#it's a bit frustrating to me how a lot of leftists want to box them in as 'you're this so you must agree with that'

[weedle-testaburger]

i have this thing where I'm really unwilling to judge people based on their background but I'm Very willing to judge them if they're a reactionary

[d0ctordisco]

I found this video rather interesting. It talks about the frustrating divide in the Doctor Who fandom right now.

As someone who likes the 13th Doctor and loves Jodie Whittaker, but is still critical of the writing, I am immediately placed in the "bigoted sexist misogynist" box automatically despite really liking 13. (I am female myself btw) I feel that the writing quality has been better in the past and the 13th Doctor and Jodie have been severely undercut by how well this new era could have been played. This is my opinion. This does not mean that my opinion is correct or even that my opinion should dictate what the show should be like.

It feels like lately you're only allowed to love the 13th Doctor or hate her. There is no room in the fandom right now to fall in the grey area in between. I feel that the intellectual discussions on writing, directing, acting, and producing have been disposed of in favor of left wing or right wing politics.

As someone who was first introduced to Doctor Who watching Series 9 with Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor, I found it difficult to immediately like Season 11 as it was so different. I was very intrigued and excited by the prospect of a female doctor, and open to the possibilities though. I felt that it was time for a female doctor, not because it's the "leftist liberal politically correct thing to do" but because I felt that the hardships and exhaustion that the 12th Doctor endured, almost refusing to regenerate in a nearly suicidal "please just let me die" plea, that deciding to regenerate once more would present an opportunity for significant change and for someone very different to step into the role. I really like the 13th Doctor, I think she's funny and cute, and a fresh new take.

However, I felt that Season 11 took a very conservative writing approach without any major risks, leading to what I felt was a bland season. With a female doctor, I feel that the writers wanted to take the least amount of risks as possible to prevent from aggrivating an already divided fandom even more. Every adventure, while enjoyable, was self contained and provided nothing to the overarching story. Now though, I feel that Season 12 took the criticisms of Season 11 and has very much overcompensated to try to make this season exciting. In my personal opinion I thought the writing choices of this season were wreckless and only provided to shock value. Trying to cram so much lore that not everyone asked for into every second of this season made it feel like the decisions were not thought out in context of the show as a whole. I think each writer should have their freedom to take the show in the direction they wish, but I feel that they should respect the choices of their predecessors and not go out of their way to retrofit the continuity because they didn't like the way it was before. Yes. I am talking about The Timeless Children.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the return of the Master and it's the majority of the reason I like Season 12. I am very used to Season 8, 9, and 10 having a lot of Missy so Season 11 having the Master being completely absent was a bit of a let down for me personally.

I do not dislike The Timeless Children because it paints the Doctor as a victim of abuse or abandonment. I do not dislike The Timeless Children because it provides more background lore about the Doctor and Gallifrey. I dislike the Timeless Children because I believe that what makes the Doctor special is their actions and choices, not who they were born as. Having the Doctor be even more special and elite with more power than the already pompous Time Lords was a step in the wrong direction I feel. Having the 12th Doctor spend so much time in Season 10 trying to help Missy become good because it is the right thing to do and the whole mantra of being kind without witness or reward made the Doctor feel like they were special because they chose to be good. Having the Doctor now be almost a deity of unknown power makes them special by birthright, not because of their actions.

This is all still my opinion that I am both entitled to having, and simultaneously cannot force on to anyone else or have it dictate the show.

Doctor Who, if nothing else, is about change. I encourage people who dislike the 13th Doctor for whatever reason, to stick around and hold out. In a few years, there will be a new Doctor, new companions, and possibly a new writer. In the end, Doctor Who and all other shows, movies, and media, are works of art created by an artist in their artistic vision. I respect that while I have not enjoyed Chibnall's time as much as Moffat's, I cannot force anyone to make the show the way I want. Was Moffat problematic and sexist as a showrunner? Yes. Is it ethical to support someone who writes women so terribly? I'm not sure. Overall as a whole, Doctor Who has brought so much joy to so many people, that I feel it does much more good than harm. Yeah I think Moffat's female characters are shallow, particularly Amy and Clara. I will write a whole post some other day on why I think they are highly flawed characters despite liking them in general.

I wish people could get over the whole female doctor thing and get back to discussing the show in an educated manner.

I don't know what this essay of a post goes to prove but I felt that I wanted to say somethinf about the toxic divide over politics in the fandom that has completely overshadowed any intellectual conversation on the writing or directing choices. Thanks for listening to me ramble.