Wait, what?

[elisi]

Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall to leave in 2022

BOTH OF THEM?

omg who will take over from Chibnall???

(Sorry to see Jodie go, but it is what it is)

Comments

[elisi]

I'm trying to think of anything to say other than 'Accurate' but I can't.

[elisi]

She might come back as a guest star!

[elisi]

It's honestly baffling. S12 is definitely an improvement on S11, but I still don't feel attached to any of the Companions. And I LOVED everyone on Torchwood, even if/because they were often terrible. The 'Fam' were just sort of... there.

[makamu]

She might come back as a guest star!

She had better! And now I have this image of David Tennant sharing the Tom Baker spot with Jodie in the 75th anniversary episode...

[elisi]

While Matt Smith steals her fez! :)

[makamu]

The 'Fam' were just sort of... there

My thoughts exactly so far. I'll see what I make of them in series 12 then

[makamu]

While Matt Smith steals her fez! :)

Yes!

[elisi]

Oh god, now I want Moffat to write a little minisode just for those three to fool around for ten minutes of pure delight.

[elisi]

Slightly better imho, but not enough. It's such a shame. Companions should elicit feelings like this:



(Obviously not every companion will work for everyone, but with THREE of them at least one ought to hit the spot.)

[thisbluespirit]

omg who will take over from Chibnall???

I know, I was only thinking this morning that there seemed to be no rumoured successor whatsoever, so we'd have him FOREVER and EVER. And woke up from my afternoon rest to find this, and was pleased to have been proven wrong almost instantly.

I am sad Jodie is going, hugely relieved to have an end date on Chris Chibnall's era, and very intrigued as to what and who comes next now - like, 2023 is the anniversary year as well! Is there some plan? Colour me intrigued all right.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, yes. Huge relief was my reaction too. (I feel mean, but. It's true.)

[elisi]

I know, I was only thinking this morning that there seemed to be no rumoured successor whatsoever, so we'd have him FOREVER and EVER. And woke up from my afternoon rest to find this, and was pleased to have been proven wrong almost instantly.
Clearly the whole of fandom thought this REALLY LOUDLY! ;) (I feel bad about being so negative, but...)

I am sad Jodie is going, hugely relieved to have an end date on Chris Chibnall's era, and very intrigued as to what and who comes next now - like, 2023 is the anniversary year as well! Is there some plan? Colour me intrigued all right.
I agree with all of this!

[yourlibrarian]

Given the Covid interruption I guess it has been some years but this seems like a really brief tenure. I certainly hope a person of color will replace her.

[elisi]

Given the Covid interruption I guess it has been some years but this seems like a really brief tenure.
Three seasons is fairly standard, but the seasons themselves have been shorter and covid really hasn't helped.

I certainly hope a person of color will replace her.
I... almost can't imagine that they'll cast someone white. At least it'd be strange if they didn't cast a POC.

[ruuger]

The 'Fam' were just sort of... there.
That's exactly how I feel about them. There was nothing wrong with them (except Gharam, who I hate ;P), but somehow together they were just... blah.

[ruuger]

The only way I can see them casting someone white, is if the actor is non-binary. I've said before that Chibnall casting a female Doctor wasn't brave, it was the least he could do, and if the next showrunner defaults to a white actor (even if it's a woman), that will probably be a death-blow for the current era of Doctor Who because the world has changed a lot since 2017.

(and as I have also said before, they already used the "Best actor for the job" card with Capaldi, so even that defence would not work)

[elisi]

The only way I can see them casting someone white, is if the actor is non-binary.
Yeah, that's not going to happen.

I've said before that Chibnall casting a female Doctor wasn't brave, it was the least he could do, and if the next showrunner defaults to a white actor (even if it's a woman), that will probably be a death-blow for the current era of Doctor Who because the world has changed a lot since 2017.
*nods a lot* Although I am more curious about the showrunner. Surely there must be someone who is not a white male who can be put in charge?

(and as I have also said before, they already used the "Best actor for the job" card with Capaldi, so even that defence would not work)
Indeed. Although during his tenure Moffat laid basically all the groundwork, right from Eleven thinking he was a girl after regenerating. Through The Corsair, to Melody/River changing 'race', to Missy (♥) to the General who went from old & white & male to young(er) & Black & female. Sorry for rambling, you got me thinking back over all this. As far as I know there's nothing on screen - before Moffat - to support any of this. Of course it has been discussed endlessly, but Moffat made it canon. Which is nice. Sure he also cast two white blokes*, but they're my favourites so. ;) Here's to no more white blokes until we have had at LEAST twelve Black women.

*OK, three

[elisi]

Oh I luff Graham, he's the only one who got some actual character stuff to work with!!

But yeah, when I think of them they're all just standing in a line.

Whereas if I think back on, oh Five and all his bitty companions, they are all SUCH individuals.

[promethia_tenk]

Finally I can stop trying to like it all.

Though I gotta admit I kinda respect the pure 'walking out the door with explosions behind you' energy of dropping the shit he did last season and then declaring he's leaving in a year and change.

[promethia_tenk]

That's the thing that's so frustrating: if I could just hate it it would be a lot easier. But I want to like it. It's just not good.

[promethia_tenk]

You just really got the impression with Chibbs taking over that they didn't have any other options and had to strong-arm him into it. How much can that situation have changed in five years?

Now would be a great time to tell me Britain is sitting on a vast but hidden pool of women of color writers with show-running experience.

Maybe they could get two people to do it together? Pair up somebody new and fresh with someone with all the industry expertise.

[promethia_tenk]

Ironically when I made it it was in a reasonably optimistic mind frame? I was fully intending to settle into a comfortable if unexciting bit of Doctor Who. After a while I realized it had become more of a plea.

[elisi]

You just really got the impression with Chibbs taking over that they didn't have any other options and had to strong-arm him into it.
Yes, definitely a sense of RTD & Moffat letting him know that he was The Chosen One. And also the logical choice - he practically ran Torchwood, is a massive fan and has showrunning experience.

How much can that situation have changed in five years?
I think the main thing is that there *isn't* an obvious successor. Which is interesting.

Now would be a great time to tell me Britain is sitting on a vast but hidden pool of women of color writers with show-running experience.
Possibly there is, but if so, it's *hidden*.

Maybe they could get two people to do it together? Pair up somebody new and fresh with someone with all the industry expertise.
That is a brilliant idea. Pitch it to the BBC!

[elisi]

After a while I realized it had become more of a plea.
LOL! And yeah, I remember expecting meat&potatoes stories. Something solid, probably more Earth-and-companions based...

AH WELL.

[elisi]

Finally I can stop trying to like it all.
Yeah, I don't think it'll be Five Era II.

Though I gotta admit I kinda respect the pure 'walking out the door with explosions behind you' energy of dropping the shit he did last season and then declaring he's leaving in a year and change.
IT WAS ALL A DREAM. Or the whole thing is a parallel universe. It's certainly felt like it.