I woke up this morning (about 5am) to the news that the BBC in it's wisdom has chosen to regenerate the Doctor, one of my all time favourite Science Fiction characters into a woman! What can I say I was aghast, appalled, flummoxed, then the apathy set in and the realisation that no matter how I felt it didn't make any difference in the long run.
It is appropriate perhaps that they chose the number thirteen as the regeneration number for a female time lord? Certainly if it doesn't go well, then the augurs will say - well the stars were right. I have no problems with let me say female actors in lead roles, persons of non-traditional sexes etc being given lead or roles in cinema or television.
Getting back on track though, this move by the BBC which was aired at the end of the Men Wimbledon Final has according to one media source divided the community. If I was the numbers man at the BBC and worried about sales revenue, I'd be worried. If, and lets look at strict hypothetical, 50% of fans left, and if you pick up say 20% of feminists who are happy a woman has been chosen, say 10% for the looney left side of the political correct side of the world, then you are probably looking at a drop of 20% in sales merchandise, viewing and ticketing. That's suicide by any shows future, so why have they done it? Who knows? Certainly you can always have the previous actors attend events promoting the DW universe, but the 13th? Well, you've got controversy in a TARDIS.
As a conservative old stick in the mud I won't be watching the 13th Doctor. If I do it will be under protest and only due to the fact I can't escape the room. I will probably relate to this incarnation as the Paul McGann incarnation, one that is on the records, but no one really wants to remember.
Will this be the last season of Doctor Who? Will there be such a back lash that the BBC back down and say April Fools, it's really the chap who's writing this blog! (Oh wouldn't that be a jest.) Time will tell.
ADDENDUM: 11AM approx. Good lord has the vitriol been flying to say the least. This is almost as good as Julia Gilliard and her misogynist quote. It's all to do about feminists now and how dare you have a say that against progressive television programming and the people? A bit like Brexit and other popularist movements I guess? I have no idea how the BBC will jump on this, I guess like the left wing body it is (like our ABC) it will ignore the old fart like me and go for the new age or vocal minorities, then I guess it will be down to the ratings in the long run. Will Doctor Who survive, I have no idea. Personally John Pertwee as the doctor I most enjoyed (as was Roger Delgado as the Master) as was time period, never really enjoyed the others after that, but that's just me. Some are good, some are "bad" all by a persons personal taste. As I think I stated somewhere, it's just a television series. They come and they go, this one may be about to go...
Till next time.
The Hon. John
It's been a possibility since the 1980s. I'm looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteMind you, you'd probably consider me part of what you quaintly call the "10% for the looney left side of the political correct side of the world". The first I knew of the new Doctor's gender was a message from a friend saying "At last; a Doctor you can cosplay" :)
DeleteSad that they felt the need to gender swap. We will all have personal reactions about this decision, mine is one of disappointment. Being born in 1967, I have seen a lot of Doctor Who, my personal favourite is still John Pertwee :-)
ReplyDeletePertwee was my favourite as well. Happy 50th for this year. :)
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