News RUMOR: Whittaker potentially leaving

[Mr Awe]

Time for my heretical view, with which many of you will not agree. The Beeb should probably wrap the whole thing up in the next couple of years and then never commission another series of Doctor Who ever again. I think it's fine having a female Doctor, it's just that I think the pool of story ideas was exhausted long ago and attempts to keep things fresh haven't worked for long if at all - flashes of brilliance and then periods of absolute drivel. We could do with something completely new to obsess about. I'll get my coat...

Well, I do suspect DW will have a rest soon. But it'll be when Chibnall leaves and it'll be hard to find someone to replace him who would be willing to do all the worked required to keep an already complex to produce show going and find a way to rejuvenate a long-standing program. That person has to be willing to do all that for an existing program rather than working on a new program of their own invention. It's a tall order.

A rest is likely until such a person can be found and interest builds up.

On the other hand, it'll always be possible to find someone will to play the Doctor.

So, the showrunner is the tougher part to fill.

 

[Mr Awe]

I don't think the pool of ideas is exhausted. The show can literally tell any kind of story; comedy, sci-fi, romance, horror, thriller, murder mystery, war story, action and adventure. It needs a better showrunner and it probably needs a US style writers' room (which I thought Chibnall had said he was going to do but doesn't seem to have..

I agree that we need a better showrunner.

I was at Gallifrey One in 2020 and they had several writers from his era--Joy Wilkinson and Vinay Patel. They both discussed how Chibnall worked extensively with the writers beyond what you see on screen. It sounds like they have kind of an informal writers room. At least that's the impression I got. I do like the idea of having it formalized.

 

[Ithekro]

Isn't it fairly typical now for the actor playing the Doctor to stay for three series? I think Tennant and Smith were offered a fourth series but declined. I don't recall if Capaldi was offered a fourth or not. I know the filming for Doctor Who is very taxing (lots of running). Whittaker leaving after her third series wouldn't be unusual at all. It would be the normal pattern.

I am hoping for a Four or Six Doctors like story for the 60th though.

 

[The Wormhole]

the showrunner is the tougher part to fill.

Indeed, and that has always been the case, and BBC has always been reluctant when it comes to finding new showrunners. When RTD made his decision to leave BBC reportedly offered him a substantial raise to say, RTD himself described it in The Writer's Tale as "backing a dump truck full of cash onto my driveway." When he refused that, serious conversations were had about ending the show. Years later, Moffat actually did succumb to the pressure to stay on past when he planned to leave, which is why we had a gap year in 2016. And we know an offer to become showrunner was made to Toby Whithouse who refused, indeed he ever refused a temporary showrunner offer that was made after that as well.

I think Tennant and Smith were offered a fourth series but declined.

Tennant's contract was a bit of a unique situation, it actually specified a calendar date for termination rather than an amount of seasons, he was under contract until 2010. As 2010 approached, he was also offered the "dump truck full of cash" to stay on, and Moffat had been having talks with him about staying for his first season as showrunner, but he ultimately declined. Smith was never offered a fourth season, indeed during his third he was starting to get antsy about leaving, which is why BBC turned season 7 into a split season, that way he'd still be contractually obligated to remain for 2013 and be the incumbent Doctor for the fiftieth anniversary. And even then, they actually had to negotiate a separate contract for him to be in Day of the Doctor.

 

[Sketcher]

Why is it such a challenge to fill the showrunner position in the UK? In the US it seems to be an aspiration to work your way through the ranks to become showrunner, wether the show is your own creation or not.

 

[matthunter]

Why is it such a challenge to fill the showrunner position in the UK? In the US it seems to be an aspiration to work your way through the ranks to become showrunner, wether the show is your own creation or not.

Because it's a massive property and a fuckton of work.

And anyone who wants the job is likely a major fan of the show and doesn't want the Twitter nutfuckery from other "fans".

 

[JD]

I agree that we need a better showrunner.

I was at Gallifrey One in 2020 and they had several writers from his era--Joy Wilkinson and Vinay Patel. They both discussed how Chibnall worked extensively with the writers beyond what you see on screen. It sounds like they have kind of an informal writers room. At least that's the impression I got. I do like the idea of having it formalized.

Do British shows not have writers rooms?
In the US a writers room is a standard part of every show.
From what I've read in the US pretty much every script is more or less written by the entire writing staff.
Each episode starts with the writers room breaking it down together, then it's passed off to the writer or writers for the script, then once they're done it's given one last pass by the showrunner.

 

[The Wormhole]

Why is it such a challenge to fill the showrunner position in the UK? In the US it seems to be an aspiration to work your way through the ranks to become showrunner, wether the show is your own creation or not.

The reasons vary but in regards to being Doctor Who showrunner people are wary of the added publicity that comes with it or aren't interested in being showrunner on a show they didn't create. Both have been the stated reasons for showrunners leaving the show or refusing the position when offered.

Do British shows not have writers rooms?

No, they don't.

From what I've read in the US pretty much every script is more or less written by the entire writing staff.
Each episode starts with the writers room breaking it down together, then it's passed off to the writer or writers for the script, then once they're done it's given one last pass by the showrunner.

In Britain, the writer either comes up with an entire episode on their own, or is assigned a plot from the showrunner. They then write the script, had it in, the showrunner does re-writes, and that's that. Part of the reason it's done this way versus the American way is due to the unique way British copyright laws work.

 

[JD]

Interesting, I didn't realize that TV production was that different in the UK.

 

[Relayer1]

Interesting, I didn't realize that TV production was that different in the UK.

I think the U.S and the U.K. both tend to assume the other is pretty much like them in most things.

And we're both wrong quite a lot of the time...

 

[Mr Awe]

Why is it such a challenge to fill the showrunner position in the UK? In the US it seems to be an aspiration to work your way through the ranks to become showrunner, wether the show is your own creation or not.

To begin with, DW is an unusually complex production with scripts and set designs that are not typical. It's also an aging, existing franchise which many showrunners shy away from. If they're going to put in a lot of work, they want it to be for their own creation. Additionally, this program has a tough to please fan base.

Added to all those traditional problems, the show is now in decline. Consequently, a new show runner would now need to rejuvenate an old, declining series with an upset fan base. There is also the risk of being labeled as the person who killed the program too if they are not successful!

What really killed the classic series was the inability to find a producer who was willing to run an old, declining series, that was always hard to produce in the best of times. There were other issues too. The top brass didn't like JNT, but there was also no one who wanted to take over for JNT. So, when he left, the show was done.

 

[Starkers]

The showrunner thing is an interesting one. Who's the Call the Midwife showrunner? Who's the Silent Witness showrunner? There are producers in the background but no one as front and centre as the Who showrunner is. Don't get me wrong, one of the reasons I loved RTD (sort of) and Moffat Who was because there was a clear vision to their versions of the show that made them stand out. RTD was the PT Barnum showman, all bright lights, loud music and bombast, roll up, roll up, see the amazing Cyber-Man! Moffat was the stage magician, smoke and mirrors, misdirection and sleight of hand melded with fairy tale wonder. Chibnall is...well that's the problem, what is Chibnall's version of Who. A knockoff version of RTD's without the verve and gusto and without the kind of larger than life Doctor who can own the part the way Tennant/Smith/Capaldi could?

Maybe it's time for a background showrunner, a more corporate approach. Who won't be the must see telly if often was with 10 and 11, but it would at least be competent and enjoyable whereas at the moment too often it's just a bit meh.

Who knows that, fewer episodes and a new front (wo)man and maybe Chibnall Who can get better?

 

[Jayson1]

They should put Simon Peg in charge. Maybe even make Nick Frost as the new Doctor. I mean at this point go big with a big name splash. Charlie Booker is another good name to look at, Phoebe Waller Bridge as well.


Jason

 

[Starkers]

I think PWB has enough work on her hands at the moment, and Pegg would have to drop his film work to take this kind of gig. And why would they? They earn way more doing other things. Same for who you get to play the Doctor. Aside from Eccleston and Capaldi, every modern Doctor has been a relative unknown/jobbing actor before they got the part. Could the BBC even afford a Hugh Grant or a Michael Sheen for the part (always assuming an actor would want the job for any length of time)

What the BBC really need is to find the 21st century equivalent of Tom Baker.

 

[cultcross]

The showrunner thing is an interesting one. Who's the Call the Midwife showrunner? Who's the Silent Witness showrunner?

You know, that guy!
Thingy, come on, you know who I mean. He did that, em, show, about the people?

 

[Marc]

You know, that guy!
Thingy, come on, you know who I mean. He did that, em, show, about the people?

Was curious so looked it up.

The show runners/EP on Call the Midwife are both women, one is the show creator (Heidi Thomas) and has done quite a bit of tv writing and has writer experience., the other has plenty of EP experience.

Thomas also commented that being both a show writer and EP give total control of one's work but perhaps Doctor Who needs a separation of the two - you write or you EP doing both doesn't always seem to work well for the show.

There's also the option where the star of the show takes on producer/executive producer role but I think the lead in Doctor Who has enough to do as it.

 

[XCV330]

Time for my heretical view, with which many of you will not agree. The Beeb should probably wrap the whole thing up in the next couple of years and then never commission another series of Doctor Who ever again. I think it's fine having a female Doctor, it's just that I think the pool of story ideas was exhausted long ago and attempts to keep things fresh haven't worked for long if at all - flashes of brilliance and then periods of absolute drivel. We could do with something completely new to obsess about. I'll get my coat...

I would agree

but

not until they give Richard Ayoade the keys to the Tardis

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

One story out there has opinions on who the next Doctor should be (big shock, right?). Michael Sheen is mentioned, and I'll tell you, when watching Good Omens, I got one "hell" of a Doctor vibe from Sheen, while I thought Tennant would make an excellent Master vs a Sheen Doctor.

 

[Relayer1]

They should put Simon Peg in charge.

I'd have probably agreed had I not seen "Beyond".

One story out there has opinions on who the next Doctor should be (big shock, right?). Michael Sheen is mentioned, and I'll tell you, when watching Good Omens, I got one "hell" of a Doctor vibe from Sheen, while I thought Tennant would make an excellent Master vs a Sheen Doctor.

I have favourites - Sheen or Ayoade certainly, but I'd still like to see Chris Marshall get a shot. I know he's a bit obvious and certainly less 'edgy' but I think he'd do well.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I'd have probably agreed had I not seen "Beyond".


I have favourites - Sheen or Ayoade certainly, but I'd still like to see Chris Marshall get a shot. I know he's a bit obvious and certainly less 'edgy' but I think he'd do well.

As an American, no one is really "obvious" to me. The only one I've seen in anything is Sheen, and he could do a manic Doctor really well I reckon. A melange of Tom, Sylvester, David and Matt maybe?