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Line 37: − Several stories in the series have been subtly or overtly political in their themes. For instance, ''The Green Death'' (1973) emphasised the dangers of [[pollution]] and big business - while the following year's ''Invasion of the Dinosaurs'' featured a contrasting menace -pro-environment extremists. Other stories have taken their themes from current news stories of the time, such as the [[United Kingdom]]'s entry into the [[Common Market]]. − + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
→Political and social themes: expand (NB The Guardian is not a conservative paper, the "relentless propaganda" quote is approving!!!)
==Political and social themes==
==Political and social themes==
In a recent episode, the Daleks - Doctor Who's most dangerous enemy, a race of creatures who are physically shriveled and weak but contained within an armored tank-like body - take over Manhattan. They ruthlessly exploit workers engaged in construction and repair on the Empire State Building. This was reported in the British newspaper [[The Independent]] as a metaphor for the rampant abuse of capitalism. Conservative writers in [[The Guardian]] have used this as supposed evidence of the BBC pumping out "relentless socialist propaganda".
Many stories in the series have subtle or overt political and social themes. The inspiration for these range from the debate over the [[United Kingdom]]'s entry into the [[Common Market]] (''The Curse of Peladon'', 1972) to the Iraq War (''Aliens of London''/''World War Three'', 2005). Writers in [[The Guardian]] have described the show as an example of the BBC pumping out "relentless socialist propaganda". However, on a few occasions the show has taken more conservative viewpoints.
===Enemies as political allegories===
The show's most iconic recurring enemies, the [[Dalek]]s and the Cybermen, can be seen as satirising right and left wing. In a recent episode, the Daleks - Doctor Who's most dangerous enemy, a race of creatures who are physically shriveled and weak but contained within an armored tank-like body - take over Manhattan. They ruthlessly exploit workers engaged in construction and repair on the Empire State Building. This was reported in the British newspaper [[The Independent]] as a metaphor for the rampant abuse of capitalism. Meanwhile, the Cybermen, who are humans remade into cyborgs with no free will, show how [[collectivism]] destroys individual spirit.
===Environmentalism===
''The Green Death'' (1973) emphasised the dangers of [[pollution]] and big business - while the following year's ''Invasion of the Dinosaurs'' featured a contrasting menace - pro-environment extremists.
===The [[origins debate]]===
Many plotlines in Doctor Who refer to [[Evolution]]. The show's time travel has often been used to travel into times in the past which are inconsistent with a [[Young Earth Creationism|Young Earth]]. Indeed, the very first story from 1963 was referred to by some internal BBC documents as "100,000 BC". Recent episode ''The Runaway Bride'' (2006) showed the formation of the Earth "four and a half billion years ago".
However, Doctor Who sometimes supports the idea of [[Intelligent design|Intelligent Design]]. According to the show, many advanced aliens have intervened in Earth's history and the development of mankind. However, these tend to be evil, suggesting that the programme takes a [[Manicheanism|Manichean]] viewpoint. [[God]] and [[Jesus]] are never mentioned.
The show also contradicts [[Christian]] [[eschatology]] by portraying humanity as present in the far future (including the year 5 billion AD and 100 trillion AD), contradicting prophecies found in the [[Book of Revelation]].
===Homosexual agenda===
The executive producer of the revived show, Russell T. Davies, is an "out" [[homosexual]] and several fans have accused him of using the show to promote a deliberate [[homosexual agenda]].
Examples include:
*Recurring character Captain Jack Harkness (played by another "out" homosexual, John Barrowman) is bisexual (he will "dance with anyone") and this is presented as a consequence of his coming from the more liberal 51st Century.
*The villainous Cassandra, a satire on cosmetic surgery, was born male implying that one of her many operations was a sex change
*Gay marriage shown as normal in the future through the portrayal of an elderly lesbian couple
*A fictionalised version of the great writer [[William Shakespeare]] is bisexual
*The episode ''The Idiot's Lantern'' (2006) shows a homosexual teen rebelling against proper parental authority
*In ''42'' (2007) Martha Jones asks a guest character whether he has a girlfriend or a boyfriend
==Transmission==
==Transmission==