0/5

Is Doctor Who “thunderously racist?”

The BBC defends its beloved show after being labelled "thunderously racist" by a new book with an Aussie editor.

2013-05-31_0931The BBC has hit back at a book to be published in July which has labelled Doctor Who “thunderously racist” because of a lack of diverse principal characters.

Doctor Who and Race’ is a collection of essays by academics edited by Lindy Orthia, a lecturer in science communication at the Australian National University.

“The biggest elephant in the room is the problem privately nursed by many fans of loving a TV show when it is thunderingly racist,” she notes.

Have they never seen Midsomer Murders?

The book’s blurb states: “Bringing together diverse perspectives on race and its representation in Doctor Who, this anthology offers new understandings of the cultural significance of race in the programme – how the show’s representations of racial diversity, colonialism, nationalism and racism affect our daily lives and change the way we relate to each other.”

The BBC has responded to the accusations – which fans have branded “ridiculous” and “groundless” – denying any racism and pointing out the “diverse casting” of the series.

It said: “Doctor Who has a strong track record of diverse casting among both regular and guest cast. Freema Agyeman became the first black companion and Noel Clarke starred in a major role for five years [Mickey Smith].”

The BBC added that characters are cast based on their acting ability and not their ethnicity.

A spokesperson said: “Reflecting the diversity of the UK is a duty of the BBC, and casting on Doctor Who is colour-blind. It is always about the best actors for the roles.”

Source: Digital Spy

17 Responses

  1. Wait there’s thunderous racism now? Is that because lightning happens to be white?

    OK seriously thank you Boogie Howser and Secret Squirrel for the Dalek (and Cyberman) comments. Loved them.

    Otherwise it’s a show that’s about an alien that travels through time and space. I don’t see that as racist.

  2. I think a group of fans have extracted a single line in what is probably a well balanced considered essay and blown it out of proportion. Lets actually read it before passing judgement.

  3. These are the sort of publications you get when academics have too much to much on their hands and even less grasp on reality, the space-time continuum and Time Lords.

    I fear that the world is going to hell in a handbag (and it’s not a Prada) led by all the PC stalwarts.

  4. I think the only thing that would satisfy Ms Orthia would be for the next Dr Who to be female, black and ideally have a disability, although I’m not sure if the word disability is still acceptable. Differently abled, perhaps?

  5. “Have you ever seen a black or Asian Dalek?”

    There were black ones in 1966 in “The Evil of the Daleks”. They fought the white daleks.

    Black daleks have also been given positions of authority (eg Dalek Supreme), much like police captains in US cop shows.

  6. I have to agree. This season for example had a distinct lack of Daleks, ignored the Weeping Angels and as for the Ood? Nowhere to be seen. Shame Doctor Who Shame!

  7. I am quite happy to sit and watch many hours of well made drama. I never watch and think why is or isn’t that character black, white or gay or straight. The BBC has recently culled lots of popular male driven shows in favour of having more female driven shows. If people don’t like a programme for one reason or other switch over, there are lots of diverse characters on TV and I for one am looking forward to S3 of Luther because the character is well written and brilliantly acted nothing more.

  8. Now that I think about it, Cybermen and Daleks are always cast as bad guys. No wonder white people are suspicious of them. All they see on their TV screens are negative stereotypes.

  9. I get sick of all this leftie race thing banging on all the time at everything remotely popular. Stand back, take a look at the world and show me any group that doesn’t contain racists……there isn’t one.

    In the meantime the rest of us all try to get along

  10. What a complete lie. Doctor Who and the entire BBC is a massively overly PC nanny state lets all love each other organisation. You could not get more ‘diverse’.

  11. This Lindy Orthia has forgotten Waris Hussein (of Indian descent), he directed the first ever story (An Unearthly Child) and most of Marco Polo. Maybe if you want to criticise a show maybe do a bit more research.

    I have to think aren’t there bigger fish to fry.

Leave a Reply