Ooh, don't think Neil Gaiman will be back any time soon...

[The Wormhole]

I think it's less Moffat having a problem with women writers and more that he's gotten attached to a handful of male writers who already know the style and technique of writing for DW.

And as others have pointed out, Moffat has certainly had no problem with women producing and directing the show. So it seems highly unlikely he would suddenly have a problem with women writing an episode as well.

I think you may have a point there with him sticking with an established pool of writers. Another sign that he's over extending himself?

Not really. Out of the nine writers this season three are first-timers, with four writers with previous Who experience other than Moffat himself.

Since this year is Moffat's fourth season, let's compare to RTD's fourth season, which out of seven writers had two first-timers and four writers with previous Who experience other than RTD himself.

So in their fourth seasons Moffat's staff is 55% familiars 33% newbies, while RTD's staff was 71% familiars and 28% newbies.

Hmm, for the fun of it, let's compare season 2 and 3 with seasons 6 and 7. I'm leaving out seasons 1 and 5 since season 1 would have 100% newbies and would be disproportionate.

So, season 2: 7 writers, 3 experienced (42%) 4 newbies (57%)
Season 6: 8 writers 6 experienced (75%) 2 newbies (25%)

Season 3: 7 writers, 3 experienced (42%) 4 newbies (57%)
Season 7: 7 writers 6 experienced (85%) 1 newbie (12%)

Hmm, so at the end of this exercise we learn that despite this season, RTD did more of an effort to bring in new blood than Moffat has. Fun exercise, though.

 

[ATimson]

Hmm, so at the end of this exercise we learn that despite this season, RTD did more of an effort to bring in new blood than Moffat has. Fun exercise, though.

Just for the heck of it, I ran the numbers if you count licensed non-screen Doctor Who work, or work on one of the spinoffs, as experience. If you do that, it becomes more balanced between the two.

Series 1: 5 writers, 5 experienced (100%)
Series 5: 7 writers, 5 experienced (71%), 2 newbies (29%)

Series 2: 7 writers, 4 experienced (57%), 3 newbies (42%)
Series 6: 8 writers, 6 experienced (75%), 2 newbies (25%)

Series 3: 7 writers, 5 experienced (71%), 2 newbies (29%)*
Series 7: 7 writers, 6 experienced (85%), 1 newbie (12%)

Series 4: 7 writers, 6 experienced (86%), 1 newbie (14%)
Series 8: 8 writers, 5 experienced (63%), 3 newbies (37%)

* Potentially Helen Raynor's Short Trips story was written before "Daleks in Manhattan", even though it was published later, which would shift her to Experienced.

 

[The Wormhole]

^^Actually, Helen Raynor should count as experienced anyway since she wrote the Torchwood episode Ghost Machine, which aired before the Daleks in Manhattan story.

 

[ATimson]

^^Actually, Helen Raynor should count as experienced anyway since she wrote the Torchwood episode Ghost Machine, which aired before the Daleks in Manhattan story.

Ooh, you're right, I forgot about that entirely. Shame on me.