BBC Doctor Who branded 'woke' and 'unwatchable' as TV ratings plummet following return to screens.

[Sid Bishop]

Doctor Who fans have been left well and truly divided by the latest regeneration of the long-running sci-fi show..... and rightly so !!
Seems like it has become all woke and gender bender like the Eurovision contest. This says it all..... ''The Doctor's new adversary is played by American drag artist Monsoon''

Helmed by Russell T Davies and fronted by new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and his sidekick Ruby (Millie Gibson), the latest series' style always promised to break away from its predecessors - none least thanks to a huge injection of funding from Disney.
The series is shipped in the US via streaming service Disney+ and its CGI and increase in production value were plain to see throughout the double-bill opener. Fans were introduced to Gatwa's Doctor as well as a new crop of baddies, including the Bogeyman and controversial new villain Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon). The Doctor's new adversary is played by American drag artist Monsoon, who has since gone viral following the show's return for correcting another character for using "him" pronouns incorrectly. There were also cameos for Strictly Come Dancing favourites Shirley Ballas and Johannes Radebe as the second episode of the double-bill ended with a bizarre musical number.
There were some semblances of Doctor Who from yesteryear, however, with a mention of the classic character the Rani, as well as the Doctor's adopted home planet of Gallifrey. But all in all, the overhaul of the sci-fi show to seemingly incorporate gender politics and change the look of the series has left plenty to be desired by many watching at home.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment ... 55563&ei=8

[Dunners]

Blimey Sid. I see you're eager this morning.

[Hoover Attack]

I wonder what it is about the new Doctor that’s caused people to stop watching?

[CEB]

Not clicking an msn link, until I see it on yahoo I don’t believe it

[Constanza]

Knock Knock

[CEB]

The nuanced view - if you have decided not to watch because there is a black guy playing the doctor, you’re a racist.
It is, however, legitimate to notice that the creatives behind Doctor Who are actively using the show to promote a disputed view around gender identity belief, at a time when the negative impact of that belief is becoming clearer and clearer

(and while maybe OTT to not watch on that basis, it’s probably a good idea to understand what gender identity beliefs are if you’ve got kids who are watching, so you can give informed answers to questions that arise)

[Long slender neck]

Whats wrong with drag characters \ actors?

[CEB]

Nothing - I support the idea that gender non conforming characters can be cast in shows in meaningful roles.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Article originates from GB news unsurprisingly. Love how they have an issue with a dance number like its the fall of Rome

[CEB]

The biggest issue is the casting of The Beatles

[Hoover Attack]

As if kids even watch Doctor Who .

[Dunners]

I actually watched it and though the musical number was the best bit.

[CEB]

I couldn’t get into the Capaldi iteration, despite liking Peter Capaldi.
David Tennant gets all the plaudits of modern Doctor Who, but for me, Matt Smith was superb, that was a proper star making performance from him. He’s also fantastic in House of the Dragon

[MrB]

New or old I have never liked Doctor Who! Never been a fan.So for me…Frankly my dear I don’t…..

[Dunners]

The casting of Dr Who is important, but so is the writing.

The Eccleston/Tennant/Smith era was fantastic. It managed to hit that television sweet spot, in that parents and kids could watch it together and each get something from it, while also offering something for the geeks.

Each episode was well crafted, with a healthy sprinkling of fun occasionally layered with something more deep and meaningful. Most stories were wrapped up in a single episode (occasionally two), with just a few underlying themes acting as a thread to pull each series together.

It lost its way with the casting, and it also fell into the trap of trying to supplement good writing with a splurge of increased budget on grander sets and special effects. I too like Capaldi, but he never made the Dr his own. Whittaker was a well-intentioned mess. And, most crucially, it became either too absurd or too complicated to work as a multi-generational, Saturday evening, easy viewing event.

[Sid Bishop]

I couldn’t get into the Capaldi iteration, despite liking Peter Capaldi.
David Tennant gets all the plaudits of modern Doctor Who, but for me, Matt Smith was superb, that was a proper star making performance from him. He’s also fantastic in House of the Dragon

Dr Who started out in the 60s as a science fiction type of story for youngsters and I used to watch it up to David Tennant era, but for me recent times shows are not anywhere as good, thus viewing figures have gone down and not that many young people watch it that much anymore.

[CEB]

How many young people do you know, out of interest?

[Sid Bishop]

The casting of Dr Who is important, but so is the writing.

The Eccleston/Tennant/Smith era was fantastic. It managed to hit that television sweet spot, in that parents and kids could watch it together and each get something from it, while also offering something for the geeks.

Each episode was well crafted, with a healthy sprinkling of fun occasionally layered with something more deep and meaningful. Most stories were wrapped up in a single episode (occasionally two), with just a few underlying themes acting as a thread to pull each series together.

It lost its way with the casting, and it also fell into the trap of trying to supplement good writing with a splurge of increased budget on grander sets and special effects. I too like Capaldi, but he never made the Dr his own. Whittaker was a well-intentioned mess. And, most crucially, it became either too absurd or too complicated to work as a multi-generational, Saturday evening, easy viewing event.

Completely correct in what you say in your well written article. I also liked Christopher Eccleston very much and was very surprised when he left after just the one series of Dr Who, David Tennant then took over and again he was superb in the role of playing Dr Who. Seems like there is a story as to why Eccleston left the role so soon though, read on......... Feature: Why Does Eccleston Want RTD Sacked? Why did Eccleston Leave Doctor Who? A Brief History.
Feature article by guest contributor Craig Sightings.

Way back in 2005, I remember being both surprised and saddened when Christopher Eccleston was confirmed to be leaving the role of the Ninth Doctor after just one series. His departure sparked endless discussions and speculations in the fandom. Everyone wanted to know, just why did Eccleston leave Doctor Who? His role was crucial in rejuvenating the series and his brief yet impactful tenure brought a unique depth and complexity to the character. The thought of what might have been had Eccleston continued his journey through space and time is a topic of many wistful conversations among fans. Just recently, at a 2023 panel, Eccleston was asked about what it would take for him to return to the series on TV. His response was startlingly direct: “Sack Russell T. Davies, sack Jane Tranter, sack Phil Collinson, sack Julie Gardner, and I’ll come back. So, can you arrange that?”
Judging by reactions to this across the net, not everyone is aware of Eccleston’s troubled times during his time on the show, so I thought it would be interesting and informative to look back over everything that happened, pieced together from his interviews over the years.

https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/feature-w ... 20outburst.

[Max B Gold]

A woman goes to the doctors surgery:

Woman: I'd like to see Dr Zhivago please.

Receptionist: Dr Who?

Woman: Aye, awright he'll dae instead.

I watched Dr Who as I kid and then I grew up.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

I couldn’t get into the Capaldi iteration, despite liking Peter Capaldi.
David Tennant gets all the plaudits of modern Doctor Who, but for me, Matt Smith was superb, that was a proper star making performance from him. He’s also fantastic in House of the Dragon

Dr Who started out in the 60s as a science fiction type of story for youngsters and I used to watch it up to David Tennant era, but for me recent times shows are not anywhere as good, thus viewing figures have gone down and not that many young people watch it that much anymore.

Have ratings decreased ? Considering no one really watches standard tv now and the competition for viewers is insane, I’m guessing it’s still actually doing really well, despite what the olds think.

Never watched an episode though

[Long slender neck]

How many Doctor Who fans did they even survey about this?

[OyinbO]

My kids are big fans

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

IMO DW has been broken for years, with only sporadic flashes of genius.

The key issue for me is that the whole story is crammed into one episode therfore:
> too many times the plot involves just running from set to set,
> there is no tension ... the 'monster reveal' is too rapid,
> the Dr knows all the answers ... ok he about 1,000 years old so has some credibility but ...

Still, I guess today's kids couldn't cope with a cliff-hanger every week?

[Beradogs]

Go woke go broke.

[George M]

Whats wrong with drag characters \ actors?

They are a tiny minority group who are not representative and receive too much air time and attention. Other than that , you can’t beat em