Being a Girl with The Doctor

Book excerpt: Throughout the long running BBC series Doctor Who, the Doctor has rarely been alone, traveling with both female and male "companions." The companion is essential to Doctor Who because he or she is a stand-in for the audience, providing information about the Doctor's ongoing adventures. With the casting of a female actor in the role of the Doctor in 2018, one criticism of the series was finally resolved. After the shift in gender identity, the role of the Doctor and the companion also shifted--or has it? The continued focus on romantic relations between the TARDIS occupants has led to complaints from both male and female fans, reiterating and reinforcing myriad criticisms about the portrayal of the female companions. Essays in this book consider how gender is presented in Doctor Who and how certain female companions have been able to break out of the gendered roles usually assigned to them through the classic and new series.