Well, it looks like the bookies were right.
The Doctor, the time-travelling misanthrope from Doctor Who, is a woman. Jodie Whittaker will be taking over for Peter Capaldi, the current Doctor, at the end of the upcoming Christmas special.
Meet the Thirteenth Doctor #DoctorWho #Doctor13 pic.twitter.com/uALi0maO9o
— BBC (@BBC) July 16, 2017
The Doctor, an alien of a species called “Time Lords,” has the ability to regenerate his (or now: her) body after being killed, coming-up with a new personality and a new set of quirks in each new body. It’s a neat little trick that has allowed the Doctor to survive more or less intact from November 22nd, 1963—the day of the JFK assassination.
The role has always been played by a white male British actor.
Time Lords have shown an ability to switch in the past, with at least two characters referencing periods of time as members of the opposite sex.
Jodie Whittaker has worked on films like Attack the Block and shows like Broadchurch.
Doctor Who hired a new showrunner to take over the eleventh series, which airs next year. Chris Chibnall will be taking over from Steven Moffat, who has both penned some of the show’s best episodes and has run it since series 5 in 2010, casting both the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi).
Chibnall has previously written for the show, having penned his first episode in series three and entitled “42.” He also worked with Whittaker on Broadchurch, a show which starred the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Olivia Coleman, who appeared in the first episode of the Eleventh Doctor’s tenure, “The Eleventh Hour.”
Some quick Twitter reactions:
Not only is the Doctor a woman, she's going to be played by Jodie goddamn Whittaker. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE! #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/OgX37FpRFB
— SciFiNow (@SciFiNow) July 16, 2017
Oh and all the sad fanboys out there? I'll fight you. We'll all fight you. Because Girls can be The Doctor now too. #Doctor13
— Dr Emily Garside (@EmiGarside) July 16, 2017
THIS IS ME NOW, THIS WILL BE ME WHILE WATCHING JODIE WHITTAKER, THIS WILL BE ME FOREVER #DOCTOR13 pic.twitter.com/ITLsqrAeTo
— holistic stef (@CAPTAlNERD) July 16, 2017
Misogynist tears #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/k2NDyEbc07
— Lo (@hesternal) July 16, 2017
Seriously pumped for the new series now. Jodie is going to be brilliant. Chris Chibnall will be amazing. I CANNOT WAIT. #doctor13
— Daniel (@daykind19) July 16, 2017
welcome to the team Jodie! we are happy to have you with us, proud to have a woman as the doctor!! we are there to support you #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/sZuW2LnSXk
— jennifer (@pearlmzckie) July 16, 2017
we've been given a 12 second look of Jodie as #doctor13 and i would already take a bullet for her, i'm so happy pic.twitter.com/Gf7vnrsjNr
— ellie (@L0KISDIANAS) July 16, 2017
Because an alien that abosorbs people and a man in love with a brick that's realistic but #doctor13 being a female isn't? pic.twitter.com/4iNtyN9PMg
— emily (@geekyoakIey) July 16, 2017
YOU CAN'T HAVE A WOMAN PLAY A PERSON WHO TIME TRAVELS IN A PHONE BOX FIGHTING ALIENS BECAUSE IT MAKES IT UNREALISTIC!!!!11!1 #doctor13
— Charlie (@KimJongUnVEVO) July 16, 2017
It's time that little girls realise that they aren't all the damsels in distress, but can the biggest badass in the universe! #doctor13
— John James (@IisJDubz) July 16, 2017
Jodie Whittaker should have plenty of time to prepare for the role with all the awful cyber men she'll now be battling #Doctor13
— Plumpy (@AdamTheBlampied) July 16, 2017
"Smith is too young"
— Alistair Neil (@TheOneAlistair) July 16, 2017
"Capaldi is too old"
"Whittaker is a girl"
Give it few years and people will beg her not to leave #doctor13 #DrWho
But she's still not ginger.
