn't care, I didn't watch it then either.

He's been doing the same old, same old, pretty much ever since, as various showrunners have come and gone. Historically, the good Doctor has shown a reluctance to diversify. Although he can regenerate, he's pretty much stuck to the traditional white man template.

But, the present showrunner, Chris Chibnall, is progressive; a champion of diversity. Even though he's a fat middle-aged white man, and claims to be a Doctor Who fan to boot, he's introduced the first female Doctor, the first black female Doctor, and retconned the whole timeline so that the Doctor first started out as a girl. I don't pretend to understand or care about the retcon, or its implications, but it seems to have upset a lot of fans. Jodie Whittaker's zombie-like performance has also not been met with wild enthusiasm.

And Chibnall apparently has more in store, in the name of cheap shock tactics to maintain relevance diversity and LGBTQIABC+FLAPFLAPFLAP representation; possibly even a lesbian Doctor. That will be fun. Pre-progressive Auntie Beeb* would be fluffing up her cardigan in indignation. If only it had happened during the '70s, when I watched Doctor Who, Mary Whitehouse would've gone thermonuclear! (explode) (nuclear) (LMAO)

I don't understand why Chibnall needs to insert identity politics into what is, after all, a children's TV programme. But, I'd argue that if his goal is diversity and representation, then he's still not going far enough. After all, despite the dalliances with gender, race, and even sexual orientation, the Doctor's regenerations remain limited to bipedal hominoids.

I like badgers. If the Doctor returns as a badger, I might just be interested in watching again. (badger)

Oh, and Sea Devils FTW!