No flirting? Thank Fuck..

Yeah, if Malcom Tucker were a fan I'm sure he'd say that.. 
There's a very interesting Peter Capaldi Sunday Times interview(via Blogtor Who) http://bit.ly/1pm9bY3 in which he states:

"There'll be no flirting, that's for sure," Capaldi said. "It's not what this Doctor's concerned with. It's quite a fun relationship, but no, I did call and say, 'I want no Papa-Nicole moments. I think there was a bit of tension with that at first, but I was absolutely adamant."

This is a big deal for the fans, a big change in the direction of the new Doctor Who. Some whovians will hate this and others, like me, love this. 
   Since the eighth Doctor kissed Grace, for no reason at all, really, Doctor Who fandom has been debating the value of sexualizing the Doctor. If it's used with great restraint and with purpose, it works. We know because Rose's relationship with the Doctor was well done, tasteful and seemed to have a purpose within the development of the Doctor's character, as a traumatized war survivor learning to enjoy life again; Great. However, having Martha, then Amy, then River, then Clara also fancy him and "steal" kisses,(oh so, then, it's not his fault, chicks can't help themselves!) sucked the fun out of the Doctor-companion relationships and the adventure. Donna was one of the best new companions for a reason. We got to know Donna in her own right, not as someone whose self fulfillment and identity was entirely dependent on whether a thousand plus years old alien fancied her. An equal friendship made their adventures just as gripping or more than other new Who companions. 
   It also suits the Doctor's character so much better. He doesn't spend his time turning down flirtatious advances he couldn't possibly care about(sorry, but he's how old?!) and he can focus on the companion as an equal rather than someone he has to keep at an arms length - True companionship and friendship. Not to mention the writers can't go very far with a romance which means that eventually a love interest has to be dumped. RTD did it well with Rose and bringing back the series, but it devalues Rose's significance if every subsequent storyline has the Doctor kissing female companions. Those kisses also become meaningless and the Doctor just starts seeming a bit of a cad, instead of a hero.    I'd rather have the hero. 

Maybe you aren't such a good man, Doctor, but Capaldi might just put you right again.

~ The opinions expressed on this post represent my own and not those of any other Dirty WHOer. ;-)