DS Forums

 
 

Why did Ace call The Doctor "Professor"


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 14-01-2014, 19:58
Matt_1979
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Sedgley, West Midlands
Posts: 225

I have noticed in some of the later Sylvester McCoy episodes how Ace calls The Doctor "Professor". Why does she call him this and not "Doctor"? No other companions ever called him anything else but "Doctor" and I was wondering where "Professor" came from.
Matt_1979 is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 14-01-2014, 20:00
JCR
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Posts: 16,708
I have noticed in some of the later Sylvester McCoy episodes how Ace calls The Doctor "Professor". Why does she call him this and not "Doctor"? No other companions ever called him anything else but "Doctor" and I was wondering where "Professor" came from.
Presumably JNT thought it was a good idea at the time.
JCR is online now Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 20:04
garbage456
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: sutton, surrey
Posts: 7,510
I have noticed in some of the later Sylvester McCoy episodes how Ace calls The Doctor "Professor". Why does she call him this and not "Doctor"? No other companions ever called him anything else but "Doctor" and I was wondering where "Professor" came from.
Sweetie
??
garbage456 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 20:12
Shoppy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,063
I think it's just to emphasize the fact that she's slightly detached and won't take on board that he wants to be called the Doctor, she just addresses him her own way, that's how she's used to doing things...


...Also, being as her first full season was the 25th anniversary year, do you think it could be something of a nod to the "Chessington" meme ?
Shoppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 20:19
lady_xanax
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,042
Well, 'Doctor' can be interpreted as an academic- doctor of mathmatics, doctor of biology, etc.- so maybe Ace viewed him as being that type of Doctor.
lady_xanax is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 20:26
Vopiscus
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Probably not Syracuse
Posts: 710
It was an irritating joke, which (like most of the jokes of the McCoy era) laboured under the significant disadvantage of not being funny.
Vopiscus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 20:52
The_Judge_
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Harrow, Middlesex
Posts: 2,445
I just thought they were trying to connect to the "youth" as Doctor Who had lost its cool and was "disconnected" with the teen audience, the BBC felt it had become a dinosaur from the past.

So, since all teenagers don't want to do what they are told, they invented a character they hope they could relate to - Ace. Ace was rebellious, she was a "teen" she didn't do what grown ups told her to do, you say your name is Doctor but I'm going to call you Professor, it was supposed to be affectionate but teenagers also like to tease. "My name is The Doctor", "yeah whatever Professor" ...
The_Judge_ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 21:01
petertard
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 11,780
But McCoy's Doctor never said to her, "Don't call me Professor. Call me The Doctor."
petertard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 21:17
Sora2311
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,010
Why did Trigger call Rodney Dave?, she probably is just stupid.
Sora2311 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 21:26
Tom
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Colchester, Essex
Posts: 320
But McCoy's Doctor never said to her, "Don't call me Professor. Call me The Doctor."
He did actually. At the end of Dragonfire when Ace agrees to travel with the Doctor:

Doctor: But there are three rules. Number one - I'm in charge.
Ace: Whatever you say Professor.
Doctor: Two, I'm not the Professor. I'm the Doctor.
Ace; Whatever you want
Doctor: And three, well I'll think up the third one by the time we get to Perivale...
Tom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 22:49
Kapellmeister
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Taedet animam meam vitae
Posts: 40,368
Because she was thick and annoying!
Kapellmeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 22:59
vrooom
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 986
Because it was a stupid affectation presented as "humour". And we moan about the RTD/Moff era...
vrooom is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 14-01-2014, 23:16
The_Judge_
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Harrow, Middlesex
Posts: 2,445
He did actually. At the end of Dragonfire when Ace agrees to travel with the Doctor:

Doctor: But there are three rules. Number one - I'm in charge.
Ace: Whatever you say Professor.
Doctor: Two, I'm not the Professor. I'm the Doctor.
Ace; Whatever you want
Doctor: And three, well I'll think up the third one by the time we get to Perivale...
Thanks - exactly the scene I was talking about
The_Judge_ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 02:21
Simon_Foston
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 334
Because she was an implausible cypher of a character, consisting of nothing but 'yoof issues,' gimmicks and catchphrases?
Simon_Foston is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 07:38
darthbibble
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,725
Because friends give each other nicknames!
darthbibble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 09:43
bokonon
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,959
To infuriate me.
bokonon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 10:29
Thrombin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Edgware, Middlesex
Posts: 8,277
Because friends give each other nicknames!
^this

I don't know why people have such a problem with it. I think it's endearing.

Also, Professor is usually considered a more distinguished title than Doctor. Most Professors have Doctorates but Professors are awarded the title on the grounds of seniority or academic excellence.

Really it's a compliment
Thrombin is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 11:00
Pointy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,733
To help make Ace stand out even more as Doctor Who's Poochie?
Pointy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 11:18
AdelaideGirl
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,146
^this

I don't know why people have such a problem with it. I think it's endearing.

Also, Professor is usually considered a more distinguished title than Doctor. Most Professors have Doctorates but Professors are awarded the title on the grounds of seniority or academic excellence.

Really it's a compliment
I agree, although professor actually just means you have gone through the academic promotion procedures & have a steady output of publications. It's pretty obvious that that The Doctor is more of a PhD doctor than a medical one so professor is perfectly acceptable.
AdelaideGirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 11:22
Thrombin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Edgware, Middlesex
Posts: 8,277
To help make Ace stand out even more as Doctor Who's Poochie?
Wow, that expression passed me by, I had to look it up

Personally I rather liked Ace. She was fun
Thrombin is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 12:39
Shawn_Lunn
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Scattered
Posts: 7,448
Term of affection.

I thought it was rather lovely actually.
Shawn_Lunn is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 14:08
darthbibble
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,725
Term of affection.

I thought it was rather lovely actually.
seconded
darthbibble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 16:16
be more pacific
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,034
Didn't she call Mel "Doughnut" too? And she once knew a braindead plumber called "Darth Vader".*



*Assuming this wasn't an official crossover with the Sith Lord becoming a dim-witted tradesman in Perivale.
be more pacific is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 18:08
Michael_Eve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,080
Didn't she call Mel "Doughnut" too? And she once knew a braindead plumber called "Darth Vader".*



*Assuming this wasn't an official crossover with the Sith Lord becoming a dim-witted tradesman in Perivale.
Yep, it was 'doughnut'. Pretty random! (She thought Mel was sweet? Or sugary? Or had a hole in the middle?? Gawd knows.)Maybe it was just a 'thing' she did...she hated her real name (mother issues) and giving other people nicknames was a habit she got into. I remember she called the little girl in 'Survival' 'Squeak' and I think she called the creepy schoolgirl something after she was 'unpossessed' in 'ROTD' but can't remember what it was. And was it Glitz who was infamously labelled 'Bilgebag' ??

Haven't seen these stories for a while.
Michael_Eve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-01-2014, 19:47
Matt_1979
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Sedgley, West Midlands
Posts: 225
Term of affection.

I thought it was rather lovely actually.
Some interesting comments. I liked Ace as well and the Sylvester McCoy era is the first Doctor Who era I remember well. (I have a few memories of Colin Baker but of no specific episodes and very vague memories of Peter Davison.) I know some forum members aren't keen on the Sylvester McCoy years, although I personally liked him as The Doctor. I am not sure if I would enjoy his episodes as much now as I have since seen a number of Tom Baker stories.

I have seen in other Digital Spy posts that some fans aren't as keen on some of the McCoy-era villains - sorry to go off-topic.
Matt_1979 is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 23:59.