The Woman Who Lived.

Peter Capaldi has announced his planned departure from Doctor Who following the 2017 Christmas special, and once again, the debate is on: whether or not his replacement will be a woman, whether it should be a woman, and what woman it should be.

Blah, blah, blah.

Every time the role of the Doctor has been recast since the revival in 2005, everyone says that it's long overdue for the Doctor to regenerate as a woman, then a man is cast for the role anyway, and we're done for another couple of years.

I don't deny that the time seems right. The show itself had laid the foundations for the switch: the Master's female regeneration, plus that of the General in 2015's Hell Bent, have clearly demonstrated that regeneration can result in a change of gender*.

There is apparently some bias in the process: the regenerated General comments: "Oh, back to normal, am I? The only time I've been a man, that last body. Dear Lord, how do you cope with all that ego?", but in spite of that conditional statement, the door has certainly been opened for the next regeneration to result in a female Doctor.

Michelle Gomez's brilliant turn as Missy has wonderfully demonstrated that a change in sex is not a liability for a Time Lord (or perhaps Lady).  Her version of the Master is certainly feminine, but it is not one bit less evil and dangerous than her predecessors, and she has added an edge of instability and insanity to the role which has only improved it.  One could only hope that a matching change in the Doctor would extend the character's depth in a similar fashion.

Regardless of whether or not this is the ideal time for this change to happen, I'm not certain that people have really looked past that moment of decision to the inevitable consequences, so here's my message to the people behind Doctor Who.

This is a great opportunity, but it's also an immense challenge. The instant that you do decide that a woman will be the next Doctor, you will be walking a tightrope, and you will not be permitted to make any mistakes. Everything you do  - EVERYTHING - will be subject to an exacting scrutiny far beyond the spotlight which is normally focused on the show when the lead role changes.

And the first time you have the female Doctor say something that doesn't ring true, the first time that you let some unfortunate cliché about being a woman sneak through, the first time you substitute cleavage for cunning in the Doctor's strategy, you will have failed, and you will suffer for it.  People who have previously never even heard of Doctor Who will descend upon you in punishment like a plague from the Old Testament, and it might even prove to be fatal for the show itself.

So, to summarize:  yes, it's time for the Doctor to be a woman.  Don't screw it up - or else.

- Sid

* And race, which was equally provocative.