The Second Coming of Russell T. Davies

By Siobhán McCallumI’ve never believed in miracles. As a matter of fact,  I’m quite content with the chaotic nature of our universe. However at the end of September last, on Friday the 24th to be precise, my non-faith was shaken. On that fair afternoon, something so shocking, marvellous and utterly mindblowing occurred that it could only reasonably be chalked down to divine intervention. A message appeared as if by magic on the official Doctor Who Twitter account, that may as well have come from the angel Gabriel himself. Russell T. Davies, the man responsible for the astronomical rise of Doctor Who, is to return as showrunner for the show’s 60th anniversary and series beyond. The Prodigal son of the BBC will return home to his beloved Sci-Fi series, and fans all over the world were quick to react to this miraculous news. Yet, if any of us had been paying close attention, this decision has been inevitable for quite some time now.  During his tenure as showrunner, head writer and producer from 2005-2010, Davies achieved the impossible: he made Doctor Who cool again. Despite a tumultuous start to his new era, with Christopher Eccleston quitting the role as the titular hero before series one had even aired, Davies eventually heralded in a new golden age of the iconic Sci-Fi series. Davies’ decision to make this revamp a grounded character drama was a masterstroke, as new companions such as Rose Tyler, Matha Jones and the inimitable Donna Noble made tuning in each week an absolute joy. Coupled with this, David Tennant’s 10th Doctor quickly rivalled the great Tom Baker as a fan favourite portrayal of the legendary time traveller. Children around the world could hide behind their sofas once again, as iconic monsters such as the Daleks and Cybermen returned to screens to battle with the Doctor. Whomania swept across Britain, and even more importantly, the show reached a global audience in the most significant way since its inception. Merchandise was abundant, with children’s toy shops bursting at the seams with Doctor Who iconography. The media became saturated with content regarding the latest episodes, casting rumours and possible future storylines that could be explored. Despite its campy style, the show was more than just a fun family romp, and instead produced some of the greatest works in television history. Accolades reigned from the heavens as the show picked up National Television awards, BAFTAs and even four Hugo awards for outstanding achievements in drama. Never before had the show received such universal acclaim and admiration from fans and critics alike. However, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. In May 2008 Davies publicly announced his decision to step down as showrunner. Moreover, other production team members were set to finish their time on the show, most notably producers Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson. A series of five specials, that would air from Christmas day 2008 to New Years day 2010, would bridge the gap between his final series as showrunner and his successor Steven Moffat’s first series in charge. Fittingly, David Tennant decided to bow out as the Doctor at the same time as Davies. Their final story, The End of Time, remains a fitting tribute to over five years of storytelling and ended their time on the show together in a signature bombastic and emotional style. It was the end of an era, but the arrival of Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor alongside new showrunner Steven Moffat was the perfect reminder of how integral regeneration is to the survival of such a long-running series. Just as with the Davies era, Moffat’s time as head producer and writer produced some magnificent moments in television. He retained the core essence of the show, and with the help of Murray Gold’s continued presence as the composer of the series, achieved a huge level of cohesion with the previous seasons. In addition, the 50th-anniversary special was a true gem that celebrated the return of such an iconic series to TV screens and was a cultural event much in the same way Tennant’s final adventure was back in 2010. Unfortunately, there were some issues that arose during Moffat’s reign that caused problems for Moffat during his time in charge. Scheduling complications led to shifting air dates and eventually led to a split series in 2011during Smith’s second series. In addition, more complex stories and themes left many fans confused and isolated from the storytelling isolated from the show. By the time Peter Capaldi took over as the Doctor in 2014, there was some scepticism surrounding the longevity of the show. It quickly became evident that the series was losing creative quality with each passing year. Apart from the masterful ‘Heaven Sent’, Capaldi’s time as the Doctor no longer held the same standard as previous years. At the close of his final series, viewing figures were poor and it was once again time to revamp the show in a bid to save it from collapse. The decision was eventually made that Chris Chibnall, who had previously written for the show under Davies and Moffat, was the man for the job. Not long after, it was announced that the first female actor would take up the role as the 13th Doctor, in the form of Jodie Whitaker. There was a lot at stake. It was up to Whitaker and Chibnall, alongside a completely rejuvenated production team, to improve viewing figures and prove to naysayers that a female Doctor could indeed work. Unfortunately for everyone involved, they did not succeed in either of these ventures. Despite an immediate uptick in viewers for the series 11 premiere, audience figures have gone into freefall since then, reaching record lows for the show. Moreover, fans were quick to voice their concern over the creative quality of the show over confusing direction, unconvincing performances and unappealing cinematography. These issues combined with some problematic, albeit well-intentioned, political messaging and the extremely controversial Timeless Child story arc, resulted in reams of fans quitting the show for good and public sentiment for Doctor Who dwindling into obscurity. Like so many other fans of Doctor Who, I was disappointed at this decline. What was once my favourite show, had now become something I no longer engaged with at all. At one stage I even came to the conclusion that maybe I just couldn’t connect with the show because of my age. I wasn’t a child anymore, so maybe the spirit of the show just didn’t really resonate with me anymore. It wasn’t long however before I rediscovered my love for Doctor Who by returning to the Davies era. An era I had watched and rewatched several times but hadn’t quite returned to as an adult yet. The same thing happened to fans all over the world, who had grown up with the show. In their critique and frustration with Chibnall’s Doctor Who, they used Davies’ era as a benchmark of what the show could be. The dramatic heights it could achieve, the worldbuilding it could create and the emotional resonance it could have with the viewer. Consequently, when Chibnall and Whitaker announced their imminent departure from the show this year, there was a genuine belief among fans that the show could still possibly achieve the glory of its past if only the right person was put in charge. After months of speculation, who else could the BBC have chosen to save the show from disaster? After all, Davies already did so back in 2005, successfully reviving Doctor Who after nearly a twenty-year hiatus. As a highly profitable product, the BBC was never going to let Doctor Who fails, and my genuine feeling is that this decision was the only way to ensure this. Although some could argue that returning to Davies raises the risk of the show going backwards, examining Davies’ recent work will surely ease their anxieties. Davies has gone from strength to strength as a TV writer and producer, gifting the world with dramas such as ‘Years and Years’ and his most recent project, ‘It’s a Sin’. Both series have been highly praised for their strong characters, humour and sensibility and political messaging. There is no doubt that he will explore new avenues of the Doctor Who universe, and will surely have the leverage to take more artistic risks with his new, new era of the show. For this non-believer, I have faith enough to believe that Davies can in fact perform a miracle, and resurrect this show from the dead once again.