(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. Apparently I'm not the only one who didn't enjoy this week's Who all that much and had issues with it.

I didn't hate it. But, I'm admittedly not quite as fannish about the series as others. But I did think it was rather clumsily written.

Hmmm, while hunting down the listing of this season's Doctor Who episodes (hard to do when you have no clue which season this is supposed to be), I stumbled upon an announcement of the NEW DOCTOR or rather who will be replacing Capadali and when it will happen.[ETA: Fake announcement. Just found out it was fake. So never mind.]

Looked up Peter Harness, who co-wrote Pyramid at the End of the World, and yep I don't like his writing. He'd also wrote the Zygon invasion episodes, which I also had issues with. In fact, I think I gave up on Doctor Who during that season in part because of those episodes.

2. Dinner was lovely with U last night. She's very wise. She refuses to discuss or talk about politics at all. With anyone. I'd bring it up. She'd say nothing. Or change the subject. (U voted for Clinton.) Avoids it completely in every way.

3. My crazy church friends on FB are still throwing cats at me. The latest is a poor cat who is depressed after just losing her owner of ten or twelve years. This is getting ridiculous. Although it is rather amusing. My friends on Dreamwidth are trying to talk me out of it, while my friends on FB are trying to guilt me into adopting a cat right this very second. Who knew adopting a cat was such a controversial subject? I blame all those cat videos.

Comments

[elisi]

Never say never. Moffat has certainly laid the ground work, it just remains to be seen if Chibnall (the BBC) is brave enough.

because honestly unless the Doctor becomes bisexual as a character, it doesn't matter.
Well he's from a species that can change gender. I don't think straight or gay are distinctions that mean much to him, if anything, and he would certainly not describe himself as straight.

And I would love for it to be Olivia Coleman. (Might not fit with her schedule, sadly. She has young children and Doctor Who is very very hard work.)

Mind you, the Doctor has been female in audio adventures, and once in The Curse of Fatal Death (comedy sketch for Red Nose Day back in the 90's). So I'm optimistic.

[shadowkat]

Due to what is currently going on at my workplace, I'm admittedly twitchy when it comes to gender/ethnic specific casting. I'd like them to do it because it works as a character or plot twist not for socio-political reasons.

And I can see ways that regenerating the Doctor as a POC or female or both...would twist the plot and character in a new way. So it doesn't have to be just about politics. And you can make him bisexual without casting someone who is. I always thought of the Doctor as more aeexual.

[elisi]

Well the 'straight white male' was just the usual shorthand. ;)

And obviously it should be done because the actor is the right choice. However, after seeing people arguing that casting a woman 'would just be a stunt' I'm feeling a bit annoyed. We're half the population, it shouldn't be considered a 'stunt'.

Of course, having a female or POC Doctor would both be brilliant and also open them up to everyone arguing they were doing it wrong. So yeah. No right answer.

[shadowkat]

I wish it wasn't an issue. Either way, you are screwed when you make it one.

I think they will get a backlash if they go for a woman Doctor, based on the backlash that I saw regarding River Song. And I don't think it will be from male fans, there's a lot of female fans out there who don't want a female doctor. Some because they just hate change. Other's because they are heterosexual and want to fantasize about a male Doctor. I know the female well. Saw this happen with Supernatural as well. You should see them on soap opera boards and Amazon paranormal romance novel reviews. There's a lot of ladies out there with ingrained misogyny.

I think it's more likely to get a POC Doctor. But honestly think either would open up the story a bit, and challenge the character and its own views.
Heck, they turned the Master into a female upon regeneration so the foundation is there. Sort of.

[elisi]

Don't sell men short - they invented misogyny after all.

[shadowkat]

Might not fit with her schedule, sadly. She has young children and Doctor Who is very very hard work.)

Hmmm. Doctor Who is what? 12 episodes plus a Christmas show? In the US actresses have small children and do 22 episodes a year, and some do daytime, which is approximately 200 episodes a year, some are 12-13 hour days.

This sounds rather easy in comparison. Hardly any work at all. I know actors who'd kill for a 12 episode high profile gig.

[elisi]

This sounds rather easy in comparison. Hardly any work at all.
You would think so, wouldn't you? But you would be wrong. It takes 9 months to shoot, the actors have to move to Cardiff (it's not possible to commute, the days are very long, I'm sure 12 hours isn't uncommon), and after long days working they then have to learn a crazy amount of lines. Plus lots of running and no cushy studios.

[shadowkat]

There are US shows with similar issues. LOST was 22 episodes, on location, Hawaii, and people had to move there.

Still a breeze in comparison to US schedules. And seriously, they have trailers and aren't acting the whole time. I have co-workers with young kids, who have harder workloads.