The Doctor And Neil …

You know, I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again, I was shocked when I learnt Peter Capaldi had been cast as the twelfth actor to play Doctor Who.

Shocked.

Surprised.

It has to be said,  I think I was actually shaking on the day.

Possibly not something to admit.

At ANY rate, I was shocked … 

But ALSO thinking — as I still do, now — that it’s the PERFECT bit of casting.

OK, I could be wrong — my belief that Daniel Rigby or Damien Molony would bag the part show that, very well — but on the whole, I think he’s going to prove superb.

~≈^≈~

But I’m ALSO very aware that writer, Neil Gaiman — who, along with Terry Pratchett, Storm Constantine, and the late Iain Banks is one of THE writers in the fantasy and science fiction, today — has written for the show.

And has raised an interesting point.

That the show’s producers have missed an opportunity, over the years, in not casting a black or Asian actor in the show’s lead role.

And that a black actor — who he did not name — had been approached to play the 11th Doctor, but had turned the job down.

Understandable, I think,

However different we may be from the 1970s and early 1980s — when Britain’s small black and Indian community would have had a seriously rough time — I think any black actor getting the offer would quite possibly have turned it down — in part — because science-fiction in the UK not being popular in amongst Britain’s various minority communities.

And, in part, for fear of a good old fashioned racist backlash.

Which I think is both a shame.

And a possibly damning indictment of a country that likes to think of itself as tolerant.

~≈^≈~

Now, I’ve heard an argument or two, against casting a person of colour in the role.

Which boil down to two different things.

For STARTERS … ?

Well, for starters, the good old fashioned idea of tokenism: the thought of casting a token black/asian actor, to show that the programmes at least had a token black actor as the lead character.   Or, if nothing else, as a companion or regular character.

I think we’d have to ask Freema Agyeman or Noel Clarke about that: to see if they believe their casting was something like that.

The OTHER argument … ?

Boils down to continuity.

Or, if you want to simplify it, and put it THIS way … 

IT ’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE … !

To my mind, that’s the stupidest argument in the book.

Up until Margaret Thatcher was elected in 1979, the UK had never had a woman as Prime Minister.

Up until Benjamin Odeje became the first black player to have worn an England Football shirt of any kind, with Viv Anderson, the first as a full international.

It’s only in the past few years the USA has elected a black American as president.

Now, to my way of thinking … ?

‘IT ’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE’ is possibly the most stupid argument going.

Things will not change and racism not challenged: unless and until people have the guts to do so.

And be the FIRST to do so … !