Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa episodes (BBC iPlayer?s a dangerous time sink), and I started wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted he was on the side of the angels. Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the show?s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed, more ?human??
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I started wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted he was on the side of the angels. Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed, more “human”?
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa
episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I started
wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the Doctor
was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted he was on
the side of the angels. Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does
anyone else think the show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral >ambiguity? Or am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and
jelly babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed, more >“human”?
----
Somewhere in the universe there's a tea room where it's always 1974
Verily, in article <1769101954-5999@newsgrouper.org>, did user5999 >@newsgrouper.org.invalid deliver unto us this message:
- when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa >episodes (BBC iPlayer?s a dangerous time sink), and I started wondering
was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted he was on
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the Doctor
the side of the angels. Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does
anyone else think the show?s been shifting from moral clarity to moral >ambiguity? Or am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and
jelly babies?
more ?human??
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed,
They experimented with a not-so-good Doctor toward the end of the
classic era. Perhaps that's happening again -- the show's sagging, so
let's try something new to juice it up.
----
The True Melissa - Canal Winchester - Ohio
United States of America - North America - Earth
Solar System - Milky Way - Local Group
Virgo Cluster - Laniakea Supercluster - Cosmos
Type 40 wrote:
wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa >episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I started
was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted he was on
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the Doctor
the side of the angels. Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does
anyone else think the show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral >ambiguity? Or am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and
jelly babies?
more “human”?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed,
"You would make a good Dalek" - 2005
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa
episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I started
wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the
Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted
he was on the side of the angels.
Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the
show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or am I
just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed,
more “human”?
On 23/01/2026 4:12 am, Type 40 wrote>
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early Gatwa
episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I started
wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly "the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's), the
Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you never doubted
he was on the side of the angels.
The Doctor being on the side of the angels!! Wash your fingers with
soap!! The Angels were a NewWho new Enemy!!
Lately, though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the
show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or am I
just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Yeap!
--Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary, flawed,--
more “human”?
Daniel70
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early
Gatwa episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I
started wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly
"the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's),
the Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you
never doubted he was on the side of the angels. Lately,
though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the
show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or
am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly
babies?
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary,
flawed, more “human”?
Type 40 wrote:
Hi all,
Been watching a lot of episodes lately, from Capaldi to early
Gatwa episodes (BBC iPlayer’s a dangerous time sink), and I
started wondering - when did the Doctor stop being clearly
"the hero"?
Back in the day (say, Tom Baker era through to Davidson's),
the Doctor was certainly alien and sometimes smug, but you
never doubted he was on the side of the angels. Lately,
though, his choices feel greyer. Does anyone else think the
show’s been shifting from moral clarity to moral ambiguity? Or
am I just getting too nostalgic for UNIT lab coats and jelly
babies?
Comparing classic era "Doctor Who" to the modern version of
the show is like comparing chalk and cheese. It might all be
one show, but they are completely different in style, tone,
production values, etc...
Is this just modern writing trends (antiheroes everywhere)?
Or is it a deliberate evolution, the Doctor growing weary,
flawed, more “human”?
Modern "Doctor Who" isn't really about the Doctor anymore, it's
more about the companions and how special they are...
Modern "Doctor Who" isn't really about the Doctor anymore, it's
more about the companions and how special they are...
Verily, in article
<xn0pl4ne46ypk2e005@news.eternal-september.org>, did
blueshirt@indigo.news deliver unto us this message:
Modern "Doctor Who" isn't really about the Doctor anymore,
it's more about the companions and how special they are...
We already had the era of the Doctor being special, back in
the Moffat era.
I guess they had to try something else.
Verily, in article <xn0pl4ne46ypk2e005@news.eternal-september.org>, did >blueshirt@indigo.news deliver unto us this message:
Modern "Doctor Who" isn't really about the Doctor anymore, it's
more about the companions and how special they are...
We already had the era of the Doctor being special, back in the Moffat
era. I guess they had to try something else.
----
The True Melissa - Canal Winchester - Ohio
United States of America - North America - Earth
Solar System - Milky Way - Local Group
Virgo Cluster - Laniakea Supercluster - Cosmos
The True Melissa wrote:
Verily, in article
<xn0pl4ne46ypk2e005@news.eternal-september.org>, did
blueshirt@indigo.news deliver unto us this message:
Modern "Doctor Who" isn't really about the Doctor anymore,
it's more about the companions and how special they are...
We already had the era of the Doctor being special, back in
the Moffat era.
??
Amy Pond: The girl who waited. Amy's entire life was shaped by
meeting The Doctor as a child, and the crack in her bedroom.
(Known at the time here as "Amy's crack".) Amy also turns out
to be River Song's mother. So definitely not a normal companion.
River Song: She came into the show as somebody who knew the
Doctor's future, could fly the TARDIS and had a time-crossed
romance/marriage with him.
Clara: The impossible girl. She was scattered through the
Doctor's timeline and was part of a puzzle the Doctor had
to solve. Plus, there was all that TARDIS stuff going on with
her.
Oh and let's not forget Rory; he wasn't as 'special' as Amy, but
he becomes an Auton duplicate, dies many times, and becomes the
'Last Centurion' guarding the Pandorica for 2,000 years, (or
something). From sidelined jealous boyfriend to legendary hero.
So Steven Moffat was just as guilty of making the companions
'special' as any other Doctor Who producer of the modern era.
Sure, all the above stuff revolves around the Doctor and his
actions, but it can also be said to drive his actions at the
same time. (Timey-wimey if you like).
My point is, they are never 'just' companions anymore... they
always have to have a story, a family life and an on-screen
romance of some sort. Whereas in the classic era of the show,
the companions were generally just there as people who travelled
around with the Doctor and were basically there for him explain
things to.
I guess they had to try something else.
If only they actually did!
Bring back the Jo Grant's and Sarah Jane Smith's!
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