Name
After finding this article, the author seems to believe there is some debate about the name of the Doctor. The title of the article mentions a change and controversy. Do the fans see it as a controversy? Whether the fans worry about this is another story. Some fans may be interested while others don’t care. What he seems to be talking about could be an issue for some but not for all fans. Some fans will say who cares.
As a fan, you hear his/her companions call him/her Doctor and not Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a catchphrase heard when people on the planet he/he visits asks Doctor Who? Because they don’t know who he is.
Title Sequence
When Doctor Who started in 1963, the title sequence reflects Doctor Who. So, some people may believe that is his name. By adding who to Doctor, adds mystery to the main character. Which makes the show more interesting.
The early producers kept the Doctor’s planet and people a secret for several years. They do not let fans know this until the Second Doctor. At this point, fans see him tried by the Timelords and exiled to earth. While on earth, the catchphrase goes away or seems to. But would come back once the Doctor’s exile is over.
Now, fans watching see two different spellings of the name used at the beginning of episodes. Those are Doctor Who and Dr. Who. The author points to the settling of the issue during Peter Davison’s reign as the Doctor. Listing Davison as the Doctor without Who attached. So, fans believe there is not an issue anymore. But they don’t know that just nine years later the BBC takes Doctor Who off the air.
So, in 2005 the Russel Davies brings Doctor Who back, and he uses Doctor Who the first season. But changes it back to only the Doctor for David Tennant and the Doctors after him. Only to muddy the water with River Song whispering his real name in the Doctor’s ear. Moffat adds controversy during Matt Smith by revealing Doctor Who as the oldest question.
Conclusion
Well, does there appear to be a controversy? Do fans care about the main character’s name form? The Doctor is a mysterious person, to the point fans don’t know his/her real name. So, why not add Who to his/her title? Yeah, the people in charge bounce back and forth for years when introducing the Doctor in the title sequence. It does not change the fact fans don’t know everything there is to know about this mysterious person.
