‘Woke’ criticism of Doctor Who proves show on right track, says its newest star
Criticisms that Doctor Who has become too “woke” prove the series is doing the right thing by being inclusive, its new star Varada Sethu has said.
Sethu plays the Doctor’s latest travelling companion, Belinda Chandra, in new episodes airing next month. With Ncuti Gatwa returning as the Doctor, the pairing marks the first time a Tardis team will comprise solely people of colour.
Speaking about the milestone, Sethu told the Radio Times: “Ncuti was like, ‘Look at us. We get to be in the Tardis. We’re going to piss off so many people.’”
“There’s been a couple of Doctor Woke [references] or whatever, but I just think we’re doing the right thing if we’re getting comments like that,” Sethu said.
“Woke just means inclusive, progressive and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love and doing the right thing.”
Doctor Who celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023, when some viewers criticised its introduction of transgender and non-binary characters, as well as a scene in which David Tennant’s Doctor realises he has a crush on Sir Isaac Newton.
So they're now admitting that the goal is no longer to entertain but to piss off people.