0
The Day of the Doctor is fast approaching and fifth incarnation, Peter Davison, has been talking about the secret to a successful Doctor Who.
Peter feels sexual tension is a huge improvement on the shows format, with the past three doctors enjoying on screen kisses with their female companions.
Classic Doctors have been paired with all sorts of companions, from Amazonians to grand daughters. But it was Billie Piper, Davison feels, that really allowed the writers to use the full potential of the Doctor’s companion. “I wasn’t even allowed to put my arm around my female companions.”
This is not say that Davison believes sex has everything to do with the shows new found success. Casting is always key in Doctor Who, and it was important that the writers found “good people who were fans” of the classic episodes when reviving the series.
The show holds the title of longest running sci-fi show, but creators at the BBC did axe it briefly in 1989 because of falling ratings.
The fifth doctor blames a lack of sexual tension as the reason for this. Davison said, “It’s part of the fault with the show in the classic years. They never mastered the whole companion idea.”
Since the shows return fans have been able to enjoy bigger monsters, better effects and even a gay kiss from Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood.
The 12th incarnation of the doctor, Peter Capaldi, is set to make his debut in this year’s Christmas special. But, Davison assures him “No-one has ever failed being the Doctor. Maybe it’s actor-proof”.
Capaldi is the oldest incarnation of the new Doctors, at the age of 55. It will be interesting to see if writers still deem a romantic relationship appropriate for this new aging Doctor.