'Doctor Who' Season 10 Premiere to Feature First Gay Companion for the Doctor
"Doctor Who" season 10 premieres next week amid a recent backlash on the Doctor's first openly gay companion.
Head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat has reportedly dismissed the fuss that unexpectedly met his recent confirmation that the Twelfth Doctor's (Peter Capaldi) new companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), will be depicted as gay. And although the show has had its fair share of gay characters in the past, none of them ever became a full-time companion for the Doctor.
According to The Guardian, Moffat found the fans' reaction to the news shocking and said that there really shouldn't be any big fuss made over it, especially in a show that is geared towards communicating directly with children.
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"You don't want young kids who regard themselves as boring and normal and happen to fancy their own gender to feel as if they're some kind of special case. That's frightening," Moffat added.
Actress Mackie has also been quoted to say that her character is not mainly defined by being gay. Rather, Bill's sexuality is just one part of her character and is something that she's "very happy and very comfortable with."
The upcoming "Doctor Who" season 10 premiere will feature the Doctor and Bill meeting for the first time in an episode aptly titled "The Pilot." The official synopsis for the episode describes Bill as a girl with a star in her eye and a chance encounter with her will subsequently lead the Doctor to a terrifying chase across time and space.
Moreover, Bill's mind is said to be opened to a Universe that is bigger and more exciting than she can ever hope to imagine or understand, but meeting the Doctor will so intrigue her that she will be drawn to finding out more about who he is and what his secret mission with Nardole (Matt Lucas) on Earth is.
"Doctor Who" season 10 premieres on Saturday, April 15 at 8:30 p.m. BST on BBC One.
