I think Jodie did a great job in her debut season, but imagine the job she could have done with better material.
The problem with the 13th Doctor is that, ultimately, she is shallow. What are her motivations? What does she fear? What are her conflicts? What is the lie she believes or the truth she won’t accept?
The Doctor is one of the most tragic and tortured heroes in sci-fi, but all hint of that was absent. On any basic level Jodie’s Doctor lacks a ‘character’, in narrative terms.
You didn’t give in to the hate and didn’t shy away from the inevitable misogynist backlash. Not only was there canonically no reason at all not to cast a female as the 13th Doctor, but there was actually every reason to do it. Because after over 50 years of white male Doctors, now was without a doubt the time to finally expand beyond that. Rebirth and reinvention is at the absolute core of the show. Peter has been magnificent (as were Chris, David and especially Matt) and there’s every reason to hope that even better times await.
ben parfitt 