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Meh, it's more of the eccentric englishman angle that is compulsory for me. The Doctor could be any skin colour or gender so long as he is an eccentric englishman.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
Back to Dr Who, on the endless gnashing of teeth about why not black, why not female, why not asian or whatever, my question back is simply why should we, The Doctor has regenerated many times, with each regen, showing a variety of ages, hair, accent but no variation previously to gender or outward appearance of 'race' (he isn't European either, he's an alien). We should not be changing things like this in the name of equality for equality's sake. Equality and the serious issues faced by those who are discriminated against are, I strongly believe, undermined a great deal when it becomes mired in trivia like this, which is counterproductive and ends up belittling equality as 'political correctness gone mad'.
MeanGreenStompa wrote: Back to Dr Who, on the endless gnashing of teeth about why not black, why not female, why not asian or whatever, my question back is simply why should we, The Doctor has regenerated many times, with each regen, showing a variety of ages, hair, accent but no variation previously to gender or outward appearance of 'race' (he isn't European either, he's an alien). We should not be changing things like this in the name of equality for equality's sake. Equality and the serious issues faced by those who are discriminated against are, I strongly believe, undermined a great deal when it becomes mired in trivia like this, which is counterproductive and ends up belittling equality as 'political correctness gone mad'.
It wasn't as if he was originally cast as white man on purpose; it is the same as why almost every Superhero up until the late 60's/early 70's was white: it was a default selection. Unless you honestly believe there are no good non-white actors, then it seems unusual to pretend the only reason why a person of color or woman (or god forbid a female person of color) could play the role without it only being tokenism. There is nothing inherently 'white' about the character, and the only criteria that should important is whether they would be interesting as The Doctor. Pretending he must be white because he has always been white seems a more corrosive idea then broaching the idea that the BBC can expand their casting call to all of the UK's talent pool. No one is forcing them to pick a black person or a woman, just saying that it should be an option, but even saying that much gets a lot of blow back.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
MeanGreenStompa wrote: Back to Dr Who, on the endless gnashing of teeth about why not black, why not female, why not asian or whatever, my question back is simply why should we, The Doctor has regenerated many times, with each regen, showing a variety of ages, hair, accent but no variation previously to gender or outward appearance of 'race' (he isn't European either, he's an alien). We should not be changing things like this in the name of equality for equality's sake. Equality and the serious issues faced by those who are discriminated against are, I strongly believe, undermined a great deal when it becomes mired in trivia like this, which is counterproductive and ends up belittling equality as 'political correctness gone mad'.
It wasn't as if he was originally cast as white man on purpose; it is the same as why almost every Superhero up until the late 60's/early 70's was white: it was a default selection. Unless you honestly believe there are no good non-white actors, then it seems unusual to pretend the only reason why a person of color or woman (or god forbid a female person of color) could play the role without it only being tokenism. There is nothing inherently 'white' about the character, and the only criteria that should important is whether they would be interesting as The Doctor. Pretending he must be white because he has always been white seems a more corrosive idea then broaching the idea that the BBC can expand their casting call to all of the UK's talent pool. No one is forcing them to pick a black person or a woman, just saying that it should be an option, but even saying that much gets a lot of blow back.
Precisely, he was not a white man on purpose, neither was anyone who followed him, so why should he be a black man on purpose, or a woman, on purpose, or have a disability, on purpose... How about the casting is open, the creative team gets to pick who they want to run with without the sword hanging over their heads that if they don't pick 'something minority', they will be subject to criticism and allegations of being 'ists' about some group.
I personally think Paterson Joseph would make a phenomenal Doctor, in fact if they just cut and pasted his Marquis De Carabas, nuances, costume and all, into the role, I'd be entirely happy. What I was saying in the post you quoted, was that many were saying 'It's time for a black doctor' or 'it's time for a woman doctor' and then the same voices collectively sighing in disappointment when another white actor was chosen and saying 'Dr Who makers chickened out of a black Doctor', 'Dr Who makers are still the establishment and sexist in not making the Doctor a woman', well, I don't buy that, I think such voices are calling for change for change's sake, the appeasing of some need to make the character black or a woman or any other random combination which would not give a white male result because it ticks some box for political correctness, rather than because he or she would have been a good actor in the role.
That was the point I was raising, not that I am against the Doctor being anything other than a white dude, but that the clamor for the change should not exist and that making the casting of the role into a race/gender issue is a hijacking of the casting of the next Doctor by an agenda which, I think, doesn't give much of a gak about enjoying a scifi show and is instead entirely focused on ticking that box I mentioned earlier.
Neil Gaiman, a chap I normally have infinite time for (and who mentioned the role was offered to a black actor who turned it down), said that the time was not right for a female Doctor, but that the next Doctor should be a woman, I strongly disagree, the time has always been right to just say 'ta-da! I regenerated as a woman, right, lets get on with the show' instead of pondering if the time is right for a woman doctor, the ramifications of a woman Doctor and what this means to the world and the changing face of society.
It should mean nothing.
Just make sure Who-ever it is is great to watch, the stories are good and I'm all for it.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
NICE! I (and a bunch of other folks) was totally right. John Hurt is #9, the not-doctor.
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Looking for great deals on miniatures or have a large pile you are looking to sell off? Checkout Mindtaker Miniatures.
Live in the Pacific NW? Check out http://ordofanaticus.com
Kilkrazy wrote: That's right. I knew who John Hurt was before a lot of you chaps were born.
Hipster.
Looking for great deals on miniatures or have a large pile you are looking to sell off? Checkout Mindtaker Miniatures.
Live in the Pacific NW? Check out http://ordofanaticus.com
Back to Dr Who, on the endless gnashing of teeth about why not black, why not female, why not asian or whatever, my question back is simply why should we, The Doctor has regenerated many times, with each regen, showing a variety of ages, hair, accent but no variation previously to gender or outward appearance of 'race' (he isn't European either, he's an alien). We should not be changing things like this in the name of equality for equality's sake. Equality and the serious issues faced by those who are discriminated against are, I strongly believe, undermined a great deal when it becomes mired in trivia like this, which is counterproductive and ends up belittling equality as 'political correctness gone mad'.
IMO, if they made one female Doctor, there's a whole string of jokes that they could roll out. But, I think they don't because many/most of those sorts of jokes would not fit in with the Doctor Who universe.
IMO, if they made one female Doctor, there's a whole string of jokes that they could roll out. But, I think they don't because many/most of those sorts of jokes would not fit in with the Doctor Who universe.
One shudders at the inevitable 'Pregnant Doctor' story arch which seems to come about due to the way TV writers seem to think almost as inevitably as a Hitler mention in a thread about politics.
Fate is in heaven, armor is on the chest, accomplishment is in the feet. - Nagao Kagetora
Oh, I'm sure I've seen him in a ton of stuf, I just don't know a lot of actors names, but John Hurt always got a special mention in the opening credits of Merlin.
In one of the good examples for why we keep the BBC around. Today, on a Bank Holiday - usually one of the big days where TV channels bring out their big films, the BBC have been reshowing "Doctor Who at the Proms" this afternoon. (Probably now on iplayer again, hopefully).
Hopefully a bunch of kids did end up watching it and get into music more.
And that's me as someone with absolutely no musical inclinations or talent whatsoever.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
