Because Doctor Who has been a cultural touchstone in Britain for half a century, so the logic goes, we cannot have it fronted by a black man or a woman. It just wouldn’t feel right. Right now, arguing about who the next Doctor should be feels more real than arguing about parliamentary politics, because there’s at least the slim chance that what we think might influence the outcome.
It seems that the current incarnation of Dr. Who has resigned the job and another replacement is needed. Writing in the New Statesmen, Laurie Penny observes: