Summary
- Russell T. Davies returned as Doctor Who showrunner to protect it from streaming executive interference.
- Davies brought fresh ideas, including animation and new plotlines through Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor.
- Fans anticipate a positive shift for the show in Season 2 under Davies' leadership.
Doctor Who is once more under the watchful eye of the modern era’s most important showrunner, and while fans were glad to see him back for more work on the franchise, the audience had no clear idea why he returned until now.
Doctor Who has existed for decades thanks to its ability to justify switching out its lead actor with the in-universe gimmick of regeneration, which sees the titular Doctor return to life in a different physical form after taking lethal damage. This path to longevity has also resulted in an equally dynamic cast of supporting characters and franchise heads over the decades, with some being better received than others. One particularly notable showrunner from recent times is Russell T. Davies, who did the hard work it took to bring the show back with a reboot in 2005 after a lengthy hiatus and stepped away after the fourth season of the new era. After two other showrunners took turns at the reins, Davies would make his return in 2021 and fans would ponder what this development could mean for the franchise.
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Since his return, Davies has returned to form, trying new things like Doctor Who doing animation for the first time in the show’s long history and exploring many different new ideas through Ncuti Gatwa’s current iteration as the Doctor. While those ideas appeal to many fans of the modern series, the question of what inspired Davies to return has also been just as prominent and now viewers have their answer. Speaking on frequent collaborator and Doctor Who legend David Tennant’s podcast, Davies explained the ideas that led him back to his role at the head of the franchise. "There was already a move from the BBC to shift it to a streamer,” Davies revealed. “I kind of thought it would need protecting and they very honestly said that to me, 'We’re gonna need a producer who can deal with 1,000 executives,' which is what it’s like." Here Davies refers to the deal that saw Doctor Who make a big play in the international market by joining other big franchises in the streaming market on Disney+.
Fans need not look far to see that Davies has indeed had to deal with executives extensively. The brass at Disney reportedly balked at the reception for the first season of the show , despite the final Doctor Who viewing figures providing a positive outlook for its future. As for needing protection, it’s hard to imagine what Davies meant by the comment, as the man himself is no stickler for tradition or against working new angles on the show. If the idea was to stop the execs from trying to cash in on the franchise’s history, that ship also sailed with Tennant’s Doctor getting a permanent backseat pass under Davies’ watch. At the end of the day, it’s likely that he just wanted the franchise to be under the purview of someone he knew wanted the best for it at heart. After all, if you want something done well, you have to do it yourself.
All in all, it seems Davies is likely the right man for the job at this turbulent point in time, if only to keep a steady hand on the wheel with no churn. It remains to be seen if his leadership can turn the show’s initial problems on streaming back on track. For now, fans can look forward to a Doctor Who season set away from Earth in a positive change of pace for the show, courtesy of Davies’ vision for the show.
Doctor Who is available to stream on Disney+ in the United States.
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
- Created by
- Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson
- Upcoming TV Shows
- The War Between The Land and Sea
BBC's Doctor Who debuted in 1963, with the franchise producing more than 25 seasons since then. Along with the beloved main sci-fi show(s), the franchise has spawned multiple spin-offs, books, games, etc.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Latest Episode
- The Empire of Death
- Cast
- William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Ncuti Gatwa
- Where to watch
- Max
- Spin-offs
- Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures
- Creation Year
- 1963
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Source: David Tennant