Doctor Lad

Firstly let me say that I enjoyed 'The Crimson Horror' for the most part. Nicely atmospheric and some good performances but...and this is a big but...when did the Doctor become just another 'bloke'. When did he go from no hanky-panky in the TARDIS to Rose Tyler to sex pest?

Because that's kind of what he's becoming. Lots of touching, without consent. Snogging Jenny, without consent.

When did he become the kind of bloke that looks at a woman's arse and gets all flustered by it? The Doctor is not, should not and can not be 'just another lad'. What next beer, football and porn mags? (And I say that as a man that likes beer and football.) Has the Doctor got a Nuts subscription?

Now I'm aware that when Doctor Who came back it had to be a more emotionally connected programme. That's one thing. But recently he's become an intergalactic stalker and frankly, it's all a bit weird.

Women are not all puzzles to be solved by clever men. Though recent companions would appear to make you think otherwise.

Now I know some of you may think I'm over-reacting. I can see the defense for the Doctor's non-consensual kiss of Jenny: it's a spontaneous reaction to him being rescued but that's still wrong because 1) it's not consensual 2) he knows she's a lesbian and 3) she's a married lesbian. What's next the Doctor suggesting a quick shag to knock Jenny out of the phase she's going through? That she just needs to the right 'bloke' to sort her out.

I can hear the whinges about me being tediously politically correct.

And perhaps I am but when I were a lad I looked up to the Doctor. He was a paragon of virtue. Doing the right thing, even if it cost him everything. His companions were his friends. Yes, there's an element of 'for the Dad's' about the some of the female companions throughout the series but it wasn't the Doctor's job to comment on that. He wasn't standing there looking at Leela's arse. (Mainly because she'd have stabbed him to death with a Janis thorn). Or standing behind Zoe playing with his sonic bloody screwdriver.

Basically, when I was young the Doctor's behavior had an effect - even if it was just a small one - on how I saw the world. So what lessons would a young man (or young woman) watching the present series be picking up?

To paraphrase a friend, we are a long, long way from the Doctor's "You're a beautiful woman, probably" to the present day.

So to end this rant. Please stop it. The Doctor isn't a lad. He isn't 'just another bloke' trolling around the Universe picking up puzzles to solve and arses to letch at. He's an alien. A man from another planet.

And to quote the First Doctor he should always remember that he is "A citizen of the Universe and a gentleman to boot."