Doctor Who - The 14th Doctor

[Fregly]

I never gave a second thought about black, asian etc characters in the old sci fi shows back in the day. But just as in the case of say every ad seemingly featuring an inter racial couple now, it smacks of creators looking down their noses at the audience, seeing them in need of moral improvement, and social broadening.The creative types involved all usually coming from the very sheltered upper middle classes with all having a particular type of education, all rather homogenous/samey.

 

[Sal1950]

The female Dr. wasn't chosen for skills as an actress and I believe the replacement was chosen firstly because he was black. It's not that which bothers me. I like the new Strange New Worlds which had a variety of people in the ethos of the 1st Star Trek. It's when choices are made to tick the boxes I don't like. I believe such thinking went hand in hand with why the Whittaker shows were so awful. More of the same it would appear. It's a very small minded cookie cutter way of thinking.

AMEN,
I'm with you D.
This wookness of having to plug a female/black/gay into everything I see just for the sake of being PC has run off the tracks. Only one real way to oppose it is to not watch.
I'm done with this stuff.

 

[BinkieHuckerback]

AMEN,
I'm with you D.
This wookness of having to plug a female/black/gay into everything I see just for the sake of being PC has run off the tracks. Only one real way to oppose it is to not watch.
I'm done with this stuff.

Poor thing! Go and eat a raw meat burger and listen to Ted Nugent instead...grrr

 

[voodooless]

This wookness of having to plug a female/black/gay into everything I see just for the sake of being PC has run off the tracks. Only one real way to oppose it is to not watch.
I'm done with this stuff.

And you like Star Trek Picard... Something does not compute here...

 

[JSmith]

On the red carpet at the TV Baftas on Sunday, Davies, Gatwa by his side, stressed that his new lead was cast after a “blazing” audition, given when the production team had all but decided to offer the role to another actor entirely. To audition for a series lead is pretty normal for TV, but unusual for Doctor Who. Most Doctors, including Davies’ own previous two, have been people the then showrunner had already worked with. That Davies is doing something different indicates his approach to the show to which he’s returning: to innovate, to renew, to make a splash.

Why Ncuti Gatwa is an inspired choice for Doctor Who fans | James Cooray Smith

The casting is revolutionary, while also being precedented, says film and TV writer James Cooray Smith

www.theguardian.com

JSmith

 

[Newman]

Sounds like you can't come up with the benefit. I couldn't either.

Wow, I didn’t realize until now that you saw no benefit to your being prejudiced against ticked boxes. I couldn’t either.

 

[Newman]

I never gave a second thought about black, asian etc characters in the old sci fi shows back in the day. But just as in the case of say every ad seemingly featuring an inter racial couple now, it smacks of creators looking down their noses at the audience, seeing them in need of moral improvement, and social broadening.The creative types involved all usually coming from the very sheltered upper middle classes with all having a particular type of education, all rather homogenous/samey.

If he absolutely blitzed the audition and left everyone else in the dust, what do you want the producers to do??

@Piers Morgan

 

[Blumlein 88]

Wow, I didn’t realize until now that you saw no benefit to your being prejudiced against ticked boxes. I couldn’t either.

Yes, I am prejudiced against ticking racial/sexual/ethnic boxes for choosing people. It doesn't represent choosing the best choice which is how it should be done. Of course Davies says the phenomenal audition is what got Gatwa the part as the new Dr. Who. I don't believe him. The results will eventually speak for themselves.

 

[Fregly]

If he absolutely blitzed the audition and left everyone else in the dust, what do you want the producers to do??

@Piers Morgan

You know this to be true? Perhaps they did not first start with acceptable cultural representatives as a requirement, but I doubt it in the current climate. I was talking generally anyway, and haven't paid attention to Doctor Who since Tom Baker from ancient times. I have no idea whether the guy is good or not. I just find the obsessive racialism in popular culture revolting.

 

[BinkieHuckerback]

There aren't nearly enough white straight males in the media these day...no wonder they are up in arms

 

[Blumlein 88]

You know this to be true? Perhaps they did not first start with acceptable cultural representatives as a requirement, but I doubt it in the current climate. I was talking generally anyway, and haven't paid attention to Doctor Who since Tom Baker from ancient times. I have no idea whether the guy is good or not. I just find the obsessive racialism in popular culture revolting.

I agree with you. Rumors were Toby Stephens was getting the role. Of course why the auditions if that were the case?

 

[Chrispy]

AMEN,
I'm with you D.
This wookness of having to plug a female/black/gay into everything I see just for the sake of being PC has run off the tracks. Only one real way to oppose it is to not watch.
I'm done with this stuff.

I tend to look at it rather as a refreshing change from the old straight white male dominance we've had for too long.... I do like watching old white men getting their panties in a bunch about "wokeness", tho. Extremely entertaining....

 

[Fregly]

I tend to look at it rather as a refreshing change from the old straight white male dominance we've had for too long.... I do like watching old white men getting their panties in a bunch about "wokeness", tho. Extremely entertaining....

Boilerplate bourgeoisie leftism. An opinion cross institutionally required, stamped with acceptability, carrying zero risk.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I tend to look at it rather as a refreshing change from the old straight white male dominance we've had for too long.... I do like watching old white men getting their panties in a bunch about "wokeness", tho. Extremely entertaining....

How long is too long? And do we switch to something else other than non-white, non-straight people after a given number of years? Is it 10 years, 20 years, how long?

 

[Chrispy]

How long is too long? And do we switch to something else other than non-white, non-straight people after a given number of years? Is it 10 years, 20 years, how long?

Boilerplate bourgeoisie leftism. An opinion cross institutionally required, stamped with acceptability, carrying zero risk.

Lol...too long as in most of my 66 years....

 

[ernestcarl]

Dunno how their choice of the main actor would pan out, but some of the discussion here reminded me (at least a little bit) of the controversy that came up related to the upcoming "Rings of Power" series:

The Lord Of The Rings:The Rings Of Power. Superfans.​

Hmmmn... so-called "superfans"... right.

 

[JSmith]

You know this to be true?

You must have missed this;

Gatwa... his new lead was cast after a “blazing” audition, given when the production team had all but decided to offer the role to another actor entirely.

JSmith

 

[sq225917]

I don't care who the doctor is played by, they could be male, female, black, brown, sky blue pink straight, gay or other. It matters not. What matters in that they can act the part and are supported by good writing that can carry a time traveling, problem solving, technology monster, ass whupping narrative.

That said I think Toby Stephens would have been an exquisite choice. Though I hardly think they'll be transplanting the new doctor straight out of sex education, character intact. Though I do hope his colourful shirts make it through.

 

[Sal1950]

I tend to look at it rather as a refreshing change from the old straight white male dominance we've had for too long.... I do like watching old white men getting their panties in a bunch about "wokeness", tho. Extremely entertaining....

Glad to hear you enjoy racism?
Since when is racism towards straight white males OK and not racism?

Next up we've changed James Bond to a black (possibly gay?) female.
I never heard anything more ridiculous.

 

[Inner Space]

How long is too long? And do we switch to something else other than non-white, non-straight people after a given number of years? Is it 10 years, 20 years, how long?

About one in eleven Brits is a person of color, so out of 14 doctors it's about time they had a black one. It's the opposite of checking a box - it's allowing a box not to be un-checked out of habit.