The Doctor Who Became The Patient

When, twenty five years ago, Kate Mulgrew was cast as captain Kathryn Janeway, the lead role in Star Trek Voyager, I was indifferent to the facts of her immutable characteristics with regards to this decision. The show was mostly well scripted and an entertaining fantasy science fiction show that respected and understood that which gave the intellectual property value. It simply did not occur to me, or my fellow 'Trekkie' friends at the time, to make criticisms of her casting based on the actor/character's sex (or indeed any other of her unchangeable facets). Likewise with the other characters cast; they were well written, the show was largely character driven and they drove stories that explored ideas that were fun to ponder upon and be entertained by. Their immutable characteristics just were not relevant to anything there.