10 Doctor Who Mistakes That Still Haunt The Show

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, it’s hard to deny the enduring appeal and longevity of certain TV shows. Yet, the path to such unparalleled success wasn’t without its challenges. Spanning an impressive 61 years on our screens, this show has weathered numerous complex situations, from cancellations and revivals, to dealing with fan discontent, and the constant need to stay relevant by modernizing itself.

Throughout its journey to captivate audiences, “Doctor Who” has had its share of missteps and errors in both its classic and contemporary phases. Issues like insufficient representation, repetitive sci-fi cliches, botched retcons, and creative turmoil backstage have left a lasting impact on the series, fueling ongoing discussions, damaging careers, or casting a shadow over its historical significance.

The Series Perpetuated Many Harmful Stereotypes

Instead of saying “of utilizing yellowface and propagating harmful racist stereotypes,” you could phrase it as: “employing yellowface and reinforcing offensive racial stereotypes.” In the case of “The Talons of Weng-Chiang,” the Doctor (played by Tom Baker) is investigating a series of murders in London, which eventually leads him to a Chinese magician. The Chinese characters are portrayed as villainous and associated with gangs, with limited dialogue. Conversely, Li H’sen Chang, played by John Bennett in yellowface, is the only character given a more developed backstory.

In addition to ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’, there are other examples where racial stereotypes were used. For instance, Kevin Stoney played Mavic Chen in the Guardians of the Solar System series with yellowface, just like Anthony Ainley disguised as Khalid. These occurrences, though rooted in their specific time periods, have a negative impact on the overall legacy of Classic ‘Doctor Who’.

It Has Long Been a Thorn in Doctor Who’s Side

In the television series “Doctor Who,” a unique characteristic is that the Doctor has the ability to regenerate, which means they can transform their dying form into a completely new one. This enables various actors to play the role of the Doctor, thereby avoiding a reboot of the show.

In 1976, Doctor Who set a restriction of only 12 regenerations for the character. As the series evolved, it found itself approaching this limit, leading to some contrived storytelling to justify additional regenerations. This doesn’t address the hint that there could be many more unseen incarnations of the Doctor yet to be discovered by viewers. It was puzzling that such a flexible concept as Doctor Who chose to impose a restriction so soon in its timeline.

A Poor Script Ended His Run Prematurely

One significant blunder and sorrowful event in the world of “Doctor Who” was underutilizing Paul McGann’s portrayal of the Eighth Doctor. In 1996, a TV film revival attempt by Universal Studios and BBC saw McGann cast as the Doctor. Despite the film being criticized for its campiness, poor writing, and excessive style, many viewers recognized McGann as an exceptional Doctor, exuding charm, romance, and panache.

Despite the film not managing to produce a TV series, when Doctor Who was eventually rebooted in 2005, it unfortunately overlooked one of its most impressive portrayals of the Doctor. Although McGann has appeared in audio productions, his on-screen appearances have been limited, with neither an extended comeback on the primary show nor a spinoff project, which is a shame given his exceptional performance as the Doctor.

The BBC Alienated Its First Modern Doctor

It’s well-known that Christopher Eccleston, initially cast as the Ninth Doctor, has had a challenging association with the series and the BBC. The discord began when Eccleston decided to depart after just one season due to creative disagreements. Tensions escalated when the BBC released a statement without his approval, suggesting he was leaving because of concerns about being stereotyped.

After issuing an apology for its incorrect statement, Eccleston later claimed that the network had blacklisted him. To this day, his connection with the series has remained strained. Not only did “Doctor Who” miss out on the opportunity to bring Eccleston back for special episodes like “The Day of the Doctor,” but it also tarnished its own image by the alleged mistreatment of an actor who has contributed so significantly to the show’s success.

Doctor Who Struggles To Kick This Habit

Throughout its history, the television series Doctor Who has faced criticism concerning the “damsel in distress” stereotype, particularly in its earlier seasons. Notably, characters such as Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling) were often portrayed as passive, frightened damsels who relied on the Doctor to save them.

The series has advanced, featuring characters who buck tradition such as Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), a fiery woman, and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), a bold one. However, despite being in its contemporary phase, Doctor Who has often found itself slipping into old patterns of laziness and sexism, with characters like Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) occasionally being reduced to damsels in distress when the show introduces a filler episode or loses focus on their storylines.

Another Overused Trope in Doctor Who

Beyond frequently employing it, Doctor Who has left viewers perplexed due to its excessive reliance on the plot device known as “deus ex machina.” This is a situation where an intricate problem with no apparent solution gets miraculously resolved out of nowhere. While the occasional use of deus ex machina fits with the show’s quirky and whimsical atmosphere, there have been instances when it was overused.

In the episode “Last of the Time Lords,” some viewers found it unsettling when the weakened Doctor (played by David Tennant) was miraculously revitalized into a Doctor resembling Jesus Christ. This is troublesome because the series “Doctor Who” and its creator, Russell T. Davies, have employed this plot device frequently, leading some viewers to associate it with poor writing and potentially dismiss the show altogether based on this association.

It Led to So Many Missed Opportunities

Recently, Doctor Who has taken substantial steps towards diversity, featuring two consecutive Doctors who are both Black and openly gay (Ncuti Gatwa). Nevertheless, it’s hard to overlook that the show took more than half a century before making the Doctor a woman, LGBTQ+ individual, or person of color.

The absence of diverse casting in the show has been detrimental, resulting in stereotypes, incorrect historical portrayals, and fans yearning for over four decades to find characters they can identify with. From a narrative standpoint, it was unrealistic that the Doctor repeatedly regenerated into a white male, especially given the character’s ability to change appearances and genders. The Doctor, being an alien capable of shape-shifting, could have served as an excellent symbol for gender fluidity; however, the show missed an opportunity to explore this concept more fully.

Doctor Who Retconned 57 Years of Lore

During Chris Chibnall’s tenure as the ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner, he introduced a significant change to the established lore, referred to as the “Timeless Child” retcon, which alters over half a century of ‘Doctor Who’ history. In ‘Doctor Who’ series 12, episode 10 titled “The Timeless Child,” it is disclosed that the Doctor (portrayed by Whittaker) is not originally from Gallifrey but hails from another universe, possessing the ability to regenerate. The Time Lords then copied this power for themselves.

The plot was exceptionally daring and daring, yet it stirred a great deal of debate. Simultaneously, fans found themselves grappling with significant alterations and inconsistencies, along with the transformation of the Doctor from an outsider in Gallifreyan society to the prototype for all Time Lords. Unfortunately, these changes didn’t seem to lead anywhere, giving the impression that the plot was merely a rewriting of Doctor Who history for no particular reason by Chibnall.

The Execution Was a Little Off

The disclosure by Doctor Who that (bi-generational) was a contentious change in the series lore is problematic, but the timing is particularly troubling. It’s hard not to notice that the show brought back David Tennant’s character as the Doctor, sandwiched between its first female and first Black Doctors. What makes this more challenging is the decision to have both Tennant and Gatwa share the role of the Doctor at the same time.

For the first time, a new Doctor was paired with an established one in the series, and fans felt it was particularly unfair that Gatwa, such a historic Doctor, was subjected to this. Despite the negative online reaction towards Gatwa’s casting, Doctor Who should have given him a confident, undaunted debut, but the double standard wasn’t apparent in this case.

She Was a Great Doctor Without Much To Work With

The character of Doctor Who, specifically Jodie Whittaker in the role, has faced decreasing viewer ratings since Peter Capaldi’s departure. Viewers have had mixed reactions to her portrayal, yet major plot twists and historic firsts haven’t made it a particularly memorable season. However, this isn’t a reflection of Whittaker’s performance; she’s done an exceptional job bringing the Doctor to life as a vibrant, energetic, and eccentric character.

Even though Whittaker effectively portrayed the Doctor during that period, there were numerous issues with the era itself. There were too many companions, long breaks between episodes, an excessive number of storylines without resolution, and inadequate screen time for Whittaker. It’s disheartening that Doctor Who had a fantastic female Doctor but fell short due to poor writing and management, which raises questions about whether the series will attempt another female Doctor or use this period as an excuse not to.

2025-05-08 01:30