[things I ponder in the shower]

[tellitslant]

If the Doctor ever regenerates into a woman, do you think that retroactively means the show's previous incarnations actually pass the Bechdel test?

(I was thinking today how rare it is for me to enjoy a text that doesn't either regularly pass the Bechdel test or have at least one queer character, if not both. Doctor Who is, off the top of my head, the only one I can think of that I'm currently fannish about. Fix that, Who.)

Comments

[rhivolution]

One could argue that Who's had a queer sensibility for a while (long before RTD, I'd even say), but...yeah.

And wrt your question, I'd say sadly no.

[tellitslant]

Queer sensibility, sure (though I would also argue that Teh Moff, love him though I really do, is narratively undercutting it even as he might be thematically supporting it), but that's different from visible characters, so.

And yeah, I would say no too, but it was a thought that amused me. *g*

[samjohnsson]

Honestly, no. Especially since the Doctor changes personalities so drastically between some incarnations. (9 to 10, I'm looking at you.)

[misura.livejournal.com]

Well er, has the Doctor ever self-identified as belonging to any gender at all? (I'm trying to think of an example, but I've only ever seen New Who, and my memory isn't that detailed anyway, so ... ?)

I mean, the Doctor gets refered to as a 'he' (and he's always been played by male actors) but that might just be because there's no personal pronoun in the English language for, well, a member of the species refered to by a word that gets translated into English as 'Time Lords'? No?

[bramblyhedge.livejournal.com]

The Doctor's way too "crazy eccentric uncle" to pass the Bechdel test retroactively.

Then again, I consider The Curse of Fatal Death to be canon, so what do I know? ;) Oooh, that brings up another question - would all the rabid Doctor/Master fans be up for it if the Doctor got changed into a woman? Or would they drop it like a hot potato.
*I <3 the ending of Curse of Fatal Death* :D