Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner

[Mr Awe]

Well... looks like it's not Lydia West.

https://deadline.com/2022/04/its-a-...ia-clarkson-espionage-series-gray-1234996243/

That's a shame.

On the positive side that puts Kris Marshall back in the running.

Theoretically, there might still be a possibility for Lydia West. Filming starts on this show in June. Apparently, the DW filming is in two blocks, one starting soon and the other starting in November. At least that's my understanding.

While the separate blocks are likely related to filming the 60th special separately, it would also allow her to appear in the other series as this other show's filming could be between the two DW blocks.

I'm not saying that's what will happen. Just that this news doesn't seem to totally rule it out. Unless there are other details I'm not aware of.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Theoretically, there might still be a possibility for Lydia West. Filming starts on this show in June. Apparently, the DW filming is in two blocks, one starting soon and the other starting in November. At least that's my understanding.

While the separate blocks are likely related to filming the 60th special separately, it would also allow her to appear in the other series as this other show's filming could be between the two DW blocks.

I'm not saying that's what will happen. Just that this news doesn't seem to totally rule it out. Unless there are other details I'm not aware of.

That's a fair argument and I like that to be true. Still feels like a long shot.

(Thank you for putting up an actual argument as oppose to dismissing it!)

 

[Brendan Moody]

The first block of Doctor Who runs through the end of July, so there’s no room for West to be in it and do this other show. To keep the hope alive, you have to imagine a “multiple specials with other Doctors, then a series with West in the second block” scenario.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Theoretically, there might still be a possibility for Lydia West. Filming starts on this show in June. Apparently, the DW filming is in two blocks, one starting soon and the other starting in November. At least that's my understanding..

April-July then late Septenber/early October onwards, IIRC

 

[Mr Awe]

That's a fair argument and I like that to be true. Still feels like a long shot.

(Thank you for putting up an actual argument as oppose to dismissing it!)

I'd agree, a longshot!

 

[Captaindemotion]

In one for the overactive imaginations department, Rachel Talalay posted a pic of herself with Peter Capaldi on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CcItYYoqZbG/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

[Lonemagpie]

In one for the overactive imaginations department, Rachel Talalay posted a pic of herself with Peter Capaldi on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CcItYYoqZbG/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Catching up and comparing hairdos.

 

[StCoop]

Speaking of pictures of Capaldi...

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Stuff like that really confirm the existence of this little thing called fate...

 

[Mr Awe]

Speaking of pictures of Capaldi...

I love that picture!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Speaking of pictures of Capaldi...

"I AMMM younger!" lol

 

[Tuskin38]

Chibnall expects RTD to ignore some what he has done. But that's just his personal opinion, he has no inside knowledge that he actually will.

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/chris-chibnall-russell-t-davies-ignore-doctor-who-newsupdate/

Saying that most new showrunner usually ignore something previous ones have done.

 

[StCoop]

He really is a miserable sod. He barely does any promotion for the show and when he does he spends most of the time talking about how desperately he wanted to leave.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-...uit-doctor-who-says-showrunner-chris-chibnall

Thank God we're getting someone who knows how to do PR back in charge.

 

[Steve Roby]

He really is a miserable sod. He barely does any promotion for the show and when he does he spends most of the time talking about how desperately he wanted to leave.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-...uit-doctor-who-says-showrunner-chris-chibnall

Thank God we're getting someone who knows how to do PR back in charge.

He's mainly talking about how the pandemic affected the show's production, which seems like a worthwhile topic of discussion. No one else had to produce the show under the conditions he's had to deal with.

Remember the RTD era? The last episode of series 4 aired on July 5, 2008. Moffat's Series 5 started on April 3, 2010. In between there were a few specials. They went nearly two years without doing a proper series of Doctor Who and there was no pandemic at the time, they just needed a little time off. A lot of people weren't too thrilled with RTD back then.

 

[Photoman15]

He's mainly talking about how the pandemic affected the show's production, which seems like a worthwhile topic of discussion. No one else had to produce the show under the conditions he's had to deal with.

Remember the RTD era? The last episode of series 4 aired on July 5, 2008. Moffat's Series 5 started on April 3, 2010. In between there were a few specials. They went nearly two years without doing a proper series of Doctor Who and there was no pandemic at the time, they just needed a little time off. A lot of people weren't too thrilled with RTD back then.

That was not RTD's fault. That was on the BBC and Moffatt.

 

[The Wormhole]

That was not RTD's fault. That was on the BBC and Moffatt.

Actually, the 2009 "Gap Year" was very much RTD's idea, and he had it planned as early as 2006. When he talks about it in The Writer's Tale, he says he felt that after four consecutive seasons he felt that show should take a year off, and that had he stayed with the show indefinitely there would always be similar "gap years" after every fourth season.

I know a common misconception is that 2009 happened because of Tennant's Shakespeare thing, but in fact, Tennant had advanced knowledge that Doctor Who would be taking a break that year and sought out the Shakespeare thing because of that.

 

[Starkers]

Be interesting to see if he reintroduces the notion of the gap year. On the face of it it isn't a terrible idea to be honest, especially if you at least get the odd special. I think the show needs to re-establish some level of consistency now before they go thinking about gap years (even if that consistency is that you're guaranteed a series every 18 months)

Fair dos to Chibnall if he wrote Eve of the Daleks in a week given it was quite enjoyable! He does sometimes give off the vibe that he didn't really want to be show runner. Maybe it's just his personality, maybe he was chomping at the bit to take over after Moffat but he does sometimes make you feel like he was coerced into the job!

 

[StCoop]

He does sometimes give off the vibe that he didn't really want to be show runner. Maybe it's just his personality, maybe he was chomping at the bit to take over after Moffat but he does sometimes make you feel like he was coerced into the job!

Well he's said more than once that he turned the job down several times before he accepted it. I get the feeling the BBC said it was him or nobody, so I appreciate him for that. But it's also clear that he had one eye on the exit door from the moment he started.

 

[StCoop]

Courtesy of Big Finish's Kenny Smith here's the full newspaper story that photo of Capaldi and Pertwee came from.

 

[Mr Awe]

^ I hope that young lad's acting career takes off!