Recently, the BBC did a study of their programming in order to figure out what they were doing right (Doctor Who) and what they were doing wrong (everything that is not Doctor Who). After crunching the numbers, they realized that they needed to diversify their gay characters a little bit more.
But they’re not all that bad: according to the anti-hate-crime group Galop, BBC’s Doctor Who is one of the most pro-gay shows on TV and features some of the most well-rounded gay characters of any program currently running.
The BBC’s “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood” were among the dramas praised for their inclusion of gay, lesbian and bisexual characters. John Barrowman starred as Jack Harkness, an openly bisexual action hero, on both series.
“’Doctor Who’ quite often has a gay character in it but it isn’t always an issue or the plotline,” anti-hate crime charity Galop said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s just incidental, which has been quite nice.”
AdvertisementBBC’s report finds that the majority of audiences “are comfortable with the depiction of lesbian, gay and bisexual people on radio, TV and online,” but that many lesbian, gay and bisexual people feel they are under-represented by UK broadcasters.
Well, there you have it: Doctor Who really is the best TV show that you’re not watching.
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