Quote:
Originally Posted by Devius
This made me laugh just now...
Sydney Newman, Co-Creator Of Doctor Who, Told The BBC To Cast A Woman In 1986
In the mid-eighties, Doctor Who was put on hiatus. There was a real danger the show might have been cancelled there and then after a less-than-stellar run with Colin Baker in the lead. In an attempt to revive the series, the Canadian TV producer Sydney Newman who had co-created the show with Verity Lambert back in the sixties was asked for his thoughts.
He wrote to BBC Chairman Michael Grade, asking the BBC to”engage the concerns, fears and curiosity” of young viewers, challenging them “don’t you agree that this is considerably more worthy of the BBC than Doctor Who‘s presently largely socially valueless, escapist schlock!”
He first stated that they should rehire Patrick Troughton in the lead and then “at a later stage Doctor Who should be metamorphosed into a woman” but that he wanted to “avoid a flashy, Hollywood Wonder Women because this kind of heroine with no flaws is a bore. Given more time than I have now, I can create such a character.”
He also called for female and male companions, a trumpet playing schoolgirl in “John Lennon-type spectacles” and her graffiti-spraying “yobbo” elder brother.
He also asked, for a fee, to be the executive director of the show “to ensure the concept is properly executed” and add his name to the closing titles.
This advice was not heeded, the show returned with Sylvester McCoy in the lead for a few years before being cancelled for a lot longer.
FULL STORY:
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/07...st-woman-1986/
Well (providing this isn't a timely case of fake news), if a female Doctor was good enough for the show's co-creator wayy back in 1986, then Ms Whittaker is good enough for me...as long as she can act the part.
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Well, I'm holding up my hands and stating that a female Doctor might have been good enough for Sydney Newman, but it's not good enough for me. I shall not be watching the show whilst there is a female Doctor. Heck, I could barely watch it when the Master became a woman.
And just because a creator of show thinks something is good, doesn't always mean that it is, and could be made to change their minds. Witness George Lucas and the whole
Revenge of the Jedi/Return of the Jedi conundrum.