For Doctor Who fans, the ritual of having one actor leave the main role of the Doctor and having another come in has always been an exciting one. Sometimes, it’s one of mystery and others, it’s one of dread. There has been a lot of fan theories since the then current Doctor Peter Capaldi said that he would be stepping down, especially since no actor was listed as taking the role.
Now the wait is over – Jodi Whittaker was announced as the 13th Doctor in a trailer release after the Men’s Final at Wimbledon. You can watch that trailer below:
For years, fans have been clamoring for a female doctor, since up until this point, they have all been men. Whittaker is a familiar face for those who love BBC dramas, as she played the grieving mother of a missing child on the hit series, Broadchurch, which also starred former Doctor David Tennant. Whittaker also made her name in the sci-fi scene for her leading roll in the urban alien film Attack the Block, where she starred alongside John Bodega, who is currently playing Finn in the Star Wars franchise. Gotta say, this lady has some fascinating connections.
Originally, rumors were flying that Kris Marshall of Death in Paradise was going to be taking on the iconic role, as he left the show just as the new Doctor who have needed to start filming. That’s not to say that Marshall won’t be popping up in the show, just not as the principal character.
The new show runner is also from Broadchurch, writer Chris Chibnall, which may be a sign that things are about to change for the better. Moffat’s reign over the show started strong with the Amy Pond years but descended into Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl territory with Clara, and the 12th Doctor never seemed to gain as much traction as his predecessors. Hopefully, our first female Doctor gets the kind of fanfare the Doctor deserves, and we get some new, thrilling adventures for her to go on.
