Topic Tuesday: Thirteenth Doctor

Okay. First lesson learned. I’ll post the suggestion threads Monday nights instead so the post can actually go up on Tuesday. haha.

Only one person responded with a suggestion, so I’ll go with it. What do I think about the female Doctor (13th Doctor) on Doctor Who?

Anyone who has spoken to me on more than one occasion will likely pick up that I’m a Whovian. All you old-schoolers, I will freely admit that I just can’t get into the original series from before the reboot, but from Ten onward, call me a fan. I suppose Nine had his moments, but I generally have to tell people to get through the first season of the reboot, then it will get good.

Nine was meh. Ten is my favorite. Eleven was excellent, my daughter’s favorite. Twelve was also meh. When they announced Jodie Whittaker would be the next Doctor, I was a little concerned, to be honest. While I am aware there is social commentary throughout Doctor Who, I enjoy the show taking it as it is. Looking over the things that I disagree with socially. I didn’t want the show to become one giant platform. If I want to know someone’s opinion on something, I’ll watch commentators on the news or read what entertainers say on their social media.

Going into the premier, I kept an open mind. Prepared to either embrace the new Doctor, decide to stop watching until she regenerates again, or tentatively look forward to the next episode. Thirteen had an excellent first show.

The only time her gender even came up was near the beginning of the episode and near the end when she gets new clothes. When the Doctor regenerates, he sometimes has a bout of amnesia, and did in this case. New companion Yaz, a police trainee, refers to her as ma’am several times before this little exchange happens:

Doctor: Why do you keep calling me ma’am?

Yaz: Because you’re a woman?

Doctor: I am? Does it suit me?

That may not be verbatim, but close enough. Thirteen was brilliant. A strong female lead who doesn’t shove the fact that she’s female in your face. I’m a woman. I think I’m awesome because of my personality, skills, and beliefs. I don’t think I need to prove myself to anyone because of my gender (most of the time. There are always exceptions.)In the premiere, there was nothing like, “I’m this way because I’m a woman.” It was “I am this way because I’m the Doctor.”

I hope Jodie Whittaker’s reign as the Doctor continues along this vein. I’m not quite ready to embrace her, but I’ll tentatively look forward to the next episode and hope she continues to be the fabulous, eccentric, intelligent I have come to know and love over the years.