Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner

[StCoop]

"The truth of it is that everyone lies when they leave Doctor Who and says they've moved on. I mean, I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it.

The reason I've worked on 34 programmes in my life is because I don't normally like continuing series. I like looking at a new set of challenges every time and a blank page – but Doctor Who is always a blank page.

There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling the stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new. I wouldn't go back if it wasn't feeling new. But that's the thing about Doctor Who – every episode is new. I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, 'God, I've never written in this territory before – this is strange and new' – so it's always new. It's a self-renewing show."

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/russell-t-davies-tv-100-interview/

 

[matthunter]

"I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax"

Is he working on a Queer As Folk sequel first?

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Does anyone else sense a semi-reboot coming up? Like, not the traditional hand-off regeneration/post-regeneration story and the like?

 

[matthunter]

a semi-reboot

Queer As Folk sequel?

 

[jaime]

Does anyone else sense a semi-reboot coming up? Like, not the traditional hand-off regeneration/post-regeneration story and the like?

Yes.
Am not happy about that if I am honest, but… spidey senses tingling. I think it would be a bad idea.

 

[Starkers]

Yes.
Am not happy about that if I am honest, but… spidey senses tingling. I think it would be a bad idea.

Yeah I can see this too.

 

[The Wormhole]

Technically, every time a new showrunner takes over, the show undergoes a "semi-reboot." But assuming you mean more of a reboot then usual, I'll point out fandom has believed something similar would happen before, only to be proven wrong. I remember before TEOT aired everyone was thinking it was going to end in a Trek XI style reboot where Gallifrey and the Time Lords are restored and the timeline is drastically altered back the Classic Era status quo so that Moffat could make the show more of a direct and seamless continuation to Classic Who. And then that didn't happen.

 

[jaime]

Technically, every time a new showrunner takes over, the show undergoes a "semi-reboot." But assuming you mean more of a reboot then usual, I'll point out fandom has believed something similar would happen before, only to be proven wrong. I remember before TEOT aired everyone was thinking it was going to end in a Trek XI style reboot where Gallifrey and the Time Lords are restored and the timeline is drastically altered back the Classic Era status quo so that Moffat could make the show more of a direct and seamless continuation to Classic Who. And then that didn't happen.

My spidey sense didn’t tingle at that at all. Or even hear of it. But at the moment, on screen, 99 percent of the universe is a smoking wreck, there’s a pregnant couple of what looks like proto time lords despite it being the present, and a proto universe next door that might be about to get its own Timeless Child delivered to it by the one from this universe, ready to start the whole thing up again. And it’s just the sort of thing that people who don’t look too closely, or don’t think much about the positive weight a certain level of continuity brings — especially to long running shows — will think is awfully clever, or meta.
(And it’s been done twice before, but with more care and in the books where not many people notice)
I fear the baby is about to be thrown out with the bath water, likely in a an attempt to explain the existence of the time vortex when the plug is pulled.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I'm not even predisposed to anything about it yet anyway, just a feeling I have from both what Moffat and RTD said about what's coming.

(on a sidenote: RTD didn't want Moffat to spoil him with what he was planning for his 11/12 series, but Moffat seems all too pleased to have a taste of what's coming - i love those guys!)

 

[Mr Awe]

Does anyone else sense a semi-reboot coming up? Like, not the traditional hand-off regeneration/post-regeneration story and the like?

Honestly, no, I don't get that sense. Of course, none of us really knows. However, RTD is the guy who brought DW back after a long break and it wasn't a reboot. It was a continuation of the classic series. If he had that tendency or mindset favoring that approach, 2005 would've been a perfect time to reboot the series (I'm glad he didn't!).

There had been a long break and a new batch of potential fans wouldn't have really cared if it was a reboot. In fact, being a reboot and starting from scratch might've been a plus for potential new fans. Although, I'm sure many long-term fans would not have been happy.

Rebooting it now isn't as optimal because it might actually cause confusion. It's directly following the preceding season.

In reality, each new showrunner, or even each new Doctor, is a mini reboot. I don't think it'll be more than that when RTD returns. It'll have a new Doctor, companions, a new tone, etc. but be a continuation. After all, this is also a guy who grew up loving the original series and actually brought it back as a continuation.

I'm just not feeing a reboot here.

 

[The Knappos]

Does anyone else sense a semi-reboot coming up? Like, not the traditional hand-off regeneration/post-regeneration story and the like?

You imply a disparity where none exists.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I'm just saying. I genuinely don't care. I just want this show to be great again, and I trust RTD can make it so.

 

[Jedman67]

Honestly, no, I don't get that sense. Of course, none of us really knows. However, RTD is the guy who brought DW back after a long break and it wasn't a reboot. It was a continuation of the classic series. If he had that tendency or mindset favoring that approach, 2005 would've been a perfect time to reboot the series (I'm glad he didn't!).

There had been a long break and a new batch of potential fans wouldn't have really cared if it was a reboot. In fact, being a reboot and starting from scratch might've been a plus for potential new fans. Although, I'm sure many long-term fans would not have been happy.

Rebooting it now isn't as optimal because it might actually cause confusion. It's directly following the preceding season.

In reality, each new showrunner, or even each new Doctor, is a mini reboot. I don't think it'll be more than that when RTD returns. It'll have a new Doctor, companions, a new tone, etc. but be a continuation. After all, this is also a guy who grew up loving the original series and actually brought it back as a continuation.

I'm just not feeing a reboot here.

He might ignore the weird continuity of the Timeless Child, or brush it off, but I don't think he"ll pretend that any of it never happened (unless Chibnall is planning a reboot with Jodies departure)
Im honestly not particularly interested in the current DW adventures, the few episodes I watched bored me.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Does anyone else sense a semi-reboot coming up? Like, not the traditional hand-off regeneration/post-regeneration story and the like?

While I would like that -- it's pretty much what I've wanted with every regeneration since 2010, the previous Doctor walking off into the sunset with an open-ended ending, the next Doctor's era beginning with an established Doctor -- I feel that RTD wouldn't do that this time because it's kinda new territory for him. I mean, yes, he had to regenerate Eccleston to Tennant in 2005, but that's RTD passing the baton from himself to himself. He's never had to pick up someone else's baton and run with it. It's a challenge he's not had as a Doctor Who writer before.

 

[Starkers]

While I would like that -- it's pretty much what I've wanted with every regeneration since 2010, the previous Doctor walking off into the sunset with an open-ended ending, the next Doctor's era beginning with an established Doctor -- I feel that RTD wouldn't do that this time because it's kinda new territory for him. I mean, yes, he had to regenerate Eccleston to Tennant in 2005, but that's RTD passing the baton from himself to himself. He's never had to pick up someone else's baton and run with it. It's a challenge he's not had as a Doctor Who writer before.

I agree, and while he did start Eccelston as an established Doctor, I do think part of that was to ease new viewers in, most of whom wouldn't have a clue about regeneration. That's arguably a mistake the TVM made by having McCoy at the start.

I think now not only do most viewers understand the concept of regeneration, but it's also expected, people look forward to their first glimpse of the new Doctor.

The benefit of not showing the regeneration is that you could argue the 14th Doctor doesn't have to be the 14th, they could be the 25th for all we know!

Time will tell.

 

[DigificWriter]

We know we'll see Jodie actually start to regenerate during the closing moments of the Centenary Special, so it would be difficult (although not completely impossible) for RTD to start the 60th Anniversary Special 'in media res' with the new Doctor and not show us the regeneration itself.

I personally don't doubt that we'll see the actual regeneration in full; I just don't believe that the full thing will be shown in the Centenary Special.

What I believe will happen is that Chibnall will show us the beginning of the regeneration in the closing moments of the Centenary Special, and then we'll have to wait over a year for RTD to show us the second half in the opening moments of the 60th Anniversary Special.

 

[Timby]

We know we'll see Jodie actually start to regenerate during the closing moments of the Centenary Special, so it would be difficult (although not completely impossible) for RTD to start the 60th Anniversary Special 'in media res' with the new Doctor and not show us the regeneration itself.

I personally don't doubt that we'll see the actual regeneration in full; I just don't believe that the full thing will be shown in the Centenary Special.

What I believe will happen is that Chibnall will show us the beginning of the regeneration in the closing moments of the Centenary Special, and then we'll have to wait over a year for RTD to show us the second half in the opening moments of the 60th Anniversary Special.

Why the fuck do you keep referring to a centenary special? Doctor Who won't have been around for a hundred years.

Edit: Oh, wait, I forgot, you're the guy who kept insisting that Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League could never be released due to union things or whatever.

 

[Starkers]

In fairness to DigificWriter he's referring to the episode which forms part of the BBC's centenary 1922-2022, that's Jodie's last episode.

 

[Timby]

In fairness to DigificWriter he's referring to the episode which forms part of the BBC's centenary 1922-2022, that's Jodie's last episode.

That's fair, I'll accept the loss on that. My bad.

 

[StCoop]

That's fair, I'll accept the loss on that. My bad.

For someone who's an Administrator here you act like the worst sort of troll.