[Rob P]

Is it just me who sees this as a mind-numbingly predictable result of hiring somebody and asking them to save a floundering franchise?

(10M viewers for Tennant, 6M viewers for Capaldi.)

Rob P

[PaulB]

Is it the writing that's lost its way, not the actor?

[Mike Tango]

6M is higher than pretty much everything on TV other than the assorted soaps.

This last Capaldi series has been fine, with a few really quite good episodes. I'm rather looking forward to seeing how it now moves forward.

[Dave W]

A female - or, I dunno, an Inuit - Doctor is entirely consistent with the concept of the character.

It obviously wouldn't be for, say, James Bond. But for Doctor Who? Why not?

[johnm]

I well remember watching Dr Who in the late 1960s haven't watched it since.

[Rob P]

It's much about my envisaging the interview for the new producer

"Well frankly the viewing figures are at about 60% of what they were in Tennant's day. How, exactly, are you going to make a difference Mr Chibnall?"

Answer A: "I'll get a decent actor, give him good understandable scripts and make sure it is well produced"

"Thank you Chris, we'll let you know"

----------------- Or -------------------------

Answer B: I see a whole new concept embracing diversity in its widest sense and getting the stakeholders to buy into the new narrative by thinking totally outside of the box"

"What does that mean?"

"The Doctor will be ...... female"

"Oh we are loving this, it will fill our diversity tick boxes for the next three years! Have you thought who we can get for the role?"

"I can get a woman I worked with on Broadchurch to play him.. I mean ... her"

"Get on! Saint Olivia? Would she do it? That would be awesome! We are punting her as the next national treasure you know, Glenda, Helen and Judi can't go on forever."

Well actually ..

[Cessna57]

Didn't they have a problem that it had been stated at some point that the Dr could only regenerate n times.

The phrasing was something about him only being able to regenerate n times as a man.

This female plot device keeps the Dr Who universe consistent.

IIRC.

[Mike Tango]

With, in the 60s, a female producer and gay Asian director I expect they are comfortable with having had so called 'diversity' covered from day one

It's also consistent with the Dr Who universe, where the residents of Galifrey have moved past the emphasis humans put on gender.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Didn't they have a problem that it had been stated at some point that the Dr could only regenerate n times.

The phrasing was something about him only being able to regenerate n times as a man.

This female plot device keeps the Dr Who universe consistent.

IIRC.

The magic number was hit at Matt Smith. The issue got solved with a bit of (re)imaginative script writing anyhow.

The male-female-male thing got sorted out with the Master / Missy.

So any conceptual leaps were resolved a couple of years ago. Nonetheless, I am rather looking forward to seeing what they do with the change - creates all sorts of interesting new concepts and issues to play with.

G

[Bill Haddow]

A woman Dr Who, women in the Ambridge cricket team, the Beeb has gone to the dogs.

Bill H

[Paul_Sengupta]

Didn't they have a problem that it had been stated at some point that the Dr could only regenerate n times.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/oct/12/doctor-who-immortal-reveals-bbc

[Paultheparaglider]

If they had really been interested in diversity, they would have regenerated him as a Dalek.

[nallen]

If they had really been interested in diversity, they would have regenerated him as a Dalek.

And where are the cyberwomen?

[Spooky]

If they had really been interested in diversity, they would have regenerated him as a Dalek.

And where are the cyberwomen?

BabestationTV I think


(Sure I don't need to say "avoid searching for that unless you're at home" )

[Pete L]

If they had really been interested in diversity, they would have regenerated him as a Dalek.

And where are the cyberwomen?

Didn't the almost-a-maximum-score-on-diversity-bingo companion get a cameo as a cyber person?