The Big Who News
If you’re an avid Whovian, then you are already aware of the big announcement made this weekend. If not, then allow me to break the news to you. There are three parts to the news, so here it is:
- There will only be one episode of Doctor Who this year (2016)–the Christmas special. Season 10 will broadcast in the Spring of 2017.
- There will be a new companion for Season 10.
- Season 10 will be Steven Moffat’s last as show-runner.
OK, so the second piece of news is not really a surprise, but the first and third? If you’ve been following my Season 9 reviews, you’ll know that I already suspected Moffat’s tenure is coming to an end. In my review of the Christmas special (“The Husbands of River Song”) I noted rumors that Season 10 could be Capaldi’s last as the Doctor. Those are still rumors, but it’s not unprecedented for a change of show-runner to come with a change of lead actor (e.g., Russell T. Davies left with David Tennant). This gives the new show-runner a clean slate, his own Doctor, and the opportunity to start fresh. On the other hand, keeping Capaldi around for another year allows the new guy the chance to settle in, surrounded by people who know the ropes. So I could go either way on this one.
Who is the new guy? The show-runner for Season 11 (broadcasting, presumably, in 2018), will be Chris Chibnall. Chris wrote the Who episodes “42” from Season 3 (“burn with me!”), “The Hungry Earth” & “Cold Blood” from Season 5 (the return of the Silurians), “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship” from Season 7 (the one with Filtch and Lestrade), and “The Power of Three” also from Season 7 (the one with the little black boxes). Chris has been a fan of the show since childhood, and was a member of the Liverpool branch of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society in the 1980s. In fact, he was part of a panel discussing the show on BBC’s “Open Air” show in 1986. Here’s a clip (watch for “Chris” in glasses and an off-center yellow tie):
Perhaps a foretaste of what to expect from the new show-runner? [Note: A better quality version of this clip can be found as an extra on disc 4 of the DVD set “Trial of a Time Lord.”] Chris Chibnall was also head writer for Who spin-off series Torchwood, and for Law and Order: UK. He also wrote the highly popular series Broadchurch starring David Tennant. So I think Who will be in very capable hands.
My thought’s on Moffat’s departure? Again, if you’ve been following my Who Reviews, you can probably guess my feelings. Moff’s a great writer, and did wonderful work under RTD. Hopes were high that the same caliber of storytelling would persist under his leadership. That hasn’t been the case. There have been some excellent stories over the past five years, but only occasionally has Moff grazed the heights of his best work pre-2010 (“The Empty Child”, “Blink”). He will go down in Who history as the show-runner who took Who to the rest of the world (particularly the States), his crowning achievement being the 50th Anniversary Special, and its 90+ country simulcast. Moff still has another season to go, so maybe his best is yet to come, but I think it’s time for a change at the top. And in Chris, I think he’s chosen well.
So we have a bit of a break between now and the next episode of Who. A good opportunity to get caught up if you’re behind. I’ll continue to post reviews of the Classic Series, but it looks like we’ll have to wait until Christmas for the next new episode.
Your thoughts?
I’ve only just started watching Doctor Who; I just started season 2, so I can’t really have an opinion on this! Although, I did love “The Empty Child”, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of his stuff.
YAY! A new Whovian!! 😀 Oh, you’ve got so much good stuff to look forward to, Laura. I hope you enjoy every moment. 🙂
Despite Doctor Who being my favorite show for several years, I quit watching a while back because I couldn’t stand the direction Moffat was going in. I’ll always appreciate Moffat for writing some of the best stand-alone episodes from RTD’s era and also for my favorite overall series (it’s five), but I’m glad to see he’s leaving. I’m cautiously optimistic about Chibnall taking the helm and I hope this means I’ll be able to come back to the show I loved so much.
Hi, Rachael! Long time no see. How are you? 🙂
Moffat’s era has been inconsistent–at least for me–though never so much that I stopped watching. There have been times when he has come close to losing me, but he always managed to redeem himself. Just. I would encourage you to take a dip into some of the last three or four seasons. I enjoyed Season 7, Matt’s last, probably the best Matt Smith season. I also liked the way Amy and Rory’s story resolved. Obviously, I have no idea what specific issues you had with Moff’s era, but perhaps there’s something redeemable for you? 🙂
Really, the only things we can be assured of with Chris Chibnall is that he has the fan-boy pedigree, so he understands the show and the fandom, and he’s got the writer chops, especially with a series like “Broadchurch” to his credit. But none of this is a guarantee he will give us great Who. But we didn’t have that much assurance with RTD either back in 2005. He too was a fanboy from childhood, and had also demonstrated his writing chops with numerous successful TV shows. But show-running Who..? I hope Chris does an amazing job. We’ll see. 🙂
Hi! I’m good. 🙂 Been lurking around but not commenting. I’ll try to do that more often!
I actually have seen quite a bit, all of Matt’s (as my favorite Doctor, I wouldn’t have left him) and I really wanted to give Capaldi a chance. “Listen” was the last episode I watched. I enjoyed some episodes of six and seven more than others—particularly the ones not dealing with the overarching plot. “Nightmare in Silver” comes to mind in particular; Matt Smith was truly brilliant in that episode.
It was really the 50th Anniversary that killed me. I wanted it to be incredible and instead it was Moffat outright ignoring the history of the show (the Time War was locked, it could not be changed, and even more so End of Time showed that it shouldn’t be even if it could). If Rose could bring death and destruction down on the world because she saved the life of one man, then why could the Doctor run around changing fixed events with zero consequences?
I also wasn’t fond of Moffat’s tendency toward companions who were mysteries to be solved, as opposed to RTD’s companions that were ordinary people who did extraordinary things. Don’t get me wrong, I adored Amy, and Rory is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. I just wish Amy hadn’t been chosen because her house was too big for one little girl and Clara because she was continuously dying.
Anyway, it’s always a bit of a gamble when it comes to a new showrunner. He does have Broadchurch, but Doctor Who is a global beast. Still, I have my fingers crossed.
I enjoyed the 50th, though, yeah, Moff does play a little fast-and-loose with those “fixed points in time.” Exactly what constitutes a fixed point in time anyway? Why are some events fixed and others not? I don’t recall that ever being an issue in the Classic series–just warnings about changing history (which the Doctor constantly ignored). 🙂
And I liked the idea of Clara “the impossible girl,” but I think you’re right. After season 7, and the mystery of Clara was solved, what then? After all that, her character kind of anti-climaxed by becoming normal, which is not a good thing. Might it not have been better for Clara to be the school teacher from the get-go, and the “impossible girl” be a side character that keeps showing up?
But, like I said, I still enjoyed the episodes, and I’m looking forward to whatever comes next. 🙂
All excellent questions. I think I would have been okay with it if Moffat had attempted an explanation of fixed points and justified how they were changing them. Hindsight is 20/20; I enjoyed the 50th but only until it was over.
I think having an impossible girl side character could have worked. Or it would have been better for Clara to be the school teacher companion and the “Impossible Girl” mystery to start after we already knew her—like Bad Wolf for Rose and Doctor Donna for Donna. In a way, they were both mysteries too but they were people first.
I’m glad you still find enjoyment in it. I hope the rest of Moffat’s era and the start of Chibnall’s proves well. 🙂
Heh, so my contribution to my favourite Moffatt episodes is… all of Coupling *grin*. But I have to thank you, Colin, because I was able to pass on news to my young Whovian that he didn’t know. It’s actually great timing considering he’s just about to start watching old episodes – now he has time to catch up.
YESSS! *High Five*!! So pleased I could make you the cool Mum who knows Who stuff before her Whovian child!! 😀 Yes, he has all year to catch up. You do to, Anita… 🙂
And, I admit, Coupling was funny. Definitely not family-friendly, but clever.
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My happy dancing at cool Mum status (and yes, I think I will have to watch too)
Oh *sad face*, some of the parenthesis didn’t show
I’m not sure I can survive 2016 with only one new Who episode! LOL A few of the episodes Chris did were my favorites so I’m excited for him. Not to mention he’s a Whovian himself. Hopefully, his passion for the show translates well when he’s writing for it. =D
It will be odd having no Who at all until Christmas. At least in 2009 we had the Easter, Autumn, and Christmas specials. This is the year with the least Who since 2005. Well, I survived 1996-2005, so I should be okay. Besides, I have plenty of Classic Who to keep me going.
I find the reasons the BBC gave for the Who-less year interesting. The Olympics? The 2012 Olympics in London didn’t stop Who from being made and broadcast that year. It seems more probable to me that Moff is devoting more time to Sherlock, given the next season of that is supposed to air in early 2017.
And I agree, it will be interesting to see what Chris does with the show. 🙂
A year of No Who is going to be very odd. Will be interesting to see how this showrunner gets on, it’s not an easy role to fill.
NoNuWho till Christmas is going to be tough. I’ll survive on Classic Who (as you can see from the reviews!), but it does make me anticipate next year even more–especially as it will be Moff’s last. I’m hoping it’ll be his best. Will Chris Chibnall write any stories for season 10? He hasn’t written for Capaldi yet. If he does, you know that story will get intense scrutiny now. 🙂