I should have gone to bed an hour ago
but now this is bothering me and I need to rant.
Remember "Blink"? That actually scary, adventurey, interestingly conceptual episode of Doctor Who that Steven Moffat wrote back in one of Ten's seasons? I just realized that, well, Moffat introduces a new character, a one-off companion of sorts, to serve as the story's protagonist. She's plucky and cute and I don't really remember enough about her to say whether or not I liked her all that much, but what bugs me is why she had to be created in the first place. Why wasn't the story just written to feature Martha in that role? Instead, she barely gets to do anything at all. Kickass, smart, Martha gets totally sidelined so that a rosy-cheeked white chick gets to save the day, or something. I doubt this was the conscious intention, but it does sort of speak to the problem of there not being enough narratives on television straight-up featuring protagonists of colour.
See also this article if you don't think it's still an issue.
Would the plot have required a few changes? Yup, but as it was adapted from a short story about a 12-year-old girl's interactions with the Ninth Doctor anyway, why not just adapt it for characters already starring in the show? If it weren't nearly sunrise, I'd probably have more things to say.
But, umm... discuss!
Remember "Blink"? That actually scary, adventurey, interestingly conceptual episode of Doctor Who that Steven Moffat wrote back in one of Ten's seasons? I just realized that, well, Moffat introduces a new character, a one-off companion of sorts, to serve as the story's protagonist. She's plucky and cute and I don't really remember enough about her to say whether or not I liked her all that much, but what bugs me is why she had to be created in the first place. Why wasn't the story just written to feature Martha in that role? Instead, she barely gets to do anything at all. Kickass, smart, Martha gets totally sidelined so that a rosy-cheeked white chick gets to save the day, or something. I doubt this was the conscious intention, but it does sort of speak to the problem of there not being enough narratives on television straight-up featuring protagonists of colour.
See also this article if you don't think it's still an issue.
Would the plot have required a few changes? Yup, but as it was adapted from a short story about a 12-year-old girl's interactions with the Ninth Doctor anyway, why not just adapt it for characters already starring in the show? If it weren't nearly sunrise, I'd probably have more things to say.
But, umm... discuss!