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Doctor Who - "No Flirting"
Mulett
Posts: 9,057 Forum Member
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Since Doctor Who returned in 2005, we've had to deal with some major changes in the show's direction. At the heart of this has been a new approach to the Doctor's relationship with his companions.
In classic Who there was NO funny business. The Doctor wasn't barely allowed to put a reassuring arm around the shoulders of a distraught companion in case it was misconstrued.
But in new Who we've had everything from full-blown romances, unrequited love and even (dare I say it) sex involving the Doctor (although technically the 'sex' was with his wife). We even had Sarah Jane's relationship with the Doctor revisited, with suggestions that she was never able to find a man to fall in love with because the Doctor had been such a 'tough act to follow'.
But how have you coped with all of these shenanigans and do you like Peter Capaldi's announcements there will be no 'flirting' with his Doctor?
In classic Who there was NO funny business. The Doctor wasn't barely allowed to put a reassuring arm around the shoulders of a distraught companion in case it was misconstrued.
But in new Who we've had everything from full-blown romances, unrequited love and even (dare I say it) sex involving the Doctor (although technically the 'sex' was with his wife). We even had Sarah Jane's relationship with the Doctor revisited, with suggestions that she was never able to find a man to fall in love with because the Doctor had been such a 'tough act to follow'.
But how have you coped with all of these shenanigans and do you like Peter Capaldi's announcements there will be no 'flirting' with his Doctor?
The Doctor - sexless or sexy? 79 votes
The Doctor should be a full-on sexy, romantic lead
1%
1 vote
There should be flirting, perhaps a suggestion of more
2%
2 votes
Either way is fine with me
18%
15 votes
A cuddle or a hug is OK but nothing suggestive
24%
19 votes
I'm 100% with Capaldi - NO FLIRTING AT ALL
53%
42 votes
0
Comments
I deleted it just for you!
Saying I would like to see a different take on The Doctor without the flirtiness this time though, methinks Doc 12 is going to be the pretty awkward type. ;-)
Actually didn't the Doctor become more asexual as the classic series went on? Watching a few Hartnell episodes he seems to have an eye for the ladies but I don't remember any of that by the 1980s.
That would be a perfectly natural thing to do if he had just rescued a companion or anyone else from mortal danger, although its appropriateness of course depends on the actual circumstances and the person involved.
It would clearly would not sit right if Clara was having a 'thang' with Capaldi's Doctor.
In terms of character it made sense, at least to me, with 9/10 and Rose. Coming out of the time war, scared, lost everyone and everything, and with the weight of the time war on his shoulders finding comfort with a Human and her family all adds up.
I never did buy the Doctor falling for River Song though.
I think you're right in terms of it depending on the Doctor. The 11th Doctor falling for River? No way!
But the 3rd Doctor . . . oh yes!
Ageist.
Am kidding. But three was way too serious to put up with such shenanigans, wasn't he?
Of course, my post above was facetious, but in actual fact I would actually prefer sex in the TARDIS, outright romance, than this kind of friendly petting that has increased more and more. The former would at least be realistic.
He may have been the only Doctor to show no romantic interests at all, although I admit I'm not wracking my brain terribly hard at the moment and I could be forgetting something.
There might be some unimportant falling in love with Doctor (like Martha fell in love with Doctor) that can be useful for character development but everything else is too soapy IMO.
If any woman could get the 3rd Doctor all fired up, it would be River!
Overall I have no problem with the Doctor either being a full on romantic lead or someone who has no romantic/sexual inclinations at all.
But, as a romantic character, he certainly can't fall in love with every companion, so I think him falling in love with Rose was great but now he needs to just be friends with Clara.
I wouldn't want him to turn into a Captain Jack character, though, and flirt/have sex with anyone and anything. That could get a bit tiresome.
But if he is to be someone with no romantic/sexual inclinations at all, I still want warmth - a hug when the companion needs one is really important. I don't want Sheldon Cooper!
That said I suspect if you put a gun to my head my favourite Doctor/companion was Ten & Donna ( although that wasn't totally flirt free).
I like my Doctors avuncular.
We need more "Tora, Tora, Tora!" and less of "Pearl Harbor".
But only 5 years older than Alex Kingston, so perfectly normal.