Does Doctor Who Have a Romance Problem? 

Tell me your favourite Doccy Who romance right now OR ELSE!

- “…Clara’s doctors exist on opposing ends of the young and sexy spectrum” - I will not stand for Capaldi slander! - cont. “with Smith being young and Capaldi being sexy” I’ve never been so relieved by the punchline of a joke.

doing a series one rewatch is realizing that Nine is so in love with Rose from the get and that was so much fun to experience. I think the subtlety with how they show their love for each other is expressed is honestly why I enjoyed it so much.

Thing is with Rose, I always saw that he fell in love with Rose because she literally brought him out of the darkest time of his life. Like how a soldier would fall in love with and marry a nurse that cared for them after war. Rose isn't even my favourite companion but that's how I always saw it anyway.

They should do a romance where it’s The Doctor and a alien. I’d watch the hell out of like the Doctor in a relationship with a Drashig or something

'With Smith being young, and Capaldi being sexy!' LMAOOOOOOO TRUEEEE!

“With Smith being young, and Capaldi being sexy” lmao

I think they've just got to keep finding new stories to tell, and if those involve romance, why not? We've seen unrequited love on the show before but what if the Doctor fell in love with someone who didn't love them back? That'd be quite humbling for a character who's sometimes a bit too universally adored (in-universe, I mean) and something I think Jodie Whittaker could have played well

i understand why it’s perceived as the death of clara and the doctor’s romance (moffat’s obsession with subtext and almost impressive ability to write lines nobody actually hears), but clara and danny is actually an affirmation of it, because it’s established in death in heaven that she was basically emotionally cheating on him with the doctor the whole time. she tells a cyberman that she loves the doctor more than anyone else and when she learns that the cyberman is danny she doesn’t correct herself. she just apologises. i’ve also seen it said that her relationship with danny was a consequence of her being a control freak, where she was trying to control her love for the doctor by replacing it with a normal, healthy romance. but s8 is filled with subtle and not subtle proof that she still very much loves the doctor. she literally says i love you to his face whilst on the phone to danny. incredible adultery. they’re so violently and insanely in love

i love twelveclara dynamic 'cause it perfectly showcases why the doctor's romance with humans is bound to fail. having such a deep, obsessive love for a person who has a fragile and short life compared to the doctor, will make him break all the laws of the time to fix it, to cheat death, which ends in catastrophe. and if that person is so similar to him in every way except said human fragility, driving him to extremes even more. you want them to be together, they're on fire, but that fire is willing to take all the universe with them. damn i love s8-9.

The phrase about Smith being young and Capaldi being sexy is such a good line and it’s been living rent free in my head since I first watched this video.

we all know that 12 and nardole are the best couple of all, the reason you put them in that seperate catagory was because of how beautiful their romance arc was tbh

My favourite romance in the show will always be River and the Doctor. It didn't feel like it had a weird power imbalance, they had a lot in common, and the fact that she wasn't a full-time companion helped. That'll always be my Doctor Who OTP

Ten and Donna will always be my absolute favorite Doctor-Companion duo. They had such _perfect_ chemistry playing off each other, while having absolutely _zero_ forced romantic tension to mess it all up that there usually is with female companions in the revival. I'm not really a fan of the Doctor having love interests at all really, so Ten and Donna, and later Eleven with _both_ Amy and Rory, are some of my favorite times of the show. (I also really liked series 8 Twelve, when he was much darker, more serious, and more alien; but then Moffat lightened him up too much in series 9 and 10 in some misguided attempt to make him more like Ten and Eleven)

i am a big fan of 9 and rose. i did like her with 10 too but with 9 the chemistry, subtle falling in love, everything is just is there. i love them!

My favourite relationship has to be River. The clever timetravel element works so well on rewatches. Its the closest we've had to a non human relationship due to her timelord origin and shes just as versed in universe's nuances as him - they really felt on par with one another. Alot of the human companions felt subordiante to the Doctor whereas with River I loved seeing her one up him on occassion. I just wish she was in more episodes before her depature with 12. Apart from that I love the diversity of relationships the doctor has had in the modern era. I really wanted more development to Thasmin but certainly enjoyed its subtleties. With Russell really pushing new heights with the upcoming series I would love to see the Doctor explore LGBT relations and I can totally envisioning it happening. However, as you state I wouldnt mind if Ncuti was a palette cleanser and we just get a wholesome friendship between 15 and Ruby.

I know there's a bunch of people who dislike the romance in 'Girl in the Fireplace', especially the Doctor/Rose shippers. But I honestly think it's excellently placed within the framework of S2, because it's basically a microcosm of Doctor/Companion romances, just on fast-forward. And so it's also a cautionary tale for Rose (and the Doctor) that such a deep connection is always only going to be fleeting for the Doctor and that loss and separation are on the road ahead. I mean, yes, to many it seems strange that the Doctor would fall in love with Reinette when he's only known her less than a day (with her knowing him for many years on the other side of the coin). But for an alien who lives millions/thousands of years, only knowing someone for a year or two (Rose), is about the same as the Doctor/Reinette scenario in a way -- what is a day to the Doctor, is years and years to a human, and what is a few years to a human is barely the blink of an eye for the Doctor. So, the Doctor falling in love with a person who's only in his life for 1-3 years, for example, is just a short emotional blip in his long life. Not that it makes him love any less, mind you, but it's just the reality of it. It's all just the juicy tragedy of the Doctor's relationship with his companions (especially those with a much shorter -- ex. human --- lifespan).

As with so many of the shifts in tone between classic and new Who, I think the Time War can really help contextualise a lot of stuff. The Doctor was initially a far more alien alien, and the Time Lords in general had a real vibe of being “above” base emotions like love, being logical and scientific. Then the Doctor had to do one of the worse things imaginable and annihilate two whole species. After that, maybe the idea of love is more appealing. Maybe the enforced loneliness really opened their eyes and made them realise that they needed romantic love more than they knew. Or possibly it was because the actors playing the Doctor became progressively more traditionally attractive.

7:50 one reason why I love Clara and 12 is that they feel like the most balanced Doctor/Companion pairing (no River doesn’t count as a companion, she is her own time traveler who meets up with the Doctor) for 2 main reasons. 1)She had a life outside of the Doctor. In series 7 she was a nanny and in 8&9 she was a teacher. She may have traveled with the Doctor but she didn’t really live with him. They met up, had adventures then went their seperate ways, Clara to teaching or nannying and Doctor to whatever he gets up to when he is alone. I think this was especially a big problem with RTD era when companions almost fully moved into the TARDIS and sometimes went home to Earth 2)They are both the boss and the story treats them as such. Ofcourse Doctor has more knowledge and experience but Clara is just as cunning and manuplative as him, we see this loads but most noticiably in Flatline. There is also a little but consistent thread of Clara learning to pilpt the TARDIS. In JittCotT Doctor begins to teach Clara how to fly the TARDIS(which doesn’t end well) later Clara stops the TARDIS to argue with the Doctor in Kill the Moon. Aftewards in Mummy on the Orient Express them piloting the TARDIS together. Not to mention how in Caretaker that both of the can open&close the TARDIS doors with a snap, which is a detail I adore. It builds up slow and in the background but it is there. I can't remember other companions doing anything similar with the TARDIS, sure Yaz flies it but only when Doctor isn't there or she is knocked out/dying instead of going against the Doctor like Clara did

I don't really like River, she's one of my least favorite characters of recent Who. I found her day-to-day dynamic with the Doctor pretty grating throughout Eleven's run, and most importantly I felt a lot of her characterization during that time fell flat by just *telling* us how cool she was rather than letting her actually *do* cool things on screen. But I like the way you described their relationship here, and it certainly opened my mind to at least appreciating one aspect of her story. So thank you for that.

"with smith being young and capaldi being sexy" you understand everything. i cheered

In general i just love how Twelve's five relationships cover such a wide spectrum: Twelve/Clara as the soulmates who should just kiss already ffs Twelve/River as the sexy old married couple Twelve/Missy as flirty best mates who hate each others guts Twelve/Bill as a sweet paternal friendship and Twelve/Nardole as employer/employee (with sub/dom undertones.)

Shoutout to Jenny from series 7 whose first onscreen kiss is not with her wife but with the male Doc 11

Why is it always stories about dark, mysterious men sweeping young women off their feet in these romances? Doctor Who, The Twilight Saga…why do we never get stories that go through other way? That sounds great, I’d watch that!

i love when video essays like this have a black-and-white phrased question with a nuanced answer that boils down to "yes and no." i think that it really makes sense that there isn't one straightforward answer to this question, because it really is all in the eye of the consumer

I've personally never been big on Doctor/Companion romances, much prefer either no romance or romance between companions. I did enjoy Amy's Choice, which called out some of the problematic aspects of the Doctors relationships "The old man prefers the company of the young" "Friends are people you stay in contact with, your friends never see you again"

As sad as Rose's story was, nothing hits me harder than Donna's ending I'm ready for a complete break from Doctor related romances, if there needs to be a show romance for now I think it can be between companions I just think having longer breaks between the romances makes them each feel more impactful, like after rose the doctor was still sad about her for 2 season which really makes the rewatch of their relationship hit harder

The romance behind Nine and Rose is so incredibly subtle and pure - that's what I love about Season 1. On top of that, Chris Eccleston is totally authentic when it comes to Rose and the Doctor and you ask him about his opinion. It kind of gives the whole experience something really special. Given that Nine was actually planned for more seasons, you do wonder how the chemistry of the characters could have unfolded. In later shows, you got the feeling that every new showrunner wanted to top this romance, which personally got on my nerves. I like River and I think the story behind it is cool. But it seems kinda forced as well. And Clara got on my nerves at some point... In retrospect, these successive romantic storylines rob the authenticity between Nine and Rose. I much prefer character dynamics like Donna and Bill Potts. After a repeated re-watch, I've grown to love Martha Jones as well. Especially because the Doctor doesn't return her feelings, which is fresh in comparison to following companions. Girl in the fireplace was stupid on a romantic level. I'm sorry, but only a man could come up with that :D The stereotypical woman waiting for her hero. That's not romantic, that's silly and totally inappropriate in the context of the romance arc in Season 2 and unfair to Rose, who is not only left behind in this episode but portrayed as a poor and helpless sidekick. An episode pretty to look at as a standalone, but nothing more.

I’ve always thought that it worked for most fans when there was a good romance in the TARDIS that didn’t involve the Doctor, and it worked for less fans when it did. That would always be my preference because, while it’s fun to watch people fall and be in love, it just feels weird for a nearly ageless being to be in love with a 19 year old girl. The Doctor has so many more interesting avenues to explore than his romantic feelings for his companions

The first adventure of the series starts out with the Doctor and his granddaughter. Theoretically, the Doctor has had a romance and a family the viewers have never been fully shown. As for the classic Doctors, I keep in mind these are actually younger versions of the Doctor, and perhaps a Doctor who stays away from romance after losing the aforementioned family. I also believe the 8th Doctor was willing to try again. After the Time War, the gravity of the loss opened the Doctor back up to the potential and attempting to see if he could allow the experience. The development of the Doctor’s core personality deserves a closer look.

I'm of the opinion that if 2 actors have obvious romantic chemistry it makes no sense to force the characters to be platonic. Rose and the Doctor needed to be romantic, there was just so much chemistry between the actors. (Side note- rose, doctor and captain jack were a polyamorous triple I will fight people on this)

I disagree, I prefer that The Doctor and the companion are friends but I'm not gonna argue with you because you have the right to your own opinion.

I agree and find it validating for someone to explain how romance can enhance the show. I'm also firmly in the camp that the Doctor fell in love with Rose as Nine (and she with him). It added a great dynamic that it continued on with Ten. For Doctor 15, I want him and Ruby to have a Donna/Ten buddy dynamic, with the intensity of Clara/Twelve. The "I'm willing to do almost anything for you." It's not romance per se, but one thing I need from my Doctor/companion dynamic is the intensity. The devastation of Nine and Ten losing Rose. The freak out Eleven had at the idea of Amy's departure in The Angels Take Manhattan. Twelve avenging Clara for billions of years (refusing to let it go) in Heaven Sent. I didn't want 13 and Yaz to have a romance, but I needed 13 to have more overt intensity about her companions (esp. Yaz or Ryan). It fits my headcanon that the Doctor's first companion post regeneration provokes the most intense feelings (and inability to let go voluntarily). Tragedy and involuntary circumstances parted 9 & Rose, 10 & Rose, 11 & Amy, 12 & Clara. But then 13 voluntarily sends Yaz away? It didn't fit with what I like to see. There should have been a tragic parting to force the Doctor to let go. Not just a, "think I need to do this next bit on my own."

I cant wait to find out if doctor who has a romance problem!!!

Messy as 10s relationships were, it really worked. 11 definitely should have stayed asexual, got really weird with clara. 12 was like 10 but lept straight into the toxicity before going platonic.

I was never a fan of the Doctor having romantic realtionships with his Companions due to why would a 2,000+ year old alien fall in love with a20+ year old mortal human, but your logic here has kind of turned me around somewhat. Again, it needs to be done in a logical way and have some pertinence to the overall story, but it can work as long as it's not overdone or made super melodrammatic. I always loved Clara's reltionship with 12. Yes, she and 11 were kind of flirty, but her relationship with 12 was beautiful and set up the tradegy of her death and its impact on 12 in Heaven Sent and then its impact on Clara in Hell Bent when the Doctor is sitting right in front of her but no longer remembers her. For all of Hell Bent's flaws those scenes in diner are heart breaking between 12 and Clara. She tries to hold back the tears when he says if he ever met her again he would recognize her immediately. That's true, love, pain and loss being displayed in those few seconds. Those two will be my forever couple in Doctor Who, I will ship them any day!

When you got to the 12 and Clara section it almost made me cheer out loud! Finally a whotuber who understands that they have a romantic relationship! They are my favorite Doctor Who couple and frustrates me so much when people try to erase this aspect and call them father and daughter or just friends. Fun fact, Peter Capaldi himself called 12 and Clara a truly romantic relationship!

I have three thoughts after watching this: - I agree that, regardless of whether I think the Doctor SHOULD have lots of romantic relationships, I really did love Rose and River's romances. (Rose because they built up the chemistry and compatibility so gradually and convincingly; River because it felt more like how I felt a Doctor romance could naturally go if they had one - essentially equals, random and chaotic, not really into it but gradually the person just became too important a presence their heart(s).) - I really dislike it in any show when the main characters are going from romance to romance. It starts to cheapen them all and feel boring, plus it feels like the easy way to insert drama rather than having something truly different and interesting. As you said, there are so many different types of relationships that are interesting, and they provide opportunities to bring out and explore/develop other aspects of The Doctor we haven't really seen in New Who. I honestly felt that giving Clara a Danny and how they used him end up making the series tiresome at times. Let's have romance in the show but let's not overeat. - Finally, I rarely find I'm truly, deep-down convinced that the Doctor who was once 1-7 would really feel romantically for most of these young little humans. Those incarnations are not really portrayed as being romantically/sexually inclined at all and so, while I don't think that means every incarnation has to be aroace, it feels like romantic leanings would be rare and wouldn't necessarily look like traditional human romances if it does occur. (I don't read Clara x 12 as true romance, but I do think their platonic married couple know-each-other-too-well vibe suits the kind of equivalent relationships the Doctor is more likely to have.) . I guess in the end, although I don't agree with your desire for a lot of romance, we would both be satisfied if they were more careful with how and when they write romance for the Doctor and feel there are good opportunities to explore different types of relationships for the Doctor and to write good romance between non-Doctor characters. (AmyRory good, not ClaraDanny...) Thanks for the thoughtful video!

I really appreciate this take. It seems like most people either love or hate the romance in DW, but you take quite a nuanced and balanced approach to discussing it. While I know the Rose/Doctor romance is divisive among fans, I've always really enjoyed it. Especially given where the Doctor was at emotionally at the time. The loss of his planet and people was still weighing heavily on him, and Rose was someone who came into his life at just the right time, brought out the best in him, and made him feel like he had somewhere to belong. The tragedy of their relationship was that the Doctor knew it couldn't last, but he still hung on to the illusion that it could for as long as possible, and that made it sting even more when they lost each other. His decision to be the strong one and let her go in the end, giving her a chance at a happy ending with the Metacrisis Doctor who could love her in a way that he simply couldn't, was heartbreaking. I loved this more human element of the Doctor's story that RTD introduced. That said, do I think that romance is something Doctor Who needs or even should do all the time? No. Some of my favorite Doctor/companion relationships have been non-romantic --- such as Ten/Donna and Twelve/Bill. And I actually think the show could use more of those types of dynamics in the Modern era. But I'm not actively against romance either as long as it is well-written or tied to the characters' individual arcs in a meaningful way.

So glad you're back to making videos!

Another fantastic video essay Joe, absolutely loved it. It's wonderful to hear someone tackle this topic with such nuance - you have a real flair for concise analytical essays!

I like to think doctors after 8 are open to romance because of 8s regeneration. 8s regeneration went wrong, so he had to absorb human dna. This is why 8 is half human and the capacity to have a romance in a very human way stuck with him. Just a headcanon of mine. The one thing im against doing us retroactively applying romance to classic Doctors. Like they did with Sarah Jane. Its possible Sarah Jane made it more romantic in her head during the decades but it still doesn't fit her relationship with 3 or 4 tbh.

"im like the bbc, only impartial" is prolly your best joke. big fan and if that content you hope will find an audience doesnt include mr. hunt i will be PISSED (privately to myself and not bother anyone about it)

I fully read Clara/ 12 as just extremely close friends. I don't get a romantic chemistry between them, but I do fully see a strong platonic love. I also really love that it's not necessarily that healthy a relationship between them either. I think it is so unique and well done and I think making it a romance weakens that element personally

Instant subscribe. The two things I've always got to be sure of before listening to people talk about Doctor Who is that they're pro-kissing and pro-Clara Oswald!

twelveclara has to be the most intimate and well executed romance in all of doctor who, especially because of how subtextual it is. the lengths they go to make sure the other is merely ALIVE, whether is ends in their own pain, is absolutely just soulmatism. i love my friends, and i would probably be in a torture chamber for a million years for them. but 4.5 billion years? that's "truly romantic" love at it's purest. (don't hate me, peter capaldi himself used that wording to describe their relationship! hence the quotes)

It makes sense for anyone to fall in love if (a) the person whisks you away from your responsibilities and (b) can promise you... literally anything.

"And it's exemplified by the fact that Clara’s doctors exist on opposing ends of the young and sexy spectrum, with Smith being young and Capaldi being sexy.” I respect the hell out of you for this.

Love your videos Joe, keep up the great work :)

i think it's fine having romance in doctor who, but there also has to be times when he could not give a single shit about it. Tom Baker's Doctor was hilarious in that aspect. "I'm sure your pretty." lmao

what I probably like the most in 12th and Clara's relationship is that it is non-sexual and non-romantic although this is very obviously love. if you want you can absolutely read sexual attraction and romance into it - like you said, it's ambiguous. But it's just fine without these undertones, it's already very rich and complex and these uncrossed lines and steps not taken only add to this complexity

You know the old saying "No sex please, we're Timelords!"

Upon listening to Big Finish’s Diary of River Song series, I was really shocked by how well the romance angle works for the Classic Doctors, which has helped convince me that it’s not just some unwelcome addition from the new series. Like I never expected the 6th doctor of all people to fall head over heels in love with River, but being such a romantic felt so right for his character. I also like how the series still acknowledges that certain Doctors don’t entirely fit that mould, like 7 being way too paranoid and controlling; or 5 still abiding by the ole ‘no hanky panky’ rules from the 80’s, which made for some interesting drama in of itself.

i was about to write a very angry comment///// and then you got to your point lmao... YES GIVE ME ALL THE SMOOCHING !!! ALL THE ROMANCE!!!!!

Personally, I prefer the official Classic approach, even as I acknowledge 4/Romana [especially No. 2] was likely romantic just because pacifist ace male leads outside of early age TV are just incredibly rare. That said, if we're going to assassinate another Chaste Hero officially for yet another Sexualized Person, at least keep it to Time Lords...ergo the best are... 1. Doctor x Husband/Wife Time Lord that begat Susan's parents...just because Susan came of it. [why the writers never get around to addressing this one I just don't get!] 2. Doctor x Romana 3. Doctor x Mistress/Master 4. Doctor x River Song And the only acceptable human pairing is Doctor x Elizabeth I, just because of the audacity! Everything else is only meant to be stomached.

I'm saying this without having seen the full video yet but: 100% disagree. Not in a "you're wrong" way, just in a "I don't agree with you on this matter" way. I will forever see The Doctor being romantically involved as a 54 year old man with a toddler and I wholeheartedly reject it.

Can’t believe he didn’t mention Two and Jamie smh

Whats wrong with the doctor having a bit of romance? I here people criticising the fact that tennent was too human. Too human! The humanity of a character is what makes them great.

Brilliant vid dude, perfect thing to watch with a sunday roast

I have cherished Dr Who since I first saw it as a kid. The only thing I never liked about the old Dr Who series was its sterile vibe. This was corrected with 10 and Rose (and others) and 11 and 12 with Clara. I shall always remember a video short with Rose and 10’s final scene on the beach with a man dressed in historical costume playing a providential violin piece in the background giving the occasion an Old-World Mythical air of cultural folklore and legend. No such cultural treasure would ever have come out of the sterile old series. But if a sterile vibe was not bad enough, the potential crucible of folklore and legend has been disastrously sacrificed on the altar of wokeness via LGBTQ and race-swapping.

I see romance as being a natural part of the Doctor's experiences when one considers their life. Nine was the last of his kind when he met Rose. Of course he'd be more eager to grab onto someone and make her a confidant compared to his earlier selves. If One to War wanted someone who could get them, they could go back to Gallifrey, Nine onwards can't. If there ever was a time to downplay romance in the new show, Series 10 would have been it. My fav is Doctor/Clara. I like how their dynamic changed each series. Honeymoon in Series 7, bickering married couple in Series 8 and cool old couple living out of their VW camper van in Series 9 who are perfectly in sync. Their romance and how it evolved felt like a natural part of their character arcs. I like Doctor/Rose for the same reason but I don't really like Series 2 so that kind of spoils it for me. My least fav I would think is probably Doctor/River. It had to share time with Amy/Rory, the Doctor's relationships with the Ponds and the Silence arc. It never had the time to breathe and show these two together during Eleven's tenure or develop River outside of it (compare to the development Rose and Clara got). And while I love the idea of the Doctor meeting someone out of order, I don't think it worked for romance. Their wedding for example feels to me like the Doctor doing a fake wedding so River will clean up and go to bed given the differing points in their timeline, compared to Rose and Nine's kiss feeling like a natural end to the journey they've been on throughout Series 1. I got that River loved Eleven, but I was never sold that Eleven loved River. Though after "The Husbands" voiced that, I do have the theory that Eleven was just keeping the timeline intact and it's only in those 24 years that Twelve began to love her. Where will Fifteen fit? I don't know. But knowing RTD, they'll be some romance vibes. I think I'd like Fifteen and Ruby to start as flirty best friends at first but, depending on how long either stays, they miss their chance. We had a tease of that with Sarah and Ten but I think that's an approach they could explore more.

Great presentation. Because I don't follow Doctor Who, it is difficult to comment on the ins and outs of things... yes that came out wrong but I'm not sure if there's another way to say it.. Having different actors play 'different' Doctors with different personalities keeps the these stories available with the ability to stay fresh. But if this was one actor and one 'character' it would be very different circumstances. It would be like Riker from Star Trek who had a fling on every second planet, when someone is so liberal with relationships, it's difficult to take them seriously when they are supposed to be actually serious about someone. I know enough to know the Doctor is very different to Riker but I took things to the extreme to make my point. Like I said last time, great to see you back making content.

I have never read Clara and 12s dynamic as romantic. Interesting

Eleven doctor was simultaneously asexual coded, and contastly naked under people's dresses.

To be fair, between the Twelfth Doctor under Moffat and the Thirteenth Doctor under Chibnall, they definitely dialed back the on-screen kissing, at least involving the Doctor.

Oooo two doctor who videos in 2 weeks! We are eating!!!

Your "I'm like the BBC, except impartial" made me LOL!

7:40 that clip from the season 3 finale is hilarious. The way the master puts his hands on his head and then David Tennant just glides towards him.

I'm so aro/ace that I see the doctor and madame de pompadour kiss and I'm like wow what good friends xD don't even occur to me that it was a romantic relationship until i watch this video 🙃

Like, who WOULDN'T fall in love with Doctor Who? (Someone's gonna say Donna. She's a better person than me, but still.)

So, old fan coming back for the mtg crossover and the ncuti gawa seasons. What story arcs do I need to catch up on? The end of time, and?

I’m a soft touch for a good romantic subplot but I do think they should maybe cool it down a little. It sort of gives diminishing returns after awhile if there’s always someone who goes moon eyed over the doctor without enough of a break between them. I love it when there are one off romantic subplots with historical figures, those are pretty fun

im still waiting for an anime adaptation of doctor who where he has a harem, i would also like to see a version of the doctor that gave up saving the universe just to pick up woman

I'm one of those old enough to remember JNT's policy of "no hanky panky in the TARDIS".

It’s great to hear somebody voice a completely different opinion from mine in such a clever way. I personally just don’t like romance plots in gerneral, but after this I’ll agree they have the potential to enhance a story (even in Doctor Who) plus I thought the romance between Charlie and the 8th doctor was handled quite well.

You’re absolutely right about the emotions and vulnerability from romance adds more depth and edge to the storylines and subsequently make it more engaging…I also believe there’s a lot to be said about drawing a new audience in with a potential romance plot it works like a charm.

Since Capaldi's era the romance has toned down a lot. I'm kinda glad as although I love the Tennant era it was a bit difficult to overlook the constant romance. This new RTD era looks like he's focused on friendship/companionship more than romance.

5:24 great line! made me laugh :) i like your videos

I love the big Rian Johnson in the back.

Nicely balanced analysis. For me its not that I object to the The Doctor feeling love but that its always boxed into being romance (and yes I do agree that its been quite oversaturated in NuWho). One of the greatest aspects of the Classic series was that (although it was unspoken) there was a sense that the Doctor and his companions did 'love' each other but in a platonic way - yet the connection was so strong they would do anything for one another, even sacrificing themselves to save a life (cough cough Five). I absolutely agree that there needs to be a deep feeling between them in order to create impact when they die/leave etc but the lovey dovey, smooching aspect is not really my bag. I wasn't fond of the Rose/Doctor coupling but it made sense developmental so I could live with it but I would have preferred if that was the oddity rather than the start of more of the same. I will say that my exception to the rule is the Doctor and River, the wibbly wobbly timey wimey story and chemistry between them was top notch, its really the only truly romantic pairing I like with the Doctor.

Very interesting video! I tend to be more on the side of wanting less romance (despite being a hopeless romantic in some ways LOL), but I don't strongly object to any of the major examples, it's just some stuff could've been done better in execution. It does usually add something at least. I think what we really need is another Doctor/Nardole. /j If you asked me to pick a fave... younger me would probably call me mad but I think it might be Twelve/Clara? I haven't watched Series 8 in years and while it kind of threw me off the show cuz I was in my anti-Moffat phase, I do remember genuinely finding their dynamic really interesting there. I rewatched some stuff in the lead up to the 60th, mostly RTD to be ready to compare to his new era but I also took the chance to watch parts of Series 9 because I skipped it (again, aformentioned anti-Moffat phase). And well, to my surprise, I actually found myself being reminded of how much I like them together again. I expected to hate Hell Bent after hearing how infamous it was, but then despite a few (admittedly major) issues I actually liked it quite a bit? I guess as I've aged I've learned to embrace my love of tragic doomed romances, especially in a relationship where Twelve and Clara compliment each other so well but also bring out the worst in each other. I can see why it's too much for some people, especially in Series 8 when their characterisation could get pretty dark, but I do appreciate it more with age now I guess. I don't even know if I see it as romantic, it could be but I could easily being its own weird unique thing, like a queerplatonic dynamic or something.

Personally I don't think the Doctor experiences romantic attraction in the conventional sense, at least not towards humans. My interpretation is that he did love Rose but in a complicated way that we mere mortals can't comprehend, but leans more towards platonic than romantic. That doesn't make Doomsday any less devastating for me, it's a different kind of love but just as real as Rose's more romantic love for him. As for River, their marriage was originally for plot reasons IIRC so I think the Doctor just went along with that because he had to, before eventually growing to love River, but again in a complicated Time Lord way. To me it just feels strange to neatly label the Doctor's relationships as either platonic or romantic, as I feel the line is somewhat blurred for humans, let alone for a millennia-old alien. But as you say, it's all just vibes, and this was a great and balanced video!

Any snuggling is too much. It's okay for a companion to crush on the Doc, but never EVER EVER the opposite. We humans are like pets to Timelords. And it's a pretty sexist concept tbh.

I don’t like it when they insist on putting the Doctor into a romance because it was nice to have just one heroic lead character on the asexual/aromantic spectrum (who wasn’t cold/uncaring/totally lacking in empathy*). Multiple new and classic writers and Doctors have endorsed that take on the character explicitly over the years, it was a popular default fan read for ages, and something is genuinely lost when writers abandon it. Frankly I’m surprised you didn’t mention it at all, especially since you mention the importance of queer representation as an argument /for/ more romance! (Also the serial nature of the program does make the romance with 19 year old companions thing uncomfortable IMO. Because once you start down that road it starts to be weird that the Doctor keeps traveling with a string of such young women, when obviously in the real world it’s a practical choice to balance the cast!) I’ll freely admit to being inconsistent on both these points sometimes - I enjoy aspects of Eight/Charley’s dynamic and some of the Nine/Rose and Doctor/River Song stories, too. *incidentally also why autistic/neurodivergent doctor interpretations are so appealing - he’s a character who rejects many of the negative/misguided tropes and still invites these readings.

Also, as someone who always hated Rose (my least fave companion of the entire show's history...and I'm including the entire Classic series in that) and loved Martha (actually my fave companion), I definitely agree that was where the whole romance side of things went terribly wrong. I personally thought the Doctor was INCREDIBLY out of character during S3 in the way he treated Martha. I mean, yes, he supposedly wasn't attracted to her (which I personally disagree with, but YMMV), but there were plenty of other companions in his life that were platonic that he treated with far more respect. And I'm still pretty bitter about it, TBH. Martha deserved better. 😡

if dr who smooches too much then i need an intervention. thats just a little insight into me and my life

I missed both Clara and no a 11 as a couple .They were like a married couple with no 11 being behaving like an immature kid and Clara being the boss. Matt should have done anotger series with Clara .No12 and River Song could had done more eposides travelling together. BALDLY missed oppportunities .

WOOHOOOOO JBOI IS HERE!!!!

I do think it’s kinda weird when the doctor who is thousands of years old starts a romance with a 26 year old lol

When S1 aired it made more sense for it to have romance since it was introducing itself to a new audience but since then we've seen the Doctor age more than 1000 years in show Time. Can't also ignore how weird and kinda creepy it would be for a millenary alien to smooch and groom a 19 year old chav or anyone younger than 500 years or something. His mindset and maturity are literally centuries beyond her, it's like if a 50 year old dated a 14 year old or something.

Hey mate great video as usual, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Doctors daughter too 😍😍

For me personally, I think the Doctor should be distant to romance after losing River, but that’s just me.

I must say I was very anti Doctor Romance- but you explained how and why it works so very well! Thank you!

Dr who snogging, is not Dr Who!

Though I understand your points, I do disagree with you. In my opinion, the Doctor should not feel romantic attraction. Due to this trait the Doctor has become a very relatable figure to AroAce (aromantic and/or asexual) people like myself. I think this show - better than any other piece of media - can show how close, loving and intimate platonic relationships can be. I agree that the Doctor and Clara for instance are deeply in love with one another, but on a purely platonic level. And I think that’s beautiful and terribly under-represented in media. Romantic relationships can still play a role in the companions. Rory and Amy are a fantastic example, but I think Bill and Heather are my favourite romantic plot line; their love was the subtle series arc of series 10 with it culminating in Heather’s love for Bill saving both her and the Doctor. So, I agree that romance is and should stay an essential part of Doctor Who, but don’t believe the Doctor themselves should experience such attraction.

Yes. Well from the Doctor's side at least. if it's the companions, like Amy and Rory, I'm okay with it. You can't really deny... that in distant future... there will be another "River Song" as in... a future lover that dear closed to the Doctor... Also, again, I'm writing the comment before watching your video, gonna watch it after work, heheh

okay now that segway joke was next level and the kind of stuff i watch your videos for besides the based opinions. Also, completely unrelated but i think this is pretty funny, my mum absolutely despises peter capaldi's doctor, she just can't stand him, she always has to look away, look at someone else, but we're nearly up to heaven sent so she's going to have to face her fears.

5:19 REAL

choosing to believe you put 12/river on the screen just for me

I thought I hated romance storylines (and stories in general) but what I recently found out is that I just hate badly written ones, of course ksks also if it's gay I'm already 50% on board, so it doesn't need much more work ksks my faves are rose and Tennant, I liked river song and the doctor sometimes and I haven't seen Yaz and the doctor so I don't know but that image of Yaz carrying 13th got me interested, like I said before, I'm easy that way ksks