Doctor Who earns best ratings in decade, Whittaker gets Barbie doll

A day after Jodie Whittaker takes on the iconic BBC role in the show's most watched episode, her sonic-screwdriver-toting Barbie is available to order.

Gael Cooper

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.

Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials

Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.

See full bio

Gael Cooper

Oct. 8, 2018 12:53 p.m. PT

The Doctor is in, and on her way to toy chests and display shelves.

Jodie Whittaker, who plays the first ever female Doctor on Doctor Who, made her debut Sunday night as season 11 of the BBC classic series began (read our review here). More than 8 million people in the UK tuned in to the BBC to watch the show, making it the most watched episode in a decade, the Guardian reports.

Doctor Who got a sensational overnight viewing figure of 8.2 million!!! The final figure is likely to be significantly higher. WOW! #DrWho #ratings #DoctorWho #JodieWhittaker
— Doctor Who Magazine (@DWMtweets) October 8, 2018

And on Monday, the Barbie doll version of Whittaker's Doctor (meant for adult collectors, not kids) is available for purchase.

"With her signature suspenders, lace-up boots and sonic screwdriver, this #Barbie doll is ready to time travel into your collection," the official Barbie Twitter account announced Sunday.

Introducing the all-new #DoctorWho Barbie doll inspired by the iconic series’ Thirteenth Doctor. With her signature suspenders, lace-up boots and sonic screwdriver, this #Barbie doll is ready to time travel into your collection!
Available Monday 10/8 at https://t.co/JDeqzI59nX. pic.twitter.com/hmbh6eX1z2
— Barbie (@Barbie) October 7, 2018

The doll can be ordered now at Hottopic.com and Barbie.com for $50 (£38, AU$70). Dolls will ship in December. At noon PT on Monday, Hot Topic was announcing on its site that more than 1,050 dolls had already been sold.

First published, Oct. 7, 10:16 p.m. PT.
Update, Oct. 8, 12:30 p.m. PT: Adds ratings information, details on doll price and stores.

Watch These 9 Classic 'Doctor Who' Adventures on Britbox

+21 More

See all photos