The casting of a woman as the new Doctor Who sent shockwaves through the U.K.—with viewers quick to respond on social media to the announcement of actress Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.

Many met the news gladly, saying as the first female Doctor in the show's 54-year history, Whittaker will serve as a role model.

Former companions and cast members also signaled their approval.

Purists, though, insisted the Time Lord was always intended to be male. Others claimed making the Doctor female was just capitulating to political correctness.

Surprisingly, some of the anti-Whittaker critics were women.

"I like Jodi, I think she is a terrific actor but I'm sorry, this is an exercise in pleasing the PC brigade," wrote Nicki Murphy on Facebook. "How about writing some new, quality roles for females... this is an attempt to meet some quota!!"

"No disrespect to the actress chosen but the producers have brought my Dr Who history and memories to an abrupt end," declared lifelong Whovian Wendy Roberts.

Others made fun of the outrage

The presence of Whittaker also ignites the possibility of a same-sex relationship with the Doctor's mysterious paramour, River Song.

While Whittaker is the first canon female Doctor, AbFab's Joanna Lumley did play the Time Lord in a Comic Relief sketch in 1999.