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Historically, when franchises have alienated their existing audiences by alienating the traditional themes that made them popular—such as the introduction of Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor in Doctor Who—viewership numbers have plummeted. The same pattern appears with the latest iteration, featuring the first Black gay Doctor, Shudi Gwa. Despite initial curiosity and some praise, the character's introduction and subsequent storylines have been met with substantial fan backlash.