Part and parcel of Doctor Who‘s charm is its innate ability to travel through space and time – or so says lead star Jodie Whittaker, who addressed criticism relating to the show’s use of revisionist history.
Perhaps more so than recent runs, Doctor Who season 11 has journeyed back through time to allow Jodie Whittaker’s Time Lord to interact with civil rights activist Rosa Parks circa 1955, before visiting Punjab in 1945 to cover the Partition of India.
And while many viewers have welcomed the change in pace, others aren’t convinced, and have labeled recent Doctor Who episodes to be “subliminal PC lectures” (h/t Evening Standard).
In response, Whittaker has told disgruntled viewers that it would be foolish for Doctor Who to ignore the past, as it’s pretty much integral to the show’s DNA.
What’s the point of making a show if it doesn’t reflect society today? We have the opportunity with this show like no other to dip to future, to past, to present, to new worlds and time zones. There is never going to be a drought in the stories you can tell. It’s always topical. Chris is a very present-minded person who is very aware of the world he lives in and is passionate about storytelling. It would be wrong of him to not have used the past. He does it in a really beautiful way.
And you can’t really argue with Whittaker’s reasoning – she’s the Doctor, for crying out loud! On a more serious note, with Doctor Who season 11 fast approaching its climax, the BBC has already begun mapping out future plans for the current Time Lord, including a New Year’s special and the possibility of a 12th season for Jodie Whittaker and Co. – namely Bradley Walsh and fellow companions Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill.
Closer to home, though, and the Time Lord is bracing for “The Witchfinders,” the latest installment of Doctor Who. And it’ll be with us on Sunday, November 25th.
