Positive Female Role Models in Science Fiction, Part II

A while back I started a series of Positive Female Role Models in Science Fiction, a series which peaked at one because do you know how hard it is to find positive female role models in science fiction? Whether they're warrior women or sexy scientists or space-damsels in space-distress, women routinely get shafted in this male-fantasy dominated genre.



This next one has been so obvious to me (and everyone else) that I thought it not even worth mentioning. Of course Donna Noble is a positive female role model. Anyone who's watched the Doctor pine after the chavtastic Billie Piper while Catherine Tate gets stuff done knows that of all Doctor Who companions ever, Donna Noble is the only one who managed to be an equal.

And I do mean ever. It's been nigh fifty years of transparent kidnap fodder or two-dimensional window characters or feisty cave girls. Sarah Jane Smith might've sassed Tom Baker's Doctor more than he sassed back but she was still mostly along for the ride. And Leela and Ace were both warrior-woman phenotypes and more protégés than companions.



But along comes Donna Noble with her hang-ups and insecurities and above all that attitude. Is she bovvered? She ain't bovvered. In a show where the main function of the companion is to stand there listening while the Doctor explains stuff, Donna will more than likely walk away mid-speech because that's not what she's here for.



Of course, Donna's story arc is about as sad as television can get. Which means the writers are either complete chauvanists or sad, sad realists.