Doctor Who's Russell T Davies Calls Disney's Bisexual Loki Scene Pathetic

Doctor Who writer Russell T. Davies has criticized Disney's "pathetic" bisexual scene in Loki as a "feeble gesture." Disney+ premiered Loki on their streaming service in June this year. The show, which saw Tom Hiddleston return as a time-variant" version of the God of Mischief, followed Loki as he was forced to work with the Time Variance Authority to catch another antagonist who has been destabilizing the universe's timelines. The show has been met with critical acclaim, with many fans praising the reveal of Hiddleston's character as LGBTQ+, although this reveal did not play a significant part in the rest of the season.

During "Lamentis," the third episode of Loki's first season, Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief was confirmed bisexual. Discussing their love lives, the Loki-variant Sylvie guesses whether Loki must have known some "would-be princesses or perhaps, another prince." Loki responds he had known "a bit of both." This came as no surprise to readers of the comics and fans of Norse mythology, where Loki's bisexuality - and gender fluidity - have been established for years. Loki's genderfluidity is also referenced in the show in the character of the female Loki-variant Sylvie.

As reported by PinkNews after Davies had spoken at a Pride month panel with Swansea University, the ex-Doctor Who showrunner slammed the Disney+ show, particularly the scene from "Lamentis," for its "feeble gesture" on LGBTQ+ representation. Davies spoke about how TV commissioners wanted "gay stories" while he sounded warning bells about how these stories are being told by big streaming services, such as Netflix and Disney+. Read what Davies had to say below:

“Nonetheless, I think huge, cleaning warning bells are ringing as the giants rise up with Netflix and Disney Plus especially ... I think that’s a very great worry. Loki makes one reference to being bisexual once, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, it’s like a pansexual show.’ It’s like one word. He said the word ‘prince’, and we’re meant to go, ‘Thank you, Disney! Aren’t you marvellous?’ It’s a ridiculous, craven, feeble gesture towards the vital politics and the stories that should be told.”

Davies has a wealth of experience writing about LGBTQ+ people and communities. Before rebooting Doctor Who in 2005, he wrote 1999's trailblazing series, Queer as Folk, which followed three young gay men in northern England. After heading up the Doctor Who spinoff series Torchwood which followed pansexual fan-favorite Captain Jack Harkness, he wrote the three-part LGBTQ+ TV and web series Cucumber, Banana, and Tofu and the Hugh Grant-starring A Very English Scandal. Most recently, Davies penned the critically acclaimed It's A Sin, which depicts the lives of a group of gay men during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the UK across the 1980s and early 1990s.

While Davis was not pleased with Loki's depiction of the God of Mischief's sexuality, many fans were happy to see canonical confirmation of Loki's bisexuality. Although the show largely ignored any further mention of Loki's sexuality in the rest of the season, the more considerable backlash came with the "self-cest" storyline as romance blossomed between Loki and his variant, Sylvie. However, Davies may not be the only one who thinks the show could further explore Loki's sexuality, as the first season's director Kate Herron revealed she would like to explore Loki's bisexuality more in future stories.

Fans have called for more and better LGBTQ+ representation in the MCU for some time. This call was perhaps loudest when 2019's Avengers: Endgame introduced the franchise's first gay character, 11 years and 20 movies after 2008's Iron Man, via a brief cameo from director Joe Russo. The frustration voiced by some fans and Davies might be heeded as Marvel Studios’ executive vice president of film production, Victoria Alonso, has promised more LGBTQ+ characters and storylines in future MCU shows and movies. A new Doctor Who audio special, written by Davies, is due to be produced this year. Disney+ has renewed Loki for a second season, with filming planned to start in January 2022.

Next: Loki Is Genderfluid: Marvel Comics History & Norse Mythology Explained

Source: PinkNews/Twitter