Doctor Who: 10 Essential Changes To Make With Peter Capaldi's Doctor

8. Love

Doctor Who Doctor Rose

Since 2005, the TARDIS has become this bizarre, dimensionally transendental love nest. But Doctor Who's neither a soap nor a traditional drama, so I'm not entirely sure why.

The Doctor and his companions aren't exactly dating and they're certainly not 'shacked up' in the traditional sense, so there's no obvious reason why any female sidekick should fall for the Doctor. Nor a male sidekick, for that matter. Whatever their gender, it just doesn't need to happen.

Seventeen years on and some 'classic' fans are still in the foetal position, gently rocking themselves back and forth in the same corner they've been in since 1996 following the Doctor's first on-screen kiss. It would be easy to attribute that kiss to the 'American-ness' of the TV movie; it would be just as easy to maintain to this day, as many of those gently rocking 'classic fans' have, that it was utterly redundant. But then Rose fell for Doctor 10, Martha suffered a severe bout of the unrequiteds and Cap'n Jack and Lady Christina de Souza probably would've given him one too, had the opportunity presented itself. By the time Amy started a lifetime of waiting for Doctor 11, some fans were on egg shells in anticipation of that awful moment when it would all start again. And just when I thought it was about to, it didn't €“ and hurrah for that! The development of a strong friendship, an inseparable bond, ties that can never be broken thanks to all the amazing stuff they've done together, that's how the Doctor and his companions work best. There's already so much going on in each episode that there's barely enough time to explore the main plot to greatest effect, without throwing in pointless sub-plots that don't serve any real purpose. In the context of the types of situations they become embroiled in with the Doctor, I'm hard pressed to believe that going all weak at the knees would be anyone's most likely emotional response. Awe or fascination perhaps? Maybe some admiration or respect? All absolutely plausible reactions. But love, lust or any combination of the two? Somehow, it just doesn't ring true. Capaldi's Doctor: no more love matches, please! For best results, use the equation 'Doctor + Companion = Platonic'.
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