Hannah Gadsby, a royal wedding and a female doctor: in 2018, TV got a shake up
Despite ongoing rumours of its demise, television had a big, big year. In this crossposting from The Conversation Liz Giuffre reflects on everything from the ‘Honey Badger’ to the ongoing soap opera down in Canberra, and how it all played out on our screens.
From ground-breaking to game-changing, rule-breaking to near parliament-breaking – 2018 has been a big year for TV makers and audiences. Here are some of the most memorable moments.
Doctor Who is finally a woman
What would the 1963 makers of the BBC’s Dr Who have made of television in 2018? They imagined aliens, other worlds and alternate realities, but it took 55 years to imagine a woman in the show’s title role.
Despite some hesitation from a select group of die hards , the 13th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, took the TARDIS to great effect this year. With a fantastic mix of innovation and respect for the show’s legacy, Whittaker and new showrunner Chris Chibnall have allowed Dr Who to explore known worlds from a new perspective.
Standout episodes included Rosa, in which The Doctor and her companions returned to civil rights era USA to meet Rosa Parks, and The Witchfinders, where The Doctor was caught up in the witch hunting season in Lancashire in the era of King James.
PgC was your