SO THE NEW DOCTOR IS A WOMAN … SO WHAT?
As she drew back her black hood in a teaser clip released by the BBC last year, Jodie Whittaker was conscious that her reveal as the first female incarnation of the titular Time Lord in cult series Doctor Who would have an impact. And the casting of a woman in a role that has been restricted to men for more than five decades most certainly caught people’s attention. Even mine, and I fell out of love with the sci-fi phenomenon when David Tennant’s reign as the 10th Doctor ended at the start of 2010. As far as I’m concerned, the prospect of a female Doctor materialising on my screen this week (Season 11 starts Mon., Oct. 8 at 5.55pm; ABC) is a welcome change because, as the promotional line goes, it’s about time.
Not everyone has embraced the idea of a female Doctor. Given the show’s loyal and vocal following, taking the helm as the 13th D octor would be no easy feat for anyone – male or female. But Whittaker’s casting has been met with a backlash from a number of “Whovians”, who claim the actress is #notmydoctor and even from predecessor Peter Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor in the early 1980s and announced he felt “a bit sad” at “the loss of a role model for boys”.
I believe that a shift in casting is more important than ever, not only because young boys have had a male role model for 55 years, but also because statements like those of Davison ignore the seemingly obvious fact that women can be role models for young girls and boys alike. While it is disheartening that Whittaker’s announcement as the first female Doctor is still so controversial in 2018, I think it will be a huge step forward for female representation in the sci-fi genre and one that will help girls see themselves in the narrative of the series as more than just a possible companion.
As well as Whittaker’s casting bringing with it a change in gender of the Doctor, the 36-yearold actress’ past body of work, which includes popular series Broadchurch and Black Mirror, suggests she will make the role of the traditionally idiosyncratic and quick-witted Doctor her own and hopefully breathe new life into the iconic British series.
And Doctor Who could do with that, since the most recent season earned the show’s lowest ratings since its return in 2005. Whittaker may be just what the Doctor ordered to sustain its longevity and recruit a new generation of Whovians, not to mention get me back on board.
More than anything, though, I’d like for a casting such as this to become a non-issue and for someone like Whittaker to not be seen as a “feminist icon” but as just an actress playing her part – a part she has as much right to play as a man.