Shape of the Doctor

Despite Sylvester McCoy's recent statement that he doesn't think the Doctor ought to ever be female he's still one of my favourite Doctors. At least he objects on the grounds of what he sees as an essential element for the Doctor and Companion chemistry rather than saying Time Lords should be incapable of changing sex. For what it's worth. Here's the quote via Dark Horizons:

I'm a feminist and recognize there are still glass ceilings in place for many women, but where would we draw the line? A Mr. Marple instead of Miss Marple? A Tarzanette? I'm sorry, but no – Doctor Who is a male character, just like James Bond. If they changed it to be politically correct then it would ruin the dynamics between the doctor and the assistant, which is a popular part of the show.

Ugh, "draw the line"? Like it's an invasion? Now both he and Peter Davison are on record as being against a female Doctor while Tom Baker has wisely said he doesn't have convictions on the issue. I do hope Radagast changes his mind.

I did hear a good Seventh Doctor audio play this past week, 2005's Unregenerate! but I found the Fifth Doctor audio I listened to this week, The Council of Nicaea, more interesting. It's a shame the television series seems reluctant now to explore historical events. This one, written by Caroline Symcox, clearly came from someone who'd studied the history of Christianity but happily she didn't make Five or his companions Peri or Erimem into Christians. There's a funny moment where the Doctor's trying to impress upon Peri how important the Council is to the history of the religion, saying there's something quoted from it every time she goes to church. When she says she doesn't know what he means he says, "Ah, not an episcopalian?" "Baptist," she replies. "Well, my mother was." Peri's still supposed to be American although Nicola Bryant's American accent has been especially weak in the audios I've heard lately.

Fortunately, the story focuses more on the audio only companion Erimem, who makes an interesting point to the Doctor when he says that they can't change history in this case and she replies that the Council of Nicaea actually takes place in what is for her the future. Which presents an interesting tangle. You can sense the early genesis for the television series' "fixed point" concept.

I wish the audio play writers would stop writing the Fifth Doctor as so whiny. He's better when he's more Errol Flynn-ish, like in The Church and the Crown. A perfect opportunity was lost in The Game where he finds himself caught up in a deadly, futuristic version of football and he runs about ridiculously begging people not to fight. Somehow people have decided Five is a free roaming schoolmaster.