making a special effort to cast a black man in the role would be a blatantly political move on the part of the producers. Can't say I agree there, because if that was the case, casting Freema Agyeman as his companion could have been viewed the same way.
The fact that she is a good actress doesn't mean that her casting wasn't at least partly politically motivated. But there is a difference between the two roles where casting is concerned. The companions are different people. They come--well, they're supposed to come from all different times and places, not just Sarf London in the twenty-first century, and the fact that Martha is the first black companion we've seen is indeed an anomaly I was glad to see remedied.
But the Doctor is supposed to be the same person all the way through. There's continuity of memory, and the TARDIS works for him whatever face he's wearing, which indicates an element of continuity, of consistency, in the genetic makeup. They even emphasised this in the most recent episode broadcast by showing images of all his previous selves, including McGann whose canonicity has been disputed. White, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white. There's a trend shaping up here. If he suddenly becomes black now, with two more lives left to go, I'd say that counts as a special effort. And, of course, they're going to have to start doubling up to get in all the minorities the Doctor hasn't been yet. If he goes back to white for the remaining two lives, after all, what was that? A blip?
I've seen people talking as though Paterson Joseph was a giant in a world of pygmies, the only actor alive in Britain today with the necessary skills and abilities to take on this demanding role. This is not the case. I've seen people talking as though the casting of a black man in this role was somehow significant in the fight against racism, a milestone on the road to equality. This is not the case. I've seen people talking as though the Doctor were not a role, a character, like Alexis Colby or Gregory House, but an office that anyone should be allowed to apply for. This is not the case. If House woke up black one morning and it wasn't a dream or a hoax or an imaginary tale, it would rightly be seen as ridiculous.
I would watch almost any of the actors you mention in a role as a near-immortal time-travelling adventurer who saves the universe on a regular basis (especially Avery Brooks, whom I found quite compelling as Sisko and haven't seen much of since). I would be upset if they were cast as the Doctor.
However, since it's pretty much a no-brainer that they're not going to cast anyone I would like in the role (I think we're due for a fat Doctor--oooo, watch people cringe), I'm probably going to be upset anyway.
no subject
The fact that she is a good actress doesn't mean that her casting wasn't at least partly politically motivated. But there is a difference between the two roles where casting is concerned. The companions are different people. They come--well, they're supposed to come from all different times and places, not just Sarf London in the twenty-first century, and the fact that Martha is the first black companion we've seen is indeed an anomaly I was glad to see remedied.
But the Doctor is supposed to be the same person all the way through. There's continuity of memory, and the TARDIS works for him whatever face he's wearing, which indicates an element of continuity, of consistency, in the genetic makeup. They even emphasised this in the most recent episode broadcast by showing images of all his previous selves, including McGann whose canonicity has been disputed. White, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white. There's a trend shaping up here. If he suddenly becomes black now, with two more lives left to go, I'd say that counts as a special effort. And, of course, they're going to have to start doubling up to get in all the minorities the Doctor hasn't been yet. If he goes back to white for the remaining two lives, after all, what was that? A blip?
I've seen people talking as though Paterson Joseph was a giant in a world of pygmies, the only actor alive in Britain today with the necessary skills and abilities to take on this demanding role. This is not the case. I've seen people talking as though the casting of a black man in this role was somehow significant in the fight against racism, a milestone on the road to equality. This is not the case. I've seen people talking as though the Doctor were not a role, a character, like Alexis Colby or Gregory House, but an office that anyone should be allowed to apply for. This is not the case. If House woke up black one morning and it wasn't a dream or a hoax or an imaginary tale, it would rightly be seen as ridiculous.
I would watch almost any of the actors you mention in a role as a near-immortal time-travelling adventurer who saves the universe on a regular basis (especially Avery Brooks, whom I found quite compelling as Sisko and haven't seen much of since). I would be upset if they were cast as the Doctor.
However, since it's pretty much a no-brainer that they're not going to cast anyone I would like in the role (I think we're due for a fat Doctor--oooo, watch people cringe), I'm probably going to be upset anyway.