Doctor Who fans, and sci-fi enthusiasts in general, are known for their passionate enthusiasm. However, that enthusiasm can sometimes veer into unpleasant territory, particularly when discussions arise about who portrays the iconic Time Lord. This reality is not lost on Peter Capaldi, who played the Twelfth Doctor. In a recent interview with The Times, the 68-year-old actor was asked about claims that the show had become 'woke' and the backlash faced by Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa upon their casting as the Doctor. Unsurprisingly, Capaldi declined to engage directly with that criticism, instead defending the legendary series from those who take it too seriously.
Capaldi's Defense of Doctor Who
'Doctor Who reflects its times and it's a good thing in the world, though it's become a bit too big, too important for the BBC or whoever,' Capaldi said. 'When I was a kid and watched it, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I don't know why people take it so seriously.'
Jodie Whittaker, as the first female Doctor, faced frequent comparisons to her male predecessors and endured sexist backlash. Ncuti Gatwa, the first Black Doctor, portrayed the character as openly queer, a nuance only hinted at before, which drew criticism from some fans and critics labeling the show 'woke'.
Capaldi's Own Criticism
Capaldi himself has criticized Doctor Who in recent years, but never for being 'woke'. During an appearance on the Half the Picture podcast, he lamented the show's massive scale. 'The show became very, very big. And it was never like that when I loved it. So it became a different thing,' he said. He added that the series has become 'a little bit of a victim of its success'. 'The show that I loved was a tiny thing, a little small thing that survived. It just survived, but nobody knew that it was warming its way into the culture in such a deep way. And I think that's what I have an affinity with.'
Doctor Who is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
