Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner
- Thread starter Allyn Gibson
- Start date
Well, this was unexpected. Talk about a curve ball!
As others have noted, this RTD will be a distinctly different writer than 2005-9 RTD, and I really can't imagine him settling for just repeating himself, so I for one am fascinated and honestly excited to see what he does. If nothing else he'll restore some much-needed verve to Who. The man's energy still seems boundless.
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No wonder Eccleston said no to the 60th anniversary. It’s all his palpitations come back
Eccelston: I didn't know when I was well off, all three of them
Murray Gold- No sir! All Four!
WTF? April 1st indeed.
I don't know what to think about this. On the one hand I'm kinda pleased because I enjoyed Doctor Who under RTD. On the other hand RTD is a person who has refrained from Doctor crossovers, showing previous Doctors, using the continuity of pre 2005 in episodes and only gives us one classic villain person season.
I just want something different. I hope as others have said that he is a different writer and we'll get beyond Rose, the Doctor going "what?" for season cliffhangers and a mixture of Doctor Who old and new.
But if he brings back Donna I'm totally down for that.
I'm actually surprised he accepted to do it. What he did before was so great, isn't it better to finish on that high?
I don't know what to think about this. On the one hand I'm kinda pleased because I enjoyed Doctor Who under RTD. On the other hand RTD is a person who has refrained from Doctor crossovers, showing previous Doctors, using the continuity of pre 2005 in episodes and only gives us one classic villain person season.
I just want something different. I hope as others have said that he is a different writer and we'll get beyond Rose, the Doctor going "what?" for season cliffhangers and a mixture of Doctor Who old and new.
But if he brings back Donna I'm totally down for that.
I'm actually surprised he accepted to do it. What he did before was so great, isn't it better to finish on that high?
The news said it would be the 60th and beyond....
We didn't even get Eight back for a regeneration in the RTD era. All we got was a squiggly drawing of him in season 3. I very much doubt it we will see any previous Doctor other than Tennant.
I do wonder if there was an element of "It's Russell or nobody" on the BBC's part. I hope that left him in a position to negotiate a great deal both for himself and the show. At the very least we might finally be back to a series a year again.
I think it said "and series beyond" which I took to mean one run of episodes before handing it over. But you're right, it's not clear. Could be another five years for all we know.
I think Elizabeth Sandifer is right that "Obviously this is high risk for Davies; ironically probably the highest risk move he could make. The bar he has to clear is his own. Equally, he’s smart enough that he’d only do it if he had an absolutely killer idea." RTD doesn't have to do this. He can only add to his Doctor Who legacy or tarnish it.
I wonder if RTD's comments a few months ago about a Marvel-style universe for Doctor Who played a role in his hiring and his pitch to the BBC -- that he can save Doctor Who again and become a Kevin Feige-like figure. But that's also going to require major financial investment; an eight-episode series every other year isn't going to accomplish that.
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He might even treat it as a soft reboot after Jodie has left too. Something everyone can get into instead of having to catch up on 16 years of references.
I guess 67 will be the new 45 by then.
I'm very pleased! I hope he retcons out a lot of that TimeyWimey Child shit!
Don't want any old Doctors back (I miss them a lot, especially Eccleston, but in this at least move on), only for one-off specials.
Speaking of Nine...
I also thought Eccleston's problems were with the directors, not the producers.
I think this could be very good to get the series back on an even keel.
Don't want any old Doctors back (I miss them a lot, especially Eccleston, but in this at least move on), only for one-off specials.
Speaking of Nine...
Worth noting you're the only one saying negative things here, probably because of what we've gone through with Chibbers, to have someone competent back is good. And as I believe Starkers said, Years and Years is quite good.
I also thought Eccleston's problems were with the directors, not the producers.
I think this could be very good to get the series back on an even keel.
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Absolutely. And I am honestly wondering if its a gamble he set for himself to win. Cause either way he brought the show back - but what if he kills it, too?
In any case, while I absolutely agree with your take that this WON'T be 2008 Who, I still hope for a return to the plethora of that era - one flagship show, and two spin-offs going. Heck, I'd settle for just Who year by year!
I don't have the quotes in front of me, but Eccleston said that, by the end of series 1 filming, his relationships with Phil Collinson and Davies were gone.
I'd imagine it'll be a soft reboot like in 2005 and hopefully one that won't be quickly abandoned like Chibnall did with his.
Just leave the Jo Martin Doctor for Big Finish to play with.
Wow. This is genuinely surprising.
Mostly because Davies had been so adamant about not returning in years past as just a single-episode writer and because he's been so busy with high-profile projects like Years and Years and It's a Sin. That makes me me think he's only stepping in for the anniversary and a single season as a placeholder while giving the BBC more time to search for a more permanent (relatively speaking) showrunner.
I have to agree with Alynn, Starkers, and whoever else said that Davies is a different writer than he was back in 2008 and Doctor Who will be better for it. Hell, Davies was a different writer in 2008 than he was in 2005 because I argue his best work was in series four. So I can only hope for a fresher take and not replay of the stuff I really loathed during most of his tenure.
In fact, I discovered her just after the news broke that Whittaker announced she was leaving and speculation about her the next Doctor ran rampant. I saw multiple suggest her...and other people groaning at that thought. I had no idea who she was and discovered she was in Years and Years, a show I had heard plenty of but never got around to watching it. So thanks to her, I've now watched (and loved!) that show and now I also think she would be brilliant as The Doctor.
I also like the speculation in this thread that Davies might convince Whittaker to stick around for one more year but it seems unlikely at this point.
Mostly because Davies had been so adamant about not returning in years past as just a single-episode writer and because he's been so busy with high-profile projects like Years and Years and It's a Sin. That makes me me think he's only stepping in for the anniversary and a single season as a placeholder while giving the BBC more time to search for a more permanent (relatively speaking) showrunner.
I have to agree with Alynn, Starkers, and whoever else said that Davies is a different writer than he was back in 2008 and Doctor Who will be better for it. Hell, Davies was a different writer in 2008 than he was in 2005 because I argue his best work was in series four. So I can only hope for a fresher take and not replay of the stuff I really loathed during most of his tenure.
I would love Lydia West as the next Doctor!
In fact, I discovered her just after the news broke that Whittaker announced she was leaving and speculation about her the next Doctor ran rampant. I saw multiple suggest her...and other people groaning at that thought. I had no idea who she was and discovered she was in Years and Years, a show I had heard plenty of but never got around to watching it. So thanks to her, I've now watched (and loved!) that show and now I also think she would be brilliant as The Doctor.
I also like the speculation in this thread that Davies might convince Whittaker to stick around for one more year but it seems unlikely at this point.
