The Future of the Show

[Alex]

I know we've had these sort of threads in the past but it does seem like the show's at a certain crossroads right now, with ratings undeniably down and critical reception mixed.

Personally I'm really enjoying it again after season eight, which I found rather tepid at times, and would love to see Capaldi go on for a good few years yet. I've mixed feelings when it comes to Moffat though, I feel he's only got one season left in him at best.

But if the BBC are panicking (and they may well not be given it's popularity worldwide) and want to change things up big time, I think next year should have an epic but shorter season - seven episodes say, but with the same budget, telling an important story within the Doctor's history (maybe the long awaited discovery of Gallifrey) with lots of crazy time travel plots and all that sort of thing. Really big sci-fi insanity, but with Who's trademark invention and warmth. Then I'd have a change of showrunner (or showrunners?), probably Whitehouse if push came to shove, and a new Doctor (shamelessly casting a hot sexy young man in the role to get the David Tennant fans back) and have two companions, and off we go again after a soft reboot.

But what would you like to see?

[Perry Vale]

But what would you like to see?

My clever answer would be....something new, something fresh. What that is though....?

I avoid all publicity these days, but am I correct in saying that this year's pre-season trailers were along the line of "The Doctor & Clara in the Tardis, same old, same old."? Think I read that somewhere.

I loved Moffat's first season, but I feel he has struggled to keep that up and served up more of the same. So it's not that I dislike his writing, but a new showrunner would freshen it up.

As for Capaldi, I haven't really warmed to him. The biggest problem for me is Clara. I like a new Doctor to get their own companion. I know Sarah Jane "straddled" the Pertwee/Baker change, but Tom did get Harry in addition. I feel Capaldi needs, or rather needed his own companion to give his era a different feel. It hasn't helped either that she is written as the saviour of so many plots/stories.

Also, and I've said this many times over, I'd like to see some bigger (and IMO better) writers being used. I know RTD didn't get JK Rowling (and I'm not a fan of hers), but what's happened to that ambition? Neil Gaiman, Richard Curtis, Simon Nye, more like that please.

[Nyder]

Well according to the Radio Times, The Moff has said he's seen the "business plan for the next 5 years, and Doctor Who is going nowhere". I hope he doesn't mean that in a creative sense


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[Andrew Curnow]

I'm enjoying it at the moment, a great deal. I just think it's no longer 'event TV' (maybe not even family TV) but that's probably as much a comment on how TV has changed even in just the past 10 years. I think Moffat will one day have to move on, not necessarily along with Capaldi - and I've long said, there's no particular reason why the 'showrunner' has to be the head writer. I'm sure there are a lot of inspirational producers who could have superb ideas, but would still need a 'proper writer' to actually script them.

I still prefer RTD's style of Who to Moffat's, but all credit to Mr M, that he's managed to keep it different and fresh over his several years - I struggled with season 6, it didn't work for me, but really loved the first half of season 7, and last year's season 8 felt fresh and new once again.

[Darren]

I don't think Doctor Who will go anywhere soon. It maybe isn't "Event" television as it used to be but more a staple part of the BBC schedule ala Eastenders, Casualty etc.

[Perry Vale]

I don't think Doctor Who will go anywhere soon.

Oh yes, I quite agree. With Murdoch and his chums heading towards scrapping the license fee, a show like DW will be a massive asset on a subscription/advertising based model.

[Alex]

I don't think Doctor Who will go anywhere soon. It maybe isn't "Event" television as it used to be but more a staple part of the BBC schedule ala Eastenders, Casualty etc.

I agree, and I'm enjoying it a lot at the moment so don't have any personal issues with the show. But I do wonder how long the beeb will put up with average-ish ratings without trying some big change, be it a new showrunner or Doctor.

[Rob McCow]

The current series has great stories, superb production values and thrilling moments, but I think it's making some key mistakes.

The biggest of which is that Clara's backstory has nothing for viewers to connect to. For a huge chunk of the audience they were Rose or Donna (or Martha a bit); but 'The Impossible Girl' is someone else. She is as mysterious as the Doctor. Her dialogue is ultra-cool-Buffy-"Hey ok let's go with the weird alien thing that you're doing there" stuff. Which is fine, but the only people who I know that talk like that are the cast of Friends. Do we all think that Moffat only writes leading women with one personality? Madame Vastra = River Song = Amy Pond = Reinette etc?

There was a bit in The Girl Who Died* where the Doctor was talking about his guilt. And I thought - could you imagine Tom Baker's Doctor in that scene? He's just having fun. I think it's the wrong direction for the show because it drags his character down. It's an interesting idea to explore, but we've been there. For fans of the New Adventures we must surely be sick sick sick of this aspect of the Doctor now.

The series will continue, there will be great stories and it will thrill audiences around the world. But I don't think it'll be as popular as 2006 or 2008 until we get a companion that is like the audience. The closest we've had is Courtney the grumpy schoolgirl. She'd be a good companion.

*Oh and PLEASE can we have no more 'The Person Who XXXX' style titles kthxbye.

[Alex]

There was a bit in The Girl Who Died* where the Doctor was talking about his guilt. And I thought - could you imagine Tom Baker's Doctor in that scene? He's just having fun. I think it's the wrong direction for the show because it drags his character down. It's an interesting idea to explore, but we've been there. For fans of the New Adventures we must surely be sick sick sick of this aspect of the Doctor now.

Yeah, I was thinking about that the other day, as much as I've liked the season it's been all rather grim, I long for more joyful throwaway stories that are colourful and crazy, and don't feature the Doctor mulling over such serious themes for once too.

[MacNimon]

I'm curious as to how much impact the viewing figures actually have, given that how the system works (one household being used as a representative of 5000 others) it can't really be very accurate. Having said that, it's the same system they've always used so the only figures they have to compare it with must also be inaccurate...I've got a feeling that audience appreciation might be the key to what happens in the future. They'll take into account how much those people who are watching it think, and tailor future seasons accordingly. Personally, I think that falling viewer figures are largely down to the novelty of the series having worn off after 10 years back on-screen, something which was bound to happen as time went on. And of course those teenage fangirls upset by the departures of Tennant and Smith won't be rushing back anytime soon...

Looking to the future, when Capaldi eventually departs I'd go for a younger Doctor but not someone as young as Tennant or Smith, someone probably in their mid-late 40s who may be attractive and hunky enough to still win back a chunk of the female audience by his appearance alone. It works fine for 007 with Daniel Craig in the role, so why not DW? Casting may not be everything but it's certainly important. I've put Kevin McKidd's name forward for the role before, and I still think he'd be perfect in the role and given a less abrasive personality than the current incarnation, but I can't see them casting another Scot so soon. And at the risk of being accused of sexism or racism, I'd steer well clear of casting a female or coloured Doctor just to appease the media...they say it's better to take risks than play it safe all the time, but imo casting Capaldi was a risk so next time round play it safe for a while before taking anther risk. I'm not criticising Capaldi in any way, but I mean the potential loss of a certain sizeable chunk of their audience who just want a hunky young actor in the role...

[Nyder]

The Audience Appreciation Index (AI) for the stories so far have been 84/83/84/83/82

The general consensus for extreme scores is:-
86-100 = excellent
0-55 = poor

So it's doing okay AI-wise


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[Si Hunt]

I think the big mistake this year was doing so many two parters. I applaud something different, but the two-parters have always been the least popular and most dragged out stories - the only really successful one was Family of Blood. On top of that there is a general lack of freshness, excitement or sense of adventure and an unpleasant undercurrent that seems to want to mould Peter Capaldi's Doctor into an embarrassing Uncle figure.

I was enjoying "Engines of War" this morning and thinking they could do a whole series set during the Time War, in the Doctors past. A sort of M.A.S.H full of freedom fighters, Daleks, camps and so on. If they wanted escape the Doctor could find a wormhole to a parallel Universe or get thrown back in time, and they could give Cappers a mid-season break and hand over to the 'current'/past Doctor (either Hurt or McGann) for an episode.

But that might be a terrible idea which I'll tire of by lunchtime.

I think we just need fresh blood - Doctor Who has always thrived on change if you look back, and every time it gets stale a new producer steps in and livens it up. Same with soaps and football managers. We need a new woman in charge.

Si.

[SiHart]

Hang on, the next showrunner could be a woman?

[Si Hunt]

I'm just saying we need new blood... whoever he OR SHE is.

Si.

[SiHart]

I think a female take on the show would be wonderful. It'd be something we've rarely had before.

[SiHart]

The biggest problem for me is the way the Doctor is being written. It's not gelling. It's inconsistent from story to story and we're not getting a feel for what he's really like.

Peter Capaldi is an amazing actor, but he's not getting the material to work with. His scenes with Davros were electrifying, and he's really good at the confrontations. yet they insist on giving him too many scenes of just dicking around. He should be electrifying in every scene, a huge commanding presence wherever he is, but it's just not happening. I wanted Peter Capaldi to play the Doctor ever since the show came back, but I'm really quite disappointed so far.
I think Si summed it up best in that they're shunting him down the "embarassing Uncle" role, rather than the grumpy, mercurial role he had last year, which suited him far better. I do wonder if there was pressure from on high to make his Doctor a little less abrasive and more likeable perhaps? If so, it's a shame.

Clara too is a problem. I don't understand the companion role any more. Why the staying at home and doing a job and adventuring on the side. It downgrades the role- it's obviously not very exciting if you want to keep your normal life. Surely the adventures and travelling should be the thing. Give us someone there full time, enjoying it because that's what drags the viewers along too. Also, the Doctor and Clara seem to be very pointedly spending a lot of time apart. This isn't helping, as it just gives the Doctor more time to dick around playing the guitar and stuff. Not so good.

[Jon Masters]

I'm not a good person to ask because I'm enjoying Who more than for a long time. I do think Moff has run his time and that a new hand in the tiller would bring some fresh ideas. Capaldi is great but only with the right material, and the writing has been very variable. I'd love a companion who isn't anything special and who doesn't save the day all the time, and even makes mistakes. I like the two parter idea but feel that they haven't been used to their best - the plots are still too simple and the extra time is filled with navel gazing emoting. Get in writers who can get a story to fill 2 parts and they could be wonderful.

My top 3 would be
Have no overarching arc, or a very explicit one a la Key to a Time. Don't waste series finales on showing us how clever you've hidden things across the series, coz we don't care.
Stop dreaming up "cool twists " ( the master's back and he's a woman) and then just dump them again
Stop raiding the programmes history unless you're going to go somewhere with it and be respectful ( I haven't seen the Zygons episode yet, but they were ruined enough in Day of the Doctor, and the clips I've seen of zapping bolts etc makes me quite cross)

[Stuart Wallis]

The navel gazing and the story arcs I do agree with. Can we have some plot development occasionally, rather than sulky Last Of The Time Lords business and clever-clever well-hidden continuity that some of us have missed just trying to follow what story there is this week?

I'll stop sounding like a scratched record one day, I promise.

[Dino]

I just can't see why a companion who is useless is such a horrible idea to today's thinking.
Chances are if the average person came across a monster in real life, they would scream. And most likely run away. Why is that so offensive to some people?
There is a massive distance between being in the thick of the action on the screen and watching it from a safe distance at home. Of course at home it looks silly seeing people scream at stuff. But that's the de-sensitizing factor of television for you.
And if we did get a clumsy accident prone companion, they were usually male.
There is humanity, and there is The Doctor who is far further ahead of even the cleverest human.
I just can't see why character's bafflement is so frowned upon.
If the companion's job is to have stuff explained to them, then what's the problem with that? Have a Doctor who doesn't have companions and just goes about his business never explaining his actions. See if that improves the ratings!
It's all about getting the viewer to relate. And sorry Clara, that's you out!

And also, I'd love The Doctor to lose control of the TARDIS and have a companion with a high pressure job who is desperate to get back home. What was wrong with Tegan anyway?

[Rob McCow]

What was wrong with Tegan anyway?

Mainly the fact that she would say 'Look!' and point about 4 seconds before something appeared. See: Ressurrection of the Daleks.

But I totally agree that the companion should stay on board the TARDIS and not keep going home to do the shopping!

[Si Hunt]

Do we think Maisie Williams will be the new companion? I have a feeling. I hope I'm wrong as she has no presence! Even though I keep being told she's in something else and they were lucky to get her.

Si.

[Paul Clement]

Do we think Maisie Williams will be the new companion? I have a feeling. I hope I'm wrong as she has no presence! Even though I keep being told she's in something else and they were lucky to get her.

Si.

Not a chance of her as companion. Her character in Game of Thrones is a major one and she'd never be able to commit to both.

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[Perry Vale]

Coming back to Clara, here's what I would have done. Had her leave at the end of S8, or earlier, then bring her back as a recurring guest from time to time. I mean, there's an almost infinite amount of Clara's in the Universe now. We could have had dirrerent ones each time.