One of the greatest things about Doctor Who is its ability to constantly reinvent itself – or regenerate, if you will – and aim for directions where other television shows would find a brick wall. And that’s apparently one of the reasons former showrunner Russell T. Davies chose to come back and helm the series after Chris Chibnall’s departure at the end of 2022.
The British television producer was recently recognized as one of the most influential people in the industry by RadioTimes and discussed approaching his next Doctor Who series in a chat with the outlet, revealing that he doesn’t want to make repetitive shows.
“The reason I’ve worked on 34 programs in my life is because I don’t normally like continuing series,” He said. “That’s why It’s A Sin came to an end and I just moved on. I like looking at a new set of challenges every time and a blank page – but Doctor Who is always a blank page.”
Davies further noted that he wouldn’t think about going back if it didn’t feel like that blank page. “There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling the stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new. I wouldn’t go back if it wasn’t feeling new.”
The showrunner also touched on why Doctor Who always feels fresh, saying:
“But that’s the thing about Doctor Who – every episode is new. Every single episode. I’m sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, ‘God, I’ve never written in this territory before – this is strange and new’ – so it’s always new. It’s a self-renewing show.”
With the return of their favorite showrunner, there’s never been a better time to be a Whovian. There are also juicy reports about David Tennant returning for the 60th-anniversary special, which, if true, would positively drive every fan over the edge with excitement.
