There are many things that could be said about Doctor Who and the artistic decisions that led to this point. But what I feel more like talking about now is the Whovian culture war.
When I started paying attention to the fandom early in the century, when rumors started that the show would soon be revived, I found that a number were quite right wing. This is meant as a statement of fact, not an insult. These were often more personable than the average internet poster. But they had very set notions, one being how the Doctor should never be played by a woman or by a person of color. Now that both things have happened and the show has been canceled, you might expect them to be very smug. If you could still find them, that is.
These attitudes have more to do with history than anything else. Doctor Who has always been a fairly liberal enterprise, taking stands on war, pollution, and economic exploitation since the early 60s. This form of conservatism is really a kind of nostalgia for the British Empire. The Empire was dead by Doctor Who's 1963 premiere, being one big casualty of World War II. But it would stay in living memory for years afterward.
More recently a rival ideology has arisen amongst Who fans. Inevitable, perhaps. These have taken an extremely forward, borderline nihilistic line on social progress. Doctor Who must always make itself queerer and more rainbow-colored, in order to lead humanity to its post-gender and post-whiteness future.
The thing is that this newer ideology is just as much a product of historical forces as its opposite. It's a product of Britain's folding into the American Empire, and then copying the trends and manias that arise in the States.
And that historical circumstance is also changing. The 21st century's exact balance of power is still being decided. But what is for all intents and purposes certain is that China will ever rise as an economic and military power. Some others might as well. In any case, neither the UK nor the US will be an unrivaled power. If Doctor Who comes back for a third go-round―which is likely―it will be into another new world.
2 comments:
Much like George Bush all those years ago I've searched without result for my
sense of humor. The thing that makes it extra weird is that I loved John Waters, Divine, and Mink Stole in their time. I loved the hilarity of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the outrageous performance of Tim Curry in particular. So why is it I wonder that I find the Gallifrey Cabaret distasteful? Perhaps it's because I've become even more strait-laced than I imagined or perhaps it's that the starring performers featured in this Guardian article appear to be seriously sinister.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jun/18/queer-doctor-who-cabaret-dancing-drag-daleks-gallifrey-cabaret
As for Dr. Who shutting down or at least having been dumped by Disney I guess the show wasn't popular enough for them to keep on funding it - after all, they've already got enough woke duds on their hands.
I remember seeing a few episodes of Dr. Who when I lived in England and Wm. Hartnell was the 'doctor'. After that I never saw the show again until we watched the Tom Baker episodes with you. After that I lost track completely.
I've read that Russell T. Davies has been involved in some controversial disputes so it's likely he'll not be missed by many. Apparently the BBC is planning a major switch with the series so I guess the fans will have to wait and see.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/update-doctor-who-future
It will certainly be a big change to see a Chinese Dr. Who next. It might even get me to watch a few more episodes.
See, that's the thing (responding to the Guardian piece). Doctor Who has had a large contingent of gay fans since the early 1970s. Jon Pertwee being a fit older man with a lisp might have something to do with that. But it was relatively subtle and the show itself took it in stride. Meshing it with every LGBTQ cultural fad that comes along has been a disaster.
Disney has made some very big investments that seemed like surefire hits at the time but have led to disappointment. Star Wars and the MCU have both seemingly hit a point of diminishing returns, and the Indiana Jones movies show no sign of being able to function without Harrison Ford. This is the same situation, but different.
Disney insisted that Russell T. Davies come back if they were to be involved. They did this because he ran things in the 2000s, when it returned and became a huge hit. And it's true, he did. But that was when he was young and hungry and had a vision. That's no longer the case, and it turns out ideas still matter.
Of course you'll be watching Chinese Dr. Who. An hour after any episode, you'll be hungry for another.
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