(Photo from Chicago TARDIS Facebook page.)
The program said that Fielding had "strong opinions on this topic" but I had no idea just how strong. I learned that she retired from acting only to work with Women in Film and Television UK as well as become an agent for actors. She approached the subject from the point of view of an actor. This caused a bit of friction with Thomas, one of the editors of Chicks Dig Time Lords. Fielding was very opinionated in a way that bordered on strident while Thomas is much more reserved.
The friction started after Thomas made some comments about how she admired Tegan as a character for standing up to The Doctor and taking the lead to do things that she thinks need to be done. Fielding replied by saying, "Are you on drugs?!" and explained that the Classic Series was horrible as far as roles for women. One person here is talking as a woman and a fan while the other is talking as a woman and an actress.
Fielding's rant, which is what it was, was fantastic. She said that actresses who starred in DW, with Louise Jameson who played Leela, being the exception, were typecast after they left the show and couldn't get any good parts. While their characters might have had interesting professions, the actresses themselves didn't get opportunities to show their chops. They didn't **do** enough and spent too much time asking The Doctor questions so that he could explain things to the audience. Sadly she related how her male clients received far more work than her female ones. Fielding gave the New Series lots of props for having female characters that do things. She credited this to the shorter format.
Catherine Tate (a.k.a. – Donna Noble) got a lot of love from Ms. Fielding as well. In addition to lauding her for simply being an incredibly talented and funny woman, Fielding appreciated that DW brought on an older woman for a major role. By older she meant a woman who wasn't in her early 20s. (And not a size 0.)
I was rather indifferent to Donna as a companion but did think she got screwed over when she left the show with that awful mind erasing routine. I don't know what it was but Donna was pretty meh for me. I don't think it's age because, well, she's much closer to my age than Martha, Rose, or Amy and Maggie Stables is older than Tate yet her companion, Evelyn Smythe, is a great foil for the 6th Doctor in the audio dramas.
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We really enjoyed a session with Rob Shearman.
(Yep, from the CT Facebook page.)
The D absolutely adores Mr. Shearman and eagerly snatches up his books. He did a dramatic reading of one of his short stories and it was fantastic. I don't know which story he read but it concerned a stewardess who treated the passengers of a flight to her lovelorn ramblings. It was at points rather funny but also tender and bittersweet in its meditation on love. I'll have to read one of his books soon.
Rob is goofy and very friendly and it's a pleasure to see him at Chicago TARDIS each year. After the session I told him that I gave Des, my 16-year old stepson, a copy of Chimes of Midnight, a DW audio drama that he wrote and that Des loved it. He is now looking to make his own DW audio dramas. Rob was pleased and remarked that one of the great things about DW fandom is how it is a springboard for creative activity whether it be costuming, fan fic, etc.
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I'll have to wrap up my CT 2011 post mortem here. Check out the costumes here. The emcee was a Roger Delgado Master and he was a hoot. That Quark costume ruled.
Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, and Matthew Waterhouse were a stitch.
The panel "How Doctor Who Changed My Life" was both interesting and touching. One participant noted that fellow DW fans provide her with her true friends and that the character of The Doctor has allowed her to understand her sexuality better. Another related how at home she feels at CT as well as how her love of DW helps her cope with depression. The final panelist also said that her fandom helps with depression and has inspired her to return to school to study film and turn her life around. I offered to chat about what a hoopy frood Gregg Toland was with her next year.
I spent more money than I thought I would on Virgin and BBC books that were published in the 1990s & 2000s but my collection is coming along nicely. In fact, I think I bought more of those books than the rest of the attendees combined. While I'd like to attend a panel on them, I am not going to hold my breath.
Next year is going to be a 7th Doctor Spectacular. I met Sophie Aldred here in Madison last year and she was great. Super friendly. So CT 2012 should be a hoot. Plus I think Des is going to attend as well. His first DW con.
I have decided that, if I ever decide to cosplay at CT, I want to dress as a Vervoid. Should be easy. All I'd have to do is hang out by the fake plants in the hotel lobby.
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