Doctor Who: 10 Overused Tropes Of The Steven Moffat Era

9. Jokes About Gender. Or Sexuality. Or Scottishness.

Doctor Who Series 10
BBC

There’s much worse TV to watch when it comes to equal representation, and Steven Moffat, for all his faults, does try to be a feminist. His Who is full of strong women, from Kate Stewart to River Song, Madame Vastra to Missy.

But he keeps on fluffing this by drawing too much attention to his perceived distinction between the genders, throwing in jokes that you can tell only a male writer would pen. Just look at The Wedding of River Song, and the Doctor’s proclamation that time has fallen apart because of “a woman”. And then there’s the fact that both River and Missy’s major storylines have been defined by their obsession with the Doctor.

This awkward handling of representation extends to minorities appearing in the show. It’s honestly great that Bill is gay, but does her relationship with foster mother Moira have to be defined by sitcom-esque gags about how Moira is either so moronically ignorant or deludedly homophobic that she doesn’t realise this?

Even the constant Scottish jokes, though meant in a self-deprecating manner, are growing tired and only reinforce stereotypes.

Contributor
Contributor

Kieron is a human male from the planet Earth. By day he writes for various publications, including WhatCulture, Starburst, Doctor Who Adventures, and Campfire Graphic Novels, and edits The Big Picture. By night he's either asleep or watching Netflix, depending on what time he has to get up in the morning.