Imagine it. Imagine having the longest-running and most successful sci-fi television show in the world, and securing a deal with a streaming behemoth with very deep pockets to give you unparalleled opportunity, and then flushing it all straight into the shitter because you simply couldn’t control yourself and stop liberally dousing the show in your own personal pecadillos and narrow beliefs. This is what creatives have managed to do to Doctor Who.
We have talked about this a few times before, and every time there is more news (or lack of it) about the fate of the beloved show, it simply makes the whole situation seem more unbelievable. Especially as those intimately involved with the decisions that led to this point seem to show absolutely no sign of any contrition. No hint that they accept they may have made a mistake.
The final episode of the run in the Disney+ deal saw the departure of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, and the reintroduction of Rose Tyler. Although it was apparent from the carefully chosen wording of the end credits that she may not be “the ” Doctor.
Either way, it looked like an increasingly desperate bit of stunt storytelling to generate some buzz for an as-yet non-existent new season.
In a recent interview with Current Doctor Who Magazine (via Variety), the showrunner Russell T. Davies is quoted from a production letter:
“We don’t know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page. Thanks for reading!”
Any new season would be the BBC going it alone again, so budgets would be reduced. Expecting the BBC to also admit that they got things wrong would be like waiting for your wife to take accountability after an argument.
Speaking of accountability, there are no signs of any contrition on behalf of the showrunner or core team. An admission that they might have overdone things. Stepping down to clear the way for new talent to try and salvage the televisual institution.
Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski has expressed his enthusiasm for writing Doctor Who and was once asked if he would consider the role of showrunner. He said:
“I would love nothing more in life than to take on that job, it’d be the thrill of a lifetime, but we’ll see.”
Seems like a slam dunk. So, of course, institutional moronism will ensure it never happens.
