A 1972 Doctor Who footage of the Doctor and his companion discussing pronouns has discovered, demonstrating that the series has had a strong social consciousness for decades.
The BBC sci-fi spectacular returned for the first of three 60th anniversary specials on Saturday, November 25, with David Tennant reprising his role as the Time Lord.
In the episode The Star Beast, the Doctor meets a creature named Meep (Miriam Margolyes) and apologises for using their pronouns.
Rose Noble, Donna Noble’s (Catherine Tate) trans daughter, is also introduced, played by trans actress and Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney.
Following the episode’s premiere, some trolls felt compelled to criticise the programme for being ‘woke’ (which, truly woke people would know, is not a bad thing, but simply implies being aware of and sensitive to critical societal concerns).
However, Doctor Who has always been aware of political and social issues, making several direct references to them in conversation.
the doctor and jo briefly discuss alpha centauri’s pronouns (1972) pic.twitter.com/9ckdYc9Eay
— ava (@AMYSJEDI) November 27, 2023
One example relating to the explanation of pronouns was brought up in an unearthed footage from a more than 50-year-old episode starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor and Katy Manning as his companion Jo.
The Doctor and Jo are on the planet Peladon in the episode, which was episode two of the four-part series The Curse of Peladon, where they encounter a group of cosmic delegates, including one named Alpha Centauri.
During a conversation with his companion, the Doctor says: ‘I hardly think Centauri would hurt a fly, would you?’
‘No, I think he’s rather sweet. Or is he a she?’ Jo responds.
‘Neither. She’s an it. It’s a hermaphrodite hexapod,’ the Time Lord explains, to his companion’s surprise.
While actor and stuntman Stuart Fell played the extraterrestrial physically, actress Ysanne Churchman voiced them.
Following the clip’s release on X (previously Twitter), many Doctor Who fans rejoiced in the fact that the show was already debating pronouns half a century ago.
‘Doctor Who talking about pronouns in 1972. King,’ one person said, while another wrote: ‘Fantastic that Doctor Who discussing pronouns is as old as Watergate.’
‘Forgotten watching this till just now, Doctor Who talking about pronouns previously too which many supposed fans haven’t acknowledged in their attacks on the latest episode,’ someone else stated.
One fan wrote: ‘”I miss when Doctor Who wasn’t woke”. Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up, anybody who’s watched Classic who knows they tackled issues like gender identity, pollution, fascism and more.’
Following the first of the 60th anniversary specials, viewers praised the show’s non-binary representation and casting of a trans actor as a trans character.
David’s regular displays of allyship with the trans community, such as donning a Tardis pin made with the colours of the Transgender Pride flag, have also been well received by Whovians.
Doctor Who episodes from 1963 to 1996, and the revival series from 2005, are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
