The Doctor's New Costume and TARDIS Exterior

[PNGwynne]

It seems like picking a relatively unknown girl is the new producers way of saying, FU to the franchise

It seems that way to you, but what you feel really is that "the producers" are saying FU to your casting preferences/bias.

The Doctor has traditionally been a softer, more cerebral hero (not Kirk-like, obviously). Is a female version seemingly too soft, not smart enough? Why is the actress a "girl" to you? She's 35.

What if a Doctor was a gay male--would that also be objectionable? What about race? I'm a casual Who fan (Pertwee was my fave), but I don't get all the fuss. Seems to me the whole point of the character is mutability combined with ability.

[jwyblejr]

It's just for 3 years. It'll be over before we know it. Question is,how many will change their tune when it's all said and done and say she wasn't really that bad of a choice for The Doctor?

[palitoy]

She's not relatively unknown, she was in Broadchurch which was a major hit in the UK. She's as well known as Smith and Tennant were.

I understand you're not happy about it but why keep making odd statements and sexist remarks that I have to delete?

[Werewolf]

It seems like picking a relatively unknown girl is the new producers way of saying, FU to the franchise

It's beginning to look like you want to argue just for the sake of it. It's a little depressing.

[Gorn Captain]

I'll see what happens. I must admit, though I have no problem with the Doctor being a woman, the actress herself doesn't appeal to me that much. Looks a little bland. But let's see how she does once she steps into the blue box.

[Mikey]

The Doctor is a coveted role.

EVERY actor (at least British) dream of being a Doctor.

It seems like picking a relatively unknown girl is the new producers way of saying, FU to the franchise

She may be popular to some -- Who knows

I just don't feel what the producers feel ...

I consider Dr Who more of a legacy than a growing entity

[Earth 2 Chris]

You know, I was just thinking about why this doesn't sit well with me. I'm not foaming at the mouth about it, but I did roll my eyes at the announcement. But I think the primary reason is... I don't know this actress.

If they had cast someone I know, and felt like could play the character, the seismic shift wouldn't have bothered me. Like Haley Atwell. If she had been the new Doctor, I would actually be excited because I know her and really like her. Same thing if James Bond were recast tomorrow and it was Idris Elba. I'd be right behind that! That guy is awesome. But if it was some random, unknown, non-white guy, I'd feel it was questionable stunt-casting or something like that.

So a lot of that is on me for not knowing this actress. But I do feel better as to why this irks me a bit. Had Haley Atwell been in that pic, I'd be all in. And as I said, I'm still going to give Jodi a shot.

Chris

[emeraldknight47]

Well, that just isn't true. His speculation counts for not. Or else the Doctor would have been a ginger years ago. He says after he regenerates that he was hoping to be a ginger. It didn't happen, and he has no control.

Unless he takes an elixir specifically designed to allow him to decide, as he did in "The Night of the Doctor."

And, yes, that was a one time thing; The Doctor's regenerations ARE largely random (unless, of course, they are somehow controllled by a "higher power" or by some signal deep in The Doctor's subconscious mind). Here's the interview I saw and he does go back and axe "race" since he acknowledges that The Doctor is not of this Earth...

[LonnieFisher]

I watched an interview with Patrick Troughton earlier who speculated that The Doctor could regenerate into any form it chose; male, female, white, black, yellow, red, blue, green, etc.

Well, that just isn't true. His speculation counts for not. Or else the Doctor would have been a ginger years ago. He says after he regenerates that he was hoping to be a ginger. It didn't happen, and he has no control.

[Werewolf]

Yea, I know - i'm a chauvinistic pig that hates all women (especially my mother)..........

You are the only one that keeps calling you that.

Seriously, a woman Doctor is not the end of the world.

I've had to put up with:

5 Michael Bay Transformers movies.
2 terrible GI JOE Movies. The second one killed off nearly all the characters.
2 terrible Ninja Turtle movies
3 terrible Dungeons and Dragons
And a Jem and the Holograms movie that was so mind numbingly excruciatingly bad it got pulled from the theaters and actually killed the property.

But it's not like the original stuff I liked disappeared just because of some crappy reboots and no matter if the new season of the Doctor is good or bad the series will live on.

[Mikey]

I really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really wanna be progressive ..... but making Dr Who a girl just crosses the line.

To be honest, there's NOTHING she can do to warm me to her.

Yea, I know - i'm a chauvinistic pig that hates all women (especially my mother)..........

[emeraldknight47]

The essence of Who is change and I'm excited to see where this goes. Plus I just bought my wife a shirt which matches the one Jodie wears.

Cool! Intentionally or accidentally?

[Godzilla]

The essence of Who is change and I'm excited to see where this goes. Plus I just bought my wife a shirt which matches the one Jodie wears.

[emeraldknight47]

It's not really comparable. Diana or Clark can't regenerate into different people. The Doctor's name also doesn't have man or woman in it.

Thank you, Werewolf, for that interjected bit of wisdom.

Humans don't regenerate and they don't change genders (well, not without a lot of painful and expensive surgery).

Kryptonians are aliens that don't regenerate, but derive superhuman powers from the rays of a yellow sun.

Amazons are humans(?) who don't regenerate, but certain ones obviously can spring to life from clay.

Gallifreyans ARE NOT HUMANS, henceforth their regenerations are not ruled or restricted by human standards.

I watched an interview with Patrick Troughton earlier who speculated that The Doctor could regenerate into any form it chose; male, female, white, black, yellow, red, blue, green, etc.

For me, The Doctor's gender isn't an issue; it's STILL The Doctor. All I'm looking for is good stories that can keep me involved, entertained and maybe even teach me a thing or two.

[Werewolf]

I question the move, because I don't want Wonder Woman to be a man either

It's not really comparable. Diana or Clark can't regenerate into different people. The Doctor's name also doesn't have man or woman in it.