The title character in Doctor Who has gone through eleven incarnations during the nearly half century the series has endured. All of them have been male. But apparently a female doctor was considered by the BBC in the 1980s:
What actress do you think would make a good Doctor?
Link via blastr | Image: BBC
Previously on Neatorama: Doctor Who
Sydney Newman, who devised the long-running science-fiction show when he was head of BBC drama in the 1960s, was asked to help after the show suffered a slump in ratings in the 1980s and was taken off air temporarily.
He told Michael Grade, then the controller of BBC One, that the ailing series could only be saved by regenerating the Time Lord into a Time Lady.
Mr Newman criticised the direction the show had taken, but insisted that it could be revived by turning the lead character into a heroine.
Had the advice been accepted, actresses who could have been considered for the role include Frances de la Tour, Joanna Lumley and Dawn French.
What actress do you think would make a good Doctor?
Link via blastr | Image: BBC
Previously on Neatorama: Doctor Who
But Joanna Lumley? That would have been sillier than Colin Baker with boobs! Actually, it would have been identical to Colin Baker with boobs.
There is no reason why Dr. Who shouldn't be a woman. It just stands to reason since more than 50% of the population is female.
I love it when these so-called futuristic shows fall back on the same old sexist bs.
What's logical about changing the gender of a TV character for ratings?
What's sexist bs about not making your characters transsexual? It would be good for a storyline - maybe a few episodes - to make the Doctor accidentally a female. Long term, it would alienate a lot of fans.
Otherwise, I'm sure Judi Dench would make a fine Winston Churchill...
You do realize that you are talking about a character that has a completely different body every time he (or she!) regenerates, right?
I mean, it's _slightly_ different than Winston Churchill.
(That said, Cate Blanchett was the best Bob Dylan in I'm Not There.)
My guess is that a female audience would prefer a male in the role of the Doctor.
It's just funny how it's called "sexist", but I doubt a woman would have appealed to a female audience.
It is slightly different than Winston Churchill, but are you saying that Judi Dench COULDN'T play Winston Churchil? Sexist!
;)