Interesting look at Dr Who's history from the beginning through the announcement of the current incarnation.
Pertwee was my first classic Doctor, Davison my last. Ecclestone is my only new Doctor. I have seen a few of the Tennant shows, but no Smith or Capaldi.
I DID watch the 1996 movie and know someone personally who had lines in it!
As to the new Doctor, I had no problem with a woman in the role, and felt that it was fertile space to explore, though I will admit that I would not be so comfortable with a race change. Maybe I will come around at some point but the whole Doctor Who is such a white show in essence - it is very much a product of Britishness, it seems to me, that it would be too far out of character - like if Americans made it ... then it wouldn't be Doctor Who any more - anyway...
My feeling was that so long as the Doctor has gravitas and authority we could believe this Doctor - and in the very first thing I saw, which was the teaser, they undermined the Doctor's authority right away in the scene where the companions basically crown her by conferring authority on her by their authority. That might not sound very clear but the scene, short as it was, struck me as being not about the Doctor and the recognition of her innate abilities and leadership but rather about the writers need to signal to the world that they were handing over the reigns to a woman and wasn't that righteous of them.
I actually lodged an official complaint with the BBC through their online complaint procedure. Possibly I am not longer allowed into the country.
I have only seen snippets since then and it hasn't made me want to put aside the time to watch. It seems that they have once more dashed down the wacky comedic path and I'm not sure that makes for compelling drama - so, perhaps obviously, I have not subjected myself to enough of the show to find out whether it is preachy or not. I don't really know Whittacker enough to have a reasonable idea of what I should expect from her as an actor, but from the very tiny fragments I have seen of the new Doctor I can't help feeling she has been knee-capped by some very bad writing and direction. It would be nice if they can save her Doctor and the series but maybe we have reached the end and it's time to let it go.
I can't help feeling that it would have been great to have Joanna Lumley have a go at the role. She was a great Master in a Christmas special, I think she would have been a compelling Doctor, and I feel like she would not have put up with as much nonsense.
IMHO