Chance
This article from Stacey Henley tries to explain Jodie Whittaker did not have a chance as the Doctor. He makes valid points throughout the piece. References to both Russell Davies and Stephen Moffat give contrast to Chris Chibnall. Fans did not like it when Davies left because his time as showrunner is good. Stephen Moffat lead Doctor Who for just two more seasons than Davies. His time as showrunner is not as good, but it isn’t terrible. There are times fans wonder what he is doing, but overall not a complete flop.
Fans remember Tenant for being a classic charismatic lead with enthusiasm and dry wit. Matt is a younger version of the Doctor and likes playing the fool. And Capaldi is an older eccentric, sarcastic, brash, and ruthless version. Looking at Jodie, as a fan, she does try to be kind. Maybe she is too kind. As Henley puts it, she tries to kill you with kindness. Is that a bad thing? It depends on how one looks at it. At the same time, she pulls you in with being naive, but she really isn’t that naive. Being a tinkerer and light-hearted is good as well.
Why did Jodie have such problems? Well, there is cohesion with Davies doctors with Billie Piper being shared. Moffat’s doctor’s had the same cohesion with Clara. Davies and Moffat have different styles, but their writing styles are similar. They wanted the best for Doctor Who, but they did it in different ways. There isn’t any cohesion between Capaldi’s doctor and Jodie’s. Chibnall changes everything. He decides on three companions and them being called a fam. Does that complicate things? Some may think it does.
Jodie is a capable actress and does an admirable job as the doctor. Of course, the show loses some fans because she is a female. But the show gains some as well. The rating did not fall because of Jodie. Yes, Chibnall is a showrunner, but his show is a murder mystery and not sci-fi. There is a difference. Also, does he have Doctor Who’s best interest at heart? Does he want the best for Doctor Who, or does he want it more diverse? The media wrote about how he had different races and cultures working on the show. There isn’t anything wrong with that as long as they are good.
Making Doctor Who more diverse shouldn’t be your goal. Your goal as the showrunner is to bring the best product to the television. Give your lead actor or actress the chance to succeed. Jodie is likable and does a great job with what she has. But could it be better?
Jodie did not have a chance. Hindsight is 20/20. Would the BBC do something different? You can say yes if they knew where Chibnall would take the show. Maybe they knew it would go this way. He has experience in producing but not like Doctor Who. Broadchurch is not anything Doctor Who. Did he approach Doctor Who the same way? Doctor Who is a difficult show to produce. There are long days, weeks, and months of shooting and writing. Because of all the required work, actors can’t work anywhere else.
Obviously, the BBC wants a change and is probably glad Chibnall is stepping down. It can be good because there will be new blood and new thoughts as well as ideas. Fans who said this isn’t going to work, well, they were right in the beginning. Basically, they can say we told you so!
