An ever-present debate amongst Doctor Who fandom is what level of flirtation is acceptable between the Doctor and his companions. The predominant dynamic between Doctor and Companion during the Russell T. Davies years was the Companion being enamoured with and in love with the Doctor while Steven Moffats approach is mainly straight flirtation thats usually one-sided. But with Peter Capaldi at the helm, the Tardis is set to be a flirt-free zone. Extended nudity gags, bum slapping, and attempted seductions will be a thing of the past. Whether or not Steven Moffat planned for a continuation of the Clara-Eleventh Doctor dynamic is unclear but Capaldi has indicated in an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine that phasing out the sexual tension was something he lobbied for:
"There'll be no flirting, that's for sure. It's not what this Doctor's concerned with. It's quite a fun relationship, but no, I did call and say, 'I want no Papa-Nicole moments'. I think there was a bit of tension with that at first, but I was absolutely adamant."
How the Doctor and Claras relationship will change without this element remains to be seen but, broadly, it looks like its a return to the chaste Doctor-Companion dynamic enforced by the BBC in the 1970s and 80s.
JG Moore is a writer and filmmaker from the south of England. He also works as an editor and VFX artist, and has a BA in Media Production from the University Of Winchester.
