So, over the weekend, it was revealed by new Doctor Who actress Pearl Mackie (check out the video below) that she would be the Timelord’s first ‘openly gay’ companion when she plays Bill in the new season.
And we think that’s cool. In the modern age being gay is just a part of life. Society is made of people of all colours, creeds, nationalities, beliefs and sexuality and that’s a wonderful thing.
And we’re delighted that shows like Doctor Who is embracing it…
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However, we think the BBC may be capitalising on current social trends because, well, the series has not been one to shy away from characters with non-hetero sexuality in the past.
Remember Captain Jack Harkness, played by Arrow star John Barrowman? He hit on The Doctor AND Rose! and what about Madame Vastra and her lover Jenny (all pictured below)? I remember their onscreen kiss caused a bit of a kerfuffle when it aired in 2014 (here) – I even remember talking about it with my kids who both agreed it was no big deal because it was just two people who loved each other kissing each other.
All three of these characters, while not exactly long-term TARDIS residents, were/are Doctor companions.
And yes, we know there’s a difference between gay and, in Jack’s case, bi-sexual and we know that Vastra is an alien, so not strictly a ‘female’ but we also reckon that the BBC are doing a disservice to ground they’ve already broken and also feel that, in today’s climate, it shouldn’t be a big deal that a character is gay, it’s just the way the world operates.
We can’t wait to see what Mackie brings to the role of Bill when Doctor Who returns in two weeks.
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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