10x03 Thin Ice

This is going to be a difficult subject, because it's difficult to tackle in the show. That of if you have a black companion for example, then there is going to be racism and persecution when you're going back in time.

In Martha's adventures it was half handwaved like in the Shakespeare episode, and half taken seriously in the family of blood episodes. Although i don't know the actual racial historical situation of the Shakespeare time period. Her season was more about adventures than issues concerning race, which as a sci-fi show is what you should mostly be doing. There's plenty of other shows and dramas that deal with racial issues more seriously.

In Doctor Who, you can either ignore history for the sake of the adventure, or address moments or plots of racism and persecution, or try to strike a balance in-between. Any of these i'm fine with really, even though the former is more unrealistic.

In this episode, it seemed like they were going to blackwash history a bit to handwave away the potential racism and persecution for the sake of the adventure. This would be even more unrealistic than the former reason i described. I don't care too much if the show does this kind of thing, but it does take you out of the episode a bit.

And in not portraying history authentically, you risk ignoring the mistakes of humanity's past, along with the setting not feeling realistic. But it would be grating if you have a black companion and every time you go to recent history they have an experience of racism, as it might undercut the sci-fi adventure serial that is the show. So while it might be difficult in striking a balance between all of this, talented writers are able to do so, and don't take you out of the episode. A lot of people watch this show for escapism from real world situations and problems too.

Later in the episode, racism was authentically brought up with that noble and it was dealt with well. We saw the realism of the situation and doctor's heroic reaction against it.

Bill did not react, because she thought it could land them in serious trouble or death, and the doctor also told her not to react in order for them to get information. And this also connects to real life experiences from people who have been victims of racism, that it's hard to fight back or if you fight back too much then you are in the wrong because maybe you became violent, and it's also harder to prove racist attacks, and you need to decide what the appropriate response is to do. They have to carry the stress of that, whereas white people in western society generally don't, but no one should have to carry that kind of stress or be a victim of racism.

Bill risked releasing the creature and killing thousands of people, the choice the doctor wanted her to make. Another test for his companion. This doctor wants companions who make the compassionate choice over the logical one. It's part of the instability and liability of 12.

To soften the choice, i would have liked for Bill to say "there must be another way" and then the doctor finds another way.