by Marcuse » Thu Jul 20, 2017 12:52 pm
I've been thinking about this new Doctor, and I think I can separate out my concerns into two camps.
1. OMG change
Put simply, there's a new Doctor and I'm always reluctant to embrace a new Doctor when they're announced. I was exactly the same when Matt Smith took over, in fact probably more so as I'd never heard of him at all. With a new head writer as well, I've got no idea where the show will go with this new incarnation, and I'm concerned they'll fuck it up. I don't think that that's necessarily the fault of the show, but it does make me nervous about the series.
2. Concerns about the casting
On of the things I'm finding, worryingly, about Jodie Whittaker is that it's hard to find out what kind of actor she is. Her contribution to Broadchurch is, having not watched it myself, limited in summary to "is the mum of a kid that dies". I'm certain there's more to her character than this, but there doesn't seem to be anything about what the character does, and it's all about who she's the parent of. Similarly, when she appeared in Attack the Block, I didn't really form a great deal of impression about her. Her other work (including both St Trinians movies) is similarly non-descript. When she almost boasts in the Times that she's got a chameleon face that nobody recognises, I'm starting to worry. One thing the last few Doctor Who actors had was a distinct and noticeable style of dress or appearance, and I'm concerned that casting someone who appears to prefer to be anonymous might affect how the role is presented negatively.
Alongside this, I have concerns about how Chibnall, whose last series was Broadchurch, has effectively brought her on at least in part because he knows her. I'm concerned his choice has been informed mostly by convenience more than it is choosing the right woman for the part (and it definitely was going to be a woman, he's stated he would not have cast a man in the role).
Of course, none of this means the show will be bad. Hell if people haven't witnessed my willingness to call out the bullshit in Capaldi's series by now then I don't know when you'll catch on. But I have some concerned about the hows and whys of Whittaker's casting as the Doctor and I think it'll have to work hard to demonstrate a distinctive style and some sense of continuation from the previous canon, even if leaving behind some things would be welcome.