So, the TARDIS team of the Thirteenth Doctor, Graham, Ryan and Yaz are now in the TARDIS, and it’s time travel as well as space travel. It’s a typical flip-flop not unlike the very First Doctor, where you have introduction story / time travel story / space travel story just in a different order. What am I looking forward to or concerned about? Let’s chat…

Rosa

The picture I took from the gallery (above) sets out a lot of the context: it’s America and there’s segregation. Not a new topic for Doctor Who (eg Remembrance of the Daleks, or Zygon Invasion / Inversion) the idea of Rosa Parks makes this a central statement, not a point made in passing. It’s also a rare (though not unheard of) story set in the USA, and given the size of the fanbase, a good idea.

We already know from the trailer it’s not a pure historical, and the treatment of the political agenda of the would be history changer will be fascinating, if it gets explored.

I have a worry, and it’s the possible reaction of elements of fandom; will it get labelled as political correctness gone mad? I’m not remotely going to pretend history isn’t whitewashed, and growing up in the UK my education covered little of even European history except where it impacted Britain, and as somebody who studied science I am well aware of cases where male scientists were award Nobel Prizes and women central to the research were ignored. I just hope the story is balanced and respectful and fans don’t go over the top.

I’m minded to be positive; writer Malorie Blackman is good, and I liked her story The Ripple Effect as I said at the time. It’s about psychology and there’s no reason this won’t be a decent story, and perhaps a chance for Yaz to step up to the plate. We shall see!