Does gender matter to Time Lords?



Could Phoebe Waller-Bridge, star and writer of Fleabag be the next Doctor?

My mate Dom Carver has expressed an opinion and sparked a (mostly good natured) debate. He’s not against a female Doctor but (if I’m reading his comments right) wants it for a better reason than box ticking and diversity. His blog on the subject is here. Since the good Doctor is a particular passion of mine, I had to wade in.

My question is this:

Has there EVER been an ‘in-story’ reason for the Doctor being in a certain form?

When the Doctor first changed form back in 1966 it was because of William Hartnell’s ill health. The Doctor, “his old body wearing a bit thin” collapses in the TARDIS and changes before our very eyes – not just his face but also his clothes! – and becomes Patrick Troughton. No explanation given, he just pops up, a new man, younger sure but this isn’t just a rejuvenated version of the same character, Troughton brings an entirely new whimsical personality. And rightly so. But we’re expected to accept it. If the Doctor had any reason for choosing this persona, he’s keeping it to himself.

It’s only at the end of Troughton’s run that we start to explore the concept of regeneration. Captured by his own people and forced to “change appearance” as part of his punishment he’s given a number of options. So Time Lords it appears CAN choose.

On this occasion the decision is made for him and it appears, since the Doctor is at the moment of his death for his next few regenerations, deciding his next form is probably not uppermost in his thoughts. Indeed, Peter Davison’s 5^th Doctor laments in the mirror “that’s the trouble with regeneration, you’re never sure what you’re going to get.” A comment reiterated by Sylvester McCoy’s 7^th Doctor when he thinks his new personality is sulky and bad tempered thanks to regeneration “lottery”.

Colin Baker as old Sixy. On a good day.

If any Doctor has an ‘in-universe’ explanation for his appearance (or personality at least) it’s the brash, egotistical 6^th Doctor played by Colin Baker who emerges from a ‘turbulent’ regeneration, throttles his companion then prances around time and space in a pantomime costume.

But as far as casting any new Doctor goes, it tends to be as a contrast to what’s gone before (accessible youngster Davison as opposed to googly eyed alien Tom Baker or older Capaldi following young Matt Smith) or down to nothing more than finding the best person (man or woman, gay or straight, white , black, whatever) for the job.

Peter Capaldi’s Doctor apparently ‘choosing’ the face of some random human he saved a few seasons ago to remind him to be good is a bit of unnecessary retconning. They didn’t address that Colin Baker had played rotten Commander Maxil in the season before he took over.

Having a specific reason for deciding your protagonist’s traits is obviously vital when you’re writing anything. I agree totally with Dom that you shouldn’t shoe horn in a disabled muslim lesbian copper because it’s considered PC, it has to fit the story you want to tell.

But Doctor Who is a special case. The Doctor is the springboard for the story not the other way round. If that were the case, each Doctor would have an arc mapped out before the actor donned the scarf and what would be the point of that?



Going, going...

The Doctor’s (or actor’s) personality should dictate the stories and send the writers off in new wonderful directions. Maybe that’s a good a reason as any to cast a woman in the role. It will allow for stories that could never be told before.

To be honest though, whether the Doctor’s a man or woman doesn’t really matter. It’s still the same character running through weekly machinations and monsters with a quip and a clever last minute plan. The Doctor just is. We don’t need to know the whys and wherefores. We just have to accept and jump aboard for a fun, thrilling TARDIS ride.

Will Phoebe Waller-Bridge be brandishing the sonic lipstick soon? For her sake, I hope not. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a female Doctor. But with Pheobe’s star currently on the up, I’d hate for her to pin herself down to this one all-encompassing series this early or even worse, be so busy with other stuff, she gets too big for Doctor Who and can only fit in a few feature length episodes every couple of years. Yes, Mssrs Cumberbatch and Freeman, I’m looking at YOU. 

But as for in-story reasons, this is where fanfiction is our friend. How about the Doctor doing it in honour of Missy, his wayward friend that he spent the last thousand years trying to redeem? Actually, taking it to that extreme, is Michelle Gomez still in the building?

 

Philip has written episodes of Big Finish's Doctor Who audios and is available to join Team Chibnal, whatever gender the Doctor is. Just saying.