The Seventh Doctor Reveals His Biggest Criticism Of Modern Doctor Who

"Doctor Who" has been airing on-and-off since 1963, making it one of the oldest science fiction shows still airing today. Throughout its historic run, "Doctor Who" has employed the method of regeneration to change lead actors every so often when the situation called for it. This has allowed the show to run for as long as it has, and it's also allowed different actors to bring their own interpretations to the role of the Doctor. Currently, Jodie Whittaker stars as the 13th incarnation of the Doctor. Whittaker is the first woman to play the role.

However, given that so many actors have stepped into the role and, likewise, so many writers have taken the show in different directions, it's natural that "Doctor Who" would have evolved over the years. In fact, for a show that's existed since 1963, change is an inevitability, as the times change, storytelling methods evolve, and technology advances. As it turns out, the Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, is not a fan of one particular aspect of the more recent "Doctor Who" episodes.

During an interview with Radio Times in 2021, Seventh Doctor actor Sylvester McCoy revealed that he's not a fan of how much the new "Doctor Who" relies on the sonic screwdriver, a device used to often get the Doctor out of trouble in more dangerous situations. "They use the sonic screwdriver too much," he said. "It's a bit of a crutch. I never had one. The producer decided that I shouldn't have one because he said it was too easy for the writers to get the Doctor out of trouble." McCoy starred in the series from 1987-89, and repeated the part in the 1996 TV movie as well.

While McCoy arguably has a point here, given that the sonic screwdriver has become almost a staple of new "Doctor Who," this was really his only big criticism of the show. He further admitted that he hadn't watched much of the new "Doctor Who," but he did tune in when Jodie Whittaker took over the role. He said he was uncertain about the casting at first, but chalked up his reaction to "stupid sexism." He revealed that he did end up messaging Whittaker about her history-making place in the Time Lord's chronicles. "I sent her a message. I said, 'One small step for man, one giant leap for womankind.'"