Blog Reflection

After completing the blog rationale, I began thinking about the topics I wanted to cover in the blog and how they relate to something happening in the context of the show now. With my four blog posts decided on I began researching information for my first (and subsequently second) posts. This is the method I used when writing every article. I would spend a day researching it, gathering all the information I could. I would then spend a day writing my first draft and another two to three days editing the article and finding relevant images and data to support the article. 

For my first blog post I chose to cover the topic of women both in the making and narrative of the series. I chose this because it is relevant to the current series which saw a major increase in female cast and crew and I thought it would be interesting to see how this differed to when Doctor Who began back in 1963. Ultimately I chose to split this topic into two separate articles; one looking at the classic series from ‘63 to ‘89 and the other looking at the revived series from 2005 to the present day. I decided to do this because there was a lot of information to include and there was no way of including everything in one 500 word article. Also, the two eras of the show differ dramatically in how represented so it allowed me to compare both in a fleshed out way. 

My third blog post was centered around viewing figures. I decided to cover this in my third piece because at the time the series finale had aired the previous week and the overnight viewing figures had been released. I thought it would be interesting to look at the average viewership for the most recent series and compare it to the previous eleven series. This, in turn, allowed me to question why as many people aren’t watching anymore and why that might be. It also allowed me to evaluate if viewing figures are still needed given on-demand services we use now. 

For my fourth blog post I looked at ethnicity in Doctor Who. I chose this quite sensitive subject because I could compare how ethnically diverse the show is now to how predominantly undiverse it was back in the 60s, and how that led to cases of racism. This is relevant to today because one of the most famous cases of this in a story was recently shown at a BFI screening and is set to be released on blu-ray in the coming months. 

Regarding the infographics I based them on the first three blog posts. I decided on this because I felt these were the two topics with the most data that could be plotted in a visual way - leading to how I presented the infographics in a factual way for the Women In Doctor Who infographic and in a statistical way for the Viewing Figures infographic. 

Overall I am happy with the result of my blog. I believe I covered three relevant subjects and accumulated enough information and data to back up my points in a way that makes the reader learn something that they might otherwise have not.

Ethnicity In Who

Nowadays Doctor Who strives to be an inclusive show. Employing people of all ethnicities and race both in front and behind the camera. But the show didn’t always have the stigma it does now. In fact, it’s been quite an uphill climb for the Doctor… 

As we’ve already established, back in 1963, Sydney Newman made history on Who by employing Verity Lambert to be the first female producer at the BBC. But he also made another milestone decision which was similarly ridiculed - He hired Waris Hussein to direct the pilot serial ‘An Unearthly Child’. This was significant because Hussein was the first Indian drama director to work at the BBC. Hussein recalled staff staring at him and laughing at how he got the job. Nowadays this would be known as industrial racism, but he, coupled with Lambert ignored the naysayers and realised their vision for the series. Hussein directed two serials between 1963 and 1964. 

Waris Hussein visiting the Doctor Who set during the filming of 'Hell Bent' in August 2015

With the exception of this milestone, Doctor Who remained a predominantly Caucasian managed show for many years, even being criticised in the 1960s and 70s for racism. The most famous incident of this is in the 1977 story ‘The Talons Of Weng-Chiang’ in which white, Caucasian actor John Bennett portrayed magician Li H’Sen Chang in make up and using an accent to make him appear Chinese. In the years since the story first aired it has been heavily criticised for this decision and while it is hard to conceive why the BBC didn’t hire a Chinese actor, it is something they had to try and justify since by marking it as ‘a sign of the time’. There were other cases, mainly in historically set stories from the 60s in which white actors would be 'blacked up'.

The character of Li H'Sen Chang in 'The Talons Of Weng-Chiang', portrayed by John Bennett 

Doctor Who didn’t become known as an ethnic diverse show until it came back in 2005. When there was a dramatic increase of more ethnic and race representation both in front and behind the camera. For example, the first black character to travel with the Doctor, Mickey Smith was introduced in 2005, a whole 42 years after the show began. 

Over the past three years Doctor Who has strived to become more ethnically diverse than ever. Having the TARDIS team consist of a young Pakistani woman and young black man, hiring a black composer and having a mix of ethnicity on the writing and behind the scenes teams. These are all steps that the show has recently taken to be more suitable for all audiences, tying into Series 12’s tagline - ‘Space. For All.’ 

Space. For All.

In the context of the show and its production history was made on January 26th 2020 when Jo Martin was revealed not only as a mysterious incarnation of the Doctor, but also as the first black actor to play the part in the shows 57 years. The reveal got an overwhelming response from fans who quickly wanted to see more of this incarnation of the Doctor

As you can see Doctor Who has always tried to break milestones and defy the expectations of the many. Something that it managed back in 1963 and it is something it is still managing to do 57 years later in 2020.

Are People Still Tuning In For The Doctor?

Viewing figures for series twelve is down. Is the future of the show in jeopardy? Or are the importance of viewing figures a thing of the past? 

When Doctor Who Series 11 aired in Autumn 2018 it was the biggest overhaul in the series since 2010. With a new Doctor, companions, showrunner and tone, the BBC counted on Doctor Who to return to being the ratings cash cow it once was a decade before. Series 11’s opener ‘The Woman Who Fell To Earth’ had consolidated ratings of 11.4 million viewers. This is the largest viewing figures for a Doctor Who series opener since 2005. Many people tuned in to see how Chris Chibnall would tackle the show and what Jodie Whittaker would bring to the series as the first female Doctor. 

Series 11 averaged 7.9 million viewers in 2018

However, by the end of the series, viewing figures were down to 7.1 million. While still respectable, that is a drop of 4.3 million viewers. The severe drop can be justified by the episodes airing in direct competition with ‘The X Factor’ on Sunday nights and there being a lack of promotion for the series as it went on. Series 11, despite the drop, still averaged an audience of 7.9 million - making it the third most watched series of the twelve since 2005. 

The average viewing figure for each series since 2005 (per million)

Series 12 began airing on New Year’s Day 2020 to much anticipation and promotion, hoping to build on the mistakes made in the latter half of series 11. Episode 1 aired with overnight figures of 4.8 million, less than half over the previous season whereas the finale dropped down to 3.7 million

The severe drop in viewers for series 12 be connected to the almost non-existent promotion as the series aired. Prior to the series premiere, trailers and promotion would air every day in the hope of getting maximum audiences to tune in on New Year’s Day but once episode 1 aired there was nothing to promote the middle eight episodes. I noticed this myself whilst watching TV. Promotion only came back for the series finale but by then it was too little too late as the finale ‘The Timeless Children’ had the worst overnight viewing figures for an episode since 1989. But does this decline actually matter? 

The series 12 finale had the worst overnight viewing figures in over 30 years

The answer is that it doesn’t matter as much as people think it does. Many compare series 12’s average viewership of 5.4 million to series 4’s of 8 million from a decade ago and spell that this could mark the end of Doctor Who. But the major change between these two figures is that in that gap of a decade the way we watch television has changed. Far more people now use catch-up services like iPlayer and on-demand services such as Netflix over watching live terrestrial television. A week after ‘The Timeless Children’ aired, the consolidated figure stands at 4.69 million. This factors in all those who have watched catch-up in the week since broadcast. That figure stands as the average for Who since 2015. 

The way we watch television is forever changing and viewing figures aren’t as important as they were even ten years ago. But that doesn’t mean they’re redundant, they serve as a way to know how people watch and when they watch.

An infographic displaying some information and statistics about viewing figures 

How Women Were Influential In The Return Of Doctor Who

In 2005, Doctor Who returned to Saturday night's with more than it's fair share of differences, chief among which being the increased female presence the revival had over it's classic counterpart...

Russell T. Davies was now in charge of the series and with this we saw a return of the developed companions. From the start of episode one 'Rose', we see Rose's life, job, mother and boyfriend. We are introduced to and have been thrown into her world, not the Doctor's. This was the way to reintroduce the audience to the show, by giving them someone they can relate to. Who became more than just sci-fi, it became a kitchen sink drama with relatable characters which the audience would invest in. Audiences liked this method as viewing figures would regularly exceed 8 million.

Rose Tyler was the first new series companion and the first to be shown as a rounded character 

Behind the scenes, Davies only had one female writer and two female directors throughout his tenure. While this may not look good it is worth noting that the era did have a female producer in Julie Gardner. Gardner worked alongside Davies in 2004 to bring Who back and the person who had final say was Jane Tranter, BBC drama commissioner - Meaning that the return of Doctor Who in 2005 was down to female voice and passion.

2010 saw another new era, Steven Moffat became showrunner and a host of changes developed during his time. Moffat had made history by casting Michelle Gomez as the first female Master in 2014. Reaction to this was understandably mixed because the Master had, until then, been a male character. But many eventually warmed to the idea. Gomez managed to bring layers and complexities to the character that hadn't previously been seen when the Master was a man and, by the end of her tenure, many saw Gomez to be on par with Roger Delgado as the best Master.

Missy, the first female Master, pictured with the Twelfth Doctor 

Moffat built upon what Davies started and brought more female writers and directors in to work on the show. Between 2010 and 2017, four more directors were hired to work across 12 episodes (the equivalent of a series). Plus three more writers. While these still aren't big numbers, it is showing a step in the right direction with more women getting opportunities.

Until this point Who had been a male driven show, with a dozen male leads being proof of this. However this changed on July 16th 2017 when Jodie Whittaker was announced as the first female Doctor. The news was announced during the men's Wimbledon final to draw maximum audiences. Reaction was mixed but it reinforces the belief that Who is a progressive show and that it is 'breaking the glass ceiling'.

Jodie Whittaker's casting broke the stigma around the Doctor as she became the first woman to play the part

The current era is the most inclusive in the show's history. In the last two seasons there have been four female directors and five writers, coupled with two producers and the Doctor. Series 12 proves to be the biggest female driven series ever. Reaction to this era is divisive however it is a testament to Chris Chibnall's (the current showrunner) desire and want for Who to be a more diverse show and so far it is proving to be that.

An infographic displaying some information and statistics about female influence in Doctor Who

How Women Were Influential In The Creation Of Doctor Who

The Master once asked the Doctor if the future was gonna be all girl, well it turns out that statement has never been more true...

We are now accustomed to there being a female Doctor in the TARDIS, played by Jodie Whittaker, with numerous female writers, producers and directors helping shape the new era of the show. However it wasn't always like this, the BBC was once a more male dominated environment and it was Who that helped bring roles to more women at the BBC...

Verity Lambert made history as the first female producer at the BBC in 1963. As the series' producer of Who she was ridiculed at the time by men thinking that a woman couldn't produce TV, she quickly proved naysayers wrong by delivering one of the most successful shows of the 60s. She was at the forefront of the show when 'Dalekmania' hit in 1964, the Dalek's massive success spawning fan mania comparable to Beatlemania, another craze of the 60s.

Verity Lambert on the set of 1965's 'Mission To The Unknown' 

Lambert made decisions that would create the show we know today. The main one making Susan the Doctor's granddaughter. Initially, Sydney Newman, the man who came up with the idea for Who, had the Doctor merely travel with Susan. But Lambert thought it inappropriate that an old man be travelling with a young girl and so, the decision was made to make her his granddaughter. Not only making Susan a three dimensional character, but also adding layers to the Doctors mysterious backstory. Between her departure and the next major female voice, Rona Munroe in 1989, there was a noticeable decline in the characters of the companions. They were only there to scream and ask questions and we knew very little about them beyond that.

The First Doctor and his granddaughter Susan Foreman in the first ever story 'An Unearthly Child' in November 1963.

Doctor Who also gave the opportunity for one of the first female directors to work at the BBC - Paddy Russell. Who directed 'The Massacre' in 1966, plus three more stories under Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker respectively. Russell was the only female director of the classic era. This paved the way for more female oriented crews on BBC productions outside of Who into the 70s.

The 1970s were a very male dominated era for the show, with only Russell directing three serials. It was in the 80s that a female presence reemerged; Barbara Clegg became the first female writer in 1983 with 'Enlightenment', a story which was notable for introducing Eternals and bringing Guardians back to the screen for the first time since 1077. It was often seen that a woman couldn't write sci-fi and so whenever a woman did write for the show, it was with a male writing partner. The most famous of these being Pip and Jane Baker, who scripted four stories between 1985 and 1987.

The Sixth Doctor in 'The Trial Of A Time Lord - Part 14' written by Pip & Jane Baker 

Andrew Cartmel was responsible for bringing in Rona Munroe to script the final classic story 'Survival' in 1989. This story proved a fan favourite and she was subsequently invited back to write for Peter Capaldi's Doctor in Series 10 in 2017. Munroe also has the distinction of being the only writer to write for both the classic and new series. In total there were only three female writers, one producer and director between 1963 and 1989. This is something the new series would strive to improve when it returned in 2005...

The Doctor & Ace walking off in the final shot of Rona Munroe's 'Survival', the final regular story for 16 years. 

Blog Rationale

The first thing I have to do in order to fully understand the modern climate of how we consume media is I have to reflect on how much media I consume on a standard day. Upon reflecting on my own media consumption I noticed that at nearly every point during the day I am almost always consuming some form of media. For example, when I wake up I put the TV on and check my phone. When I commute to university I am looking at my phone, going on social media and listening to an audiobook for almost the entire journey. I then listened to that audiobook as I walk to and from university. Whilst looking at my phone throughout the day. At these intervals I am looking at social media, finding the latest news and opinions (This is something I then thought I could translate into one place for my blog). I would then repeat this process on my way home and upon getting home would have the television on often. Whether it be relaxing in the evening, making dinner or washing up. This means that I am nearly always consuming media during the day, even when I go to bed I will open YouTube and watch videos before looking at my phone one final time before going to sleep. 

The aim for my blog is to look at Doctor Who, both from a fan's eye and a critical eye. It will not be my aim to sing the show's praises. For example, if an episode or topic is flawed or could have been handled differently. I will point that out in my writing. Having said this, it is my intention for the blog to be informative. I want the audience to learn something, but not have it presented to them in merely a formal way. I want to structure the blog so that the text feels engaging and the audience can connect with what I am saying. That is how I will avoid making my blog a fan site, in that while it does promote the show and what it is offering, I am being critical and voicing concerns and not merely singing it's praises. 

The target audience for my blog will be those aged between 16 and 24. This is because they are the age range most likely to conform to the demographic of using social media and reading blogs. I will use my own social media platforms to promote the blog and give it a bigger outreach. 

The USP of my blog will be to cater to fans of the new series and the classic series. Looking at relevant topics that are happening now and can be compared to events from the shows past. This information will be conveyed in an informative yet critical way. The advantage of this is that I am writing from a fans perspective and so I can compare the entirety of the show because I know what I am talking about. These articles will be written in a way that is easy to digest the information for the audience and is engaging.