DANCING WITH THE DOCTOR

released OUT NOW! 208 pages | Paperback

Author lorna Jowett Publisher IB Tauris

With Peter Capaldi recently announcing that he’s stepping down from the show, fandom is once again asking: is it time for a female Doctor? So it’s pretty good timing for the release of this book – subtitled Dimensions Of Gender In The New Doctor Who Universe – which covers this and many other issues across New (not Classic) Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Working its way through issues of gender in the characters, production and fandoms of the shows, Lorna Jowett examines such points as the differing representations of femininity by female characters, the way modern male companions (Mickey, Rory, Danny) have tended to be defined more by their relationships to women than in their own right, and, of course, the much-criticised issue of recent series’ lack of female writers and directors.

Unfortunately the high points are the introduction, which sums up some of the issues to be explored, and the afterword, which finally seems to offer some judgement about the shows’ treatment of gender. Dr Jowett is a university academic, and the book focuses more on bringing together previous analyses and reviewing other texts than it does on offering new insights. As a result it makes some salient points, but sadly never really engages. Rhian Drinkwater