Some things are as predictable as night turning into day, and an immortal, time-travelling alien being regenerated as a woman managing to devastate a bunch of dudes online is absolutely one of them.
Yep, the BBC announced earlier today that the utterly fabulous Jodie Whittaker would be taking the lead role in ‘Doctor Who‘, breaking the show’s 54-year history of casting white dudes.
“I always knew I wanted the Thirteenth Doctor to be a woman and we’re thrilled to have secured our our number one choice,” said Chris Chibnall, the show’s new head writer and executive producer.
Whittaker was introduced via a clip that shows the new Doctor materialising the key to her TARDIS, which seems to have accidentally cross-series transported her into Westeros.
Meet the Thirteenth Doctor #DoctorWho #Doctor13 pic.twitter.com/txHGz9tJEe
— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) July 16, 2017
Before we get in here, let us just say that many, many folks – men and women – are stoked with this casting. Whittaker is just an unbelievably good pick for the Doctor, and when representation matters but gender (or race or sexuality) doesn’t, it’s amazing to see shows give it a red hot go.
But holy hell, a lot of people – and yeah, it’s mostly dudes – are absolutely beside themselves.
I’m not watching anymore
— diesel?? (@DanKeeble619) July 16, 2017
Only ever had male doctors and having a female one will ruin the legacy
— diesel?? (@DanKeeble619) July 16, 2017
Imagine one of your favourite shows but with someone of the opposite gender playing your favourite character(s). Hell.
— Jamie Ghis (@GhisPerrier) July 16, 2017
You’ve ruined it now ????????
— Jamie ?? (@TheBeerusGOD) July 16, 2017
Time LORD. I repeat the Doctor is a time LORD. Not a time LADY.
— Luke (@LukeCSGO_) July 16, 2017
(NB. This tweet is real. REAL. We checked to make sure it wasn’t a joke and no, it’s real as hell. My god. The Time Lords are a SPECIES, not recipients of a gender-specific title laid down by a ruling royal class.)
Ruined
— Sam (@FleXyYT) July 16, 2017
there’s really no fucking need. the dr is male. hate how it’s fashionable to make male characters female. it’s utter shit
— darren pop (@DX_1) July 16, 2017
there’s really no fucking need. the dr is male. hate how it’s fashionable to make male characters female. it’s utter shit
— darren pop (@DX_1) July 16, 2017
No more dr who for me and my son what have you done ????
— Martin Evans (@Ladstrong) July 16, 2017
For her part, Whittaker asked fans “not to be scared by my gender. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.”
When asked how it feels to be the first woman Doctor (in a questionnaire released by the BBC), she answered”
“It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you’re told you can and can’t be. It feels incredible.”
Peter Capaldi, the current Doctor, will officially exit the series with the 2017 Christmas special, with Whittaker to take the reigns in 2018.
Photo: BBC.
