In addition to the hectic work schedule, mounds of techno-babbly dialogue, and dealing with everything from Daleks to eye-booger monsters, the person playing the Doctor on Doctor Who has to be an ambassador to the show, especially to the most important fans. No, not middle-aged dudes who watched Tom Baker ad nauseum; children! The kids are what make the show possible, after all, and for whom the show is made. Previous Doctors have been great at interacting with young fans (and Peter Capaldi got extra points for doing a full Q&A in character), and it seems as though new Doctor Jodie Whittaker isn’t missing a step.
As one fan of the show with young fan children tweeted recently (as shared by Mashable):
https://twitter.com/Jenbul13/status/963416997634682880
Jennifer Bulcock tweeted the lovely picture of two of her children meeting the Thirteenth Doctor during location filming on Tuesday and had nothing but praise for the actress’ warmth and willingness to take the time. I mean, she is a Time Lady after all; she’s got nothing BUT time.
The encounter also illustrates something intensely important in young fandom: representation. Bulcock wrote in her tweet, “My daughter is so pleased she can dress up as the Doctor & even had her hair cut the same as Jodie’s.” While obviously any one can look up to or emulate anyone, regardless of gender, but for young girls to see themselves in the heroes revered by the world, it shows how much they matter. And to have the actual hero herself take the time to meet you, it makes it matter all the more.
What more could you want in a Doctor already? Doctor Who series 11 will premiere sometime this fall.
Image: BBC
Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor and the resident Whovian for Nerdist. Follow him on Twitter!
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- Our exclusive Doctor Who series 8 deleted scene teased Gallifrey much earlier
- Breaking down our first scene with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor
- The legacy (good and bad) of the Steven Moffat era of Doctor Who
