'All This Fizzing Inside': Watching the return of Doctor Who

Abstract

This short blog article is a response to the debut of episode of Jodie Whittaker in the role of the Doctor in BBC television's long-running science fiction drama Doctor Who. As the first female actor to be given the role of the Doctor in the 55-year-old show, Whittaker's arrival in the role has been the subject of intense speculation and a high level of both excited anticipation and furious resentment (far more of the former, it should be said). Reviewing her first full performance in the role, in the Chris Chibnall-scripted 'The Woman Who Fell To Earth', the post considers the impact of her arrival and speculates on the possible way forward for her depiction of the character. Note: since publication in the blog, that article has been developed and expanded as part of the concluding chapter of my book Once Upon A Time Lord: The Myths and Stories of Doctor Who (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020).