Anyone watch Doctor Who? What do you think of it recently?
I love this show since i used to watch Tom Baker in the role when i was a kid in the 70’s. Ive seen all his episodes as well as all the Peter Davison, Colin Baker most of the Sylvester McCoy and all of the episodes since the reboot with Christopher Eccleston. I plan to finish the Sylvester McCoy episodes and then see all the episodes of the other Doctors before Baker. Hope they got them all found in one way or another and uploaded by the time i get there lol. I have seen some of their episodes too but not many.
So i’m a big fan of the show and love it dearly. Thing is i haven’t been liking it recently. I have some ideas about this and i’d like to run them by you guys and see what you think.
I haven’t been liking the Jodie Whittaker episodes. Thing is it doesn’t feel like Doctor Who. This is very disappointing for i was looking forward to seeing a female Doctor. And i think its a problem of casting. Here’s why i think that.
THE DOCTOR
To me the Doctor has always been an authoritative figure. He comes on the scene and says “I’m the Doctor and this is the situation and you need to do this to fix it”. That’s quite a thing to say. “I’m the Doctor”. I remember one time i had jury duty and there was a Doctor among us on the jury. When he spoke everyone listened. He pretty much lead that jury. If a Doctor shows up at a scene he commands respect cause hes a Doctor. Hes there to fix things. And “Doctor” could mean other things. Medical or the person could have a doctorate in mathematics or one of the scientific disciplines. Any way hes an authority figure. Looking at British culture and especially when this show came out in the early 60’s there was definitely this dynamic going on. And i think this dynamic has been going on till now. Sorry if this is obvious.
JODIE WHITTAKER
Well now we finally have a female Doctor. In the role is Jodie Whittaker. But when she shows up on the scene do you get that impression? I dont. you get this quarky, loony kind of “chick”. She doesnt seem to have a lot of gravity. So the Doctor is missing. The main character in Doctor Who is missing. Where is the Doctor? How come the show feels shallow? I feel like the Doctor has taken a long hiatus. Watching the show I feel like a child missing his parent lol.
So I feel better casting could have fixed this. Michelle Gomez made a very good “Master”. I feel someone like her would have been a better match. Since this is the first time for a female Doctor i think they should have gone all out. A more matriarchal figure. An older women. Upper class British accent maybe. The female Doctor has got to pull off the authority of the Doctor. Who knows? Maybe one of the Dames would have done it? But Whittaker looks very young. Does not come off as a authority figure and along with the Yorkshire accent really seems ill equipped to play the “Doctor”. She plays the “kooky” funny girl too much.
Am i wrong about this? I hope Whittaker does not reprise her role for another season. They need a new Doctor and i would like them to try another female. I’m afraid of they go male again people will think it didnt work out and who knows when they will try it again.
So who would make a great female Doctor when Whittaker leaves?
CHRIS CHIBNALL
Chris Chibnall is another reason i feel its not working. Hes a good writer. But right out the gate he got the Doctor wrong with the casting of Whittaker. They worked on Broadchurch together and i’ve always thought he pushed for her to be the Doctor. Maybe i’m wrong. But this a big mistake to make. Does he really understand the Doctor? Is this the right gig for him? Producer/Writer of Doctor Who?
The “Timeless child” episode is a good example of someone who is not right for this job. He pretty much stepped on Doctor Who with this rewriting of his entire canon origin from the beginning till now. Undermining nearly everything. Is this someone who truly loves Doctor Who? I’m really not seeing the love and respect for the character. If you dont love the show and your not inspired by it, please dont take the job. There are many, many people who love this show and want to watch Doctor Who. Not some other invention taking its place.
FUTURE
So who do we get to replace Chibnall for the next season? This is tough. truly tough. We were extremely fortunate to get Steven Moffat as a writer for the show. And he has proven time and time again how great a writer he is. I just saw his Dracula recently and I was blown away by it. And i didnt even know it was his till the end (BTW wouldn’t Claes Bang make a great Doctor?). He is a unique talent that even Spielberg recognized. We got very lucky. How are we gonna get another writer of his caliber? If one even exists? If he does exist is he gonna want to do Doctor Who? Will he be inspired by it like Moffat was? We are in a lot of trouble for the future of this show.
