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07:44, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Doctor who.

Posted by jamat
jamat
member, 501 posts
P:5 T:7 W:0 F:0 B:3
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 18:15
  • msg #1

Doctor who

The new doctor who is to be female about time.... Make an interesting change
Vinny
member, 566 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 18:18
  • msg #2

Doctor who

Was hoping for Tilda Swinton.
mickey65
member, 62 posts
Long-time PbP player
Love several systems
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 18:20
  • msg #3

Doctor who

I'm not a Whovian but am curious about how Whovians evaluate the scripts and performances for this new doctor. Keep posting about this.
phoenix9lives
member, 917 posts
GENE POLICE!  YOU!
GET OUTTA THE POOL!
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 19:05
  • msg #4

Doctor who

I think that the Master/Missy was probably a test run to see how people would take to it.
Godzfirefly
member, 482 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 19:11
  • msg #5

Doctor who

I'm always excited by a new season of Doctor Who.  Especially when I can see a new Doctor and/or Companion.

It has been a while since we've seen a Regeneration without a Companion there to help him through the transition, so that should be particularly interesting.

That said, it's still 5 months until the Regeneration happens and even longer before the next season starts.  So, it's hard to maintain excitement for that long.  We'll see how things go.
gladiusdei
member, 556 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 19:12
  • msg #6

Doctor who

I was a big fan of Matt Smith, a tiny bit less of David Tennant, and I thought Capaldi was a great actor with a bad a script for his seasons.  I think that is the sticking point for me for the new doctor being female.  On its own, it shouldn't matter, but if they spend an entire season with the only main gimmick being everyone reacting to the doctor being female, it will get real old real fast.  Sort of like how they went out of the way to emphasize Bill's orientation and race in nearly every episode she was in.

My only other hesitancy on a female doctor is that all the previous doctors had a personality of fake bravado that, to me, felt distinctly male.  If it isn't handled (written) correctly, it will feel like a female doctor trying to act like a man.
This message was last edited by the user at 19:32, Sun 16 July 2017.
facemaker329
member, 6946 posts
Gaming for over 30
years, and counting!
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 19:37
  • msg #7

Doctor who

In reply to Vinny (msg # 2):

That would be out of character, so to speak, for selecting a new Doctor.  Swinton is certainly a good enough actor for the role, but they don't generally pick actors who have a thriving big-screen career, opting for equally talented, but lesser-known actors whose past roles are less likely to impact the audience perception of the character.
Godzfirefly
member, 483 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 21:12
  • msg #8

Doctor who

In reply to facemaker329 (msg # 7):

I dunno.  Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Peter Capaldi all had pretty significant pre-Doctor careers...
willvr
member, 1062 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:18
  • msg #9

Doctor who

Eccleston and Capaldi yes. Tennant wasn't really 'big' yet. He first did Doctor Who in 2005; the same year that both Casanova and Goblet of Fire were announced. Most of the stuff he did -before- then, didn't get much coverage outside of the UK. He only really shot into being a true leading man after Doctor Who.

Capaldi, for all his massive success before, did not prove to be a very popular Doctor. And with Ecclestone, they really needed a 'name' actor to bring it back; especially as they were intent on conquering America this time around, which they never did before.

I am worried though that it will be a gimmick. If they did a full audition, and she was considered to be the best for the job? Fine. I just worry that what they did is decide before-hand they needed a woman to appease the fans.
Loremaster
member, 54 posts
Trust me.
I know what I'm doing.
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:26
  • msg #10

Doctor who

As opposed to deciding beforehand that they needed a man.
willvr
member, 1063 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:28
  • msg #11

Doctor who

No better, no worse.
gladiusdei
member, 557 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:33
  • msg #12

Doctor who

I know it's a big topic nowadays, but it is sort of normal for them to approach the doctor as male first.  That's the way the character has been written for 60+ years.  Yes, the doctor CAN become female, but that isn't the norm.  It wasn't established in the canon world until I think the episode the Doctor's Wife that a timelord could switch gender.  That means casting a woman was a choice to move away from what had long been established to something new.

Who knows, it may work out great.  The last few seasons have had some pretty bad writing, so the bigger deal is the new head writer.  If he's good, then the new doctor will be good.  If he's not....well, we can hope it will improve eventually.
Hunter
member, 1368 posts
Captain Oblivious!
Lurker
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:39
  • msg #13

Doctor who

In reply to willvr (msg # 9):

It wouldn't be the first time that they changed or reconned something.   Remember back in the Baker days how the 12th doctor was supposed to be more evil than the Master?
willvr
member, 1064 posts
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 22:44
  • msg #14

Doctor who

If you want to be technical, the Valeyard was 'somewhere between the 12th and 13th incarnations'. And the Valeyard didn't work too well.

I'm not against change; but change purely for the sake of change often doesn't work. I've been watching since the late '80s, and yeah, a lot of the things they've done since it returned doesn't exactly make me happy. Whether this is a good change or not, really depends on how much they overplay the fact he regenerated into a woman. If it's just something done briefly in the first episode? That's fine. But if they keep on harping on about the fact that it's a woman now; that's going to be worse than not having that regeneration.
Hunter
member, 1369 posts
Captain Oblivious!
Lurker
Sun 16 Jul 2017
at 23:17
  • msg #15

Doctor who

I'm not going to disagree.   Change for the sake of change rarely works out well in the end.
facemaker329
member, 6947 posts
Gaming for over 30
years, and counting!
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 04:10
  • msg #16

Doctor who

She's an actress who's been working with the new showrunner (on Broadchurch), so I'm pretty sure he's familiar with her acting chops and satisfied that she can portray the character...since he's the one who knows what that entails...

I'm pretty sure this is more than just 'change for the sake of change'.  I remember rampant speculation that Smith's replacement could very well be a woman...I didn't really get into the show prior to his time frame (not to say that I don't like the earlier actors...I actually prefer Tennant, and wish Eccleston had more than one season), so I can't say how far back that speculation has gone.  After twelve Doctors, coming up with a concept for a quirky character that can be relatable to the audience has to get tricky...how to do a new character that doesn't seem like a veiled retread of an old concept, or merely a combination of 'gimmicks' from two or three earlier incarnations could easily be a daunting prospect.  Doing it all from a woman's perspective?  Very easy way to put some fresh spin in the show...and a great way to provide a new perspective on our own society, from an outsider's perspective (which is something sci fi has pretty much always done, in some measure).

I know very little about her career...but I'm looking forward to seeing how this casting choice influences the series.  I think it's got a lot of great potential.
willvr
member, 1065 posts
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 05:03
  • msg #17

Doctor who

In reply to facemaker329 (msg # 16):

The speculation has actually gone back to 1981, when Tom Baker made an off-handed comment that the next Doctor should be a woman.

And yeah; despite the feeling that the Doctor is not usually played by a big-name, very few of them have been total unknowns. I'm looking forward to it; but somewhat wary - but that's probably as much to do with that I'm more a fan of the classic series than the fact that the new doctor is a woman.
jamat
member, 502 posts
P:5 T:7 W:0 F:0 B:3
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 05:14
  • msg #18

Doctor who

Perhaps not having a well known in you face actor in the role will lessen the expectations fans will have.... Will that be as good as... Hop they don't act like they did in... Etc

Could be great for the show
Skald
moderator, 785 posts
Whatever it is,
I'm against it
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 12:38
  • msg #19

Doctor who

Quote from bbc.com:

Chibnall said the 13th Doctor was always going to be a woman.

He said: "I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman and we're thrilled to have secured our number one choice.

"Her audition for the Doctor simply blew us all away. [She] is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The 13th Doctor is on her way."
Cygnia
member, 274 posts
Amoral Paladin
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 12:55
  • msg #20

Doctor who

Colin Baker approves of the choice. :)

https://www.theguardian.com/co...ittaker-inspire-fans
mickey65
member, 71 posts
Long-time PbP player
Love several systems
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 17:08
  • msg #21

Doctor who

Is there any significance to the number 13 here?
DivineSingularity
member, 61 posts
But I will remain
I'll be back again.
Mon 17 Jul 2017
at 17:34
  • msg #22

Doctor who

I heard the sounds of a thousand fanboys crying out in agony.... than nothing.
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