Former Doctor Who showrunner explains why Jodie Whittaker casting fuss is overblown

Are there some people who are upset over the Jodie Whittaker casting for Doctor Who season 11? Sure, but consider them a very vocal minority. We’ve heard them make their presence known, but they are not also indicative of the entire fandom … or even a small percentage of them. Had they seen Whittaker in the role and had genuine criticism of her performance, that’d be one thing. Yet, what we are witnessing instead is that most of these select few are more upset in regards to something that ultimately doesn’t matter: Her gender.

We do think that there are many very smart people out there who have done a great job explaining some of the ridiculousness of this casting criticism, but near the top of this less is former showrunner Russell T. Davies, who breaks it down to the Radio Times precisely how much of the gossip is overblown concerning the role:

“The only people making a fuss were, to be honest, journalists, saying ‘what about the fuss?’ There wasn’t one. There wasn’t one at all. What a different world we live in – how magical … I’ve been in Cardiff recently, and there’s a lot of fans flocking into Cardiff because they’re about to close the Doctor Who Experience, so a lot of people are going to see it for the last time.

“So a higher number of fans than average walking around the Bay. And they’re very nice, and some of them stop me for autographs and things like that, and every single one of them is excited about it. Every single one. And that’s something that doesn’t get said often enough. The five people making a fuss, and the five people making headlines, do not represent the vast body of fandom, who are genuinely happy and genuinely excited. Men, women, kids, all ages – I’ve met them. And they’re properly looking forward to next year.”

Ultimately, much of this just comes down to two different things to us: People like to shout that they are upset about something online until their voice is heard, and also most reasonable people believe in giving Whittaker a chance. To us, the genius of Doctor Who comes with the unexpected. If you presume that a character or a story is going to go one way, you really haven’t been paying attention. The Jodie Whittaker casting opens the show up to a wide array of different possibilities, and we do personally find that to be very much exciting.

What are you feeling about the Jodie Whittaker casting right now?

Are you one of the vocal minority, and if so, why are you not interested in giving her a chance? Share in the comments, and head over here if you’re so inclined to gather up some more news regarding the upcoming Christmas Special that marks her debut in the role. Last but not least, if you want to keep up to date on all things Doctor Who related we suggest joining us on our CarterMatt Facebook page at the link here. (Photo: BBC.)