{"id":3197,"date":"2021-08-17T16:13:48","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T14:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1321592"},"modified":"2021-08-17T16:31:26","modified_gmt":"2021-08-17T14:31:26","slug":"who-doctor-whos-next-showrunner-should-be-according-to-the-fans","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/who-doctor-whos-next-showrunner-should-be-according-to-the-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Doctor Who\u2019s next showrunner should be, according to the fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sally Wainwright? Toby Whithouse? J. Michael Straczynski? Whovians weigh in with their picks for Chris Chibnall\u2019s successor. <\/p>

By Huw Fullerton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 17 August 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Doctor Who is regenerating! With Jodie Whittaker confirmed to be leaving the BBC sci-fi drama behind, the hunt is on for her replacement \u2013 but the identity of the Fourteenth Doctor is only half the story.<\/p>\n

You see, with head writer and showrunner Chris Chibnall also departing, a new creative lead must be appointed to put their spin on the Whoniverse, with the BBC currently remaining tight-lipped about who or what \u201cthe new generation of Who\u201d will be.<\/p>\n

In recent weeks, we\u2019ve put forward our ideas and theories for what could come next for Doctor Who<\/a> \u2013 but for this all-important behind-the-scenes change, we thought it was high time someone asked the fans what they<\/em> wanted from the next showrunner.<\/p>\n\n

Now, after some time working with online focus groups, social media pages and by simply scouring Twitter, we have our answers \u2013 some of which might be quite different from what you\u2019re expecting.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally I think it should be given to someone who isn\u2019t a Doctor Who fan but understands the show as well as the history and lore,\u201d one person responded to our call for showrunner ideas.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt needs to rise up something completely fresh and new\u2026 it needs to completely change.\u201d<\/p>\n

But not every fan agrees, with some going for old favourites, while still others suggested less obvious choices from the wider world of TV. Will any of them be right? Could the next Doctor Who showrunner be hidden somewhere within these responses?<\/p>\n

For now, it\u2019s a mystery \u2013 but we might have at least assembled one or two suspects. Starting with\u2026<\/p>\n

A familiar face<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall were already regular NuWho writers when they took over the TARDIS, so plenty of fans have theorised that the next showrunner will also come from that pool.<\/p>\n

Names that cropped up regularly included frequent Moffat collaborator Mark Gatiss (who has written more Who episodes than any other non-showrunner), Being Human creator Toby Whithouse (who wrote episodes for David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi), Peter Harness (who has written four episodes including the acclaimed Zygon Invasion\/Inversion two-parter) and Jamie Mathieson, who penned three fan-favourite episodes during the Capaldi\/Moffat years.<\/p>\n

\""Mark\"<\/div>
Mark Gatiss plays Glozier<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cMark Gatiss would do an incredible job and has several writing (and acting!) credits for Doctor Who already,\u201d one fan said, while others noted that the Sherlock co-creator had been trying to get Who revived even before 2005.<\/p>\n

\u201cToby Whitehouse, Jamie Mathieson or Peter Harness,\u201d another suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cToby Whitehouse must be one of the longest serving guest writers Doctor Who\u2019s got,\u201d one of our responders agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s churned out some of the most unique episodes like The God Complex, A Town Called Mercy, and Lie of the Land. And he\u2019s got great showrunner experience through Being Human and Noughts and Crosses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Toby\"<\/div>
Toby Whithouse (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cPeter Harness would also be great for identical reasons,\u201d they added, noting his time creating sci-fi and fantasy series like Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and War of the Worlds.<\/p>\n

Other Whoniverse candidates included two-time Jodie Whittaker scribe Pete McTighe, as well as former Sarah Jane Adventures boss (and two-time Who co-writer for 2009\u2019s The Waters of Wars and 2014\u2019s Into the Dalek) Phil Ford.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe Pete McTighe, scriptwriter for the Kerblam episode and co-author of Praxeus?\u201d one fan suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhil Ford, who ran SJA for a while might be a good pick,\u201d added another.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m spoken for, I\u2019m afraid. And I\u2019d much rather write an episode of Doctor Who than showrun several seasons. https:\/\/t.co\/kFS0JoTNpt<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) July 29, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>

Other names swirling around included Face the Raven and Thin Ice scribe Sarah Dollard (also known for her work on A Discovery of Witches and Bridgerton), Knock Knock\u2019s Mike Bartlett and even The Doctor\u2019s Wife\/Nightmare in Silver writer Neil Gaiman, despite the fact that he\u2019s already ruled himself out of contention.<\/p>\n

\u201cDream pick is Neil Gaiman, which breaks my rule that I feel they should have written more than 3 episodes but he has written other material I guess,\u201d one fan told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut sadly he has said he wouldn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Basically, if you\u2019ve ever set foot anywhere near Doctor Who at any point in your career? You\u2019re on the list somewhere. Though of course, not every prospective candidate suggested to us has such a long history with the show\u2026<\/p>

Sally Wainwright<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Gentleman\"<\/div>
Jeff Spicer\/Getty Images<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

If they ran odds on Doctor Who showrunners like they do Doctors, at this stage, Wainwright would probably be the bookies\u2019 favourite, with a lot of rumours suggesting that the Last Tango in Halifax, Happy Valley and Gentleman Jack creator could be in line to take over the sci-fi series.<\/p>\n

While she hasn\u2019t worked on the series before, she has more of a pedigree in this area than you might think (as RadioTimes.com\u2019s Executive Editor Morgan Jeffery has explained<\/a>), and already she\u2019s a popular choice with fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would personally love this,\u201d Who fan @BadWolfArchives wrote on Twitter. \u201cFrom the shows I\u2019ve seen, she is fantastic at writing realistic characters, and her world-building is fab too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rumours about Sally Wainwright running Doctor Who seem pretty decent,\u201d agreed Darren Mooney on Twitter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would suggest that the BBC see the series as an ongoing concern worth directing a pretty big deal showrunner towards. It might be fun to have a not-we run \u2018Doctor Who\u2019 for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not going to happen but Sally Wainwright as showrunner \/ lead writer would be amazing!\u201d added another Twitter user (@M_Struthers)<\/p>\n

\u201cSarah Lancashire \/ Surrane Jones as the Doctor? Well we can dream!\u201d<\/p>\n

J. Michael Straczynski<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""J.\"<\/div>
J. Michael Straczynski<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Babylon 5 creator and writer certainly has a sci-fi pedigree, and after he expressed an interest in the role fans became even keener on the idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cJMS created my all-time favorite show, and he\u2019d be a perfect fit for Doctor Who,\u201d Raven Woods wrote on Twitter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf BBC Studios hasn\u2019t hired a new showrunner, they should seriously consider Straczynski.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople worried that Straczynski wouldn\u2019t make a good Doctor Who showrunner have literally never seen Babylon 5 and it shows,\u201d added Twitter user @Gallifrey4ever.<\/p>\n

Previously, it seemed unlikely that Straczynski was on the BBC\u2019s radar for the job \u2013 but with such strong fan support, who knows? Stranger things have happened.<\/p>\n

Try Big Finish<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I’m writing a script (this is in response to Twitter asking me ‘What’s happening?’). Also, I’ve just had lunch. Not interesting, but true.<\/p>\u2014 Nicholas Briggs: The Human Frontier (@BriggsNicholas) July 27, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>

Some fans had another tack, however. While trying to find someone to write or be in charge of Doctor Who, why not try out some people who\u2019ve been doing the job for years \u2013 albeit for audio drama company Big Finish?<\/p>\n

\u201cNic Briggs,\u201d one reader pitched, suggesting that Big Finish\u2019s creative director and regular writer\/producer could do a good job in live-action.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s done a fantastic job managing Big Finish stories and can write the Daleks like no other!\u201d<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s not the only audio drama name to make fans\u2019 lists.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne underdog who I think the BBC should consider would be Matt Fitton,\u201d a reader told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s written and edited countless Doctor Who productions with Big Finish working with almost every previous Doctor. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone more qualified to lead Doctor Who than he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Look, it\u2019s probably one of the least likely prospects in this list \u2013 crossovers from Big Finish to TV Who are rare enough (basically, it\u2019s just Dalek writer Rob Shearman and Nic Briggs as an actor), let alone having someone be in charge of the whole thing. But some fans clearly think it\u2019d be worth a try.<\/p>\n

The wider world of sci-fi<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Ronald\"<\/div>
Ronald D. Moore (Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

A few more left-field choices came from elsewhere in the sci-fi genre, whether it\u2019s longstanding US titans of TV or comedy legends from here in the UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough they haven\u2019t written for Doctor Who yet, Rob Grant\/Doug Naylor [from] Red Dwarf certainly have experience with a long-running sci-fi and could bring an element of comedy that\u2019s been missing in recent years,\u201d one reader suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cRonald D. Moore \u2013 ran Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Battlestar Galactica,\u201d added another (of course, Moore\u2019s series Outlander was originally seeded from a character based on Doctor Who actor Frazer Hines).<\/p>\n

\""Jane\"<\/div>
Screenwriter Jane Espenson (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Another name on some fans\u2019 lips? Jane Espenson, known for her acclaimed work on series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica, The Nevers, The OC, Caprica, Marvel\u2019s Jessica Jones and (perhaps most crucially) Torchwood series four, giving her a toehold in the Whoniverse.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the subject of great female writers, Jane Espenson did some of the fourth series [of Torchwood] and she absolutely f**king rules,\u201d Twitter user @LTDangerous wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she wrote the single most harrowing moment of anything related to Doctor Who EVER so good on her for making me sweat as my heart pounded out of my chest.\u201d<\/p>\n

And if we choose to stretch the definition of sci-fi a little further, the names came coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019d be interesting to see what Life on Mars creators Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah could do with the series,\u201d one of our readers said.<\/p>\n

Or\u2026make a big change<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""17075902-low_res-doctor-who"\"<\/div>\n

One of the difficulties in predicting the next Doctor Who showrunner is that so few candidates exist who match the profile we\u2019ve seen from the last three \u2013 a major industry figure in their own right who\u2019s created and run their own shows before, who also has a long experience with Doctor Who and its world.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, some have wondered whether the modern \u2018showrunner\u2019 model of Doctor Who should continue at all, looking to the examples of other shows (like the partnership of writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron on Loki, or writer Jack Thorne and executive producer Jane Tranter on His Dark Materials) for inspiration.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy suggestion is to drop the all powerful, my show my precious, I am the mastermind behind and the public face of all of it, panjandrum *SHOWRUNNER* role,\u201d one RadioTimes.com<\/strong> reader said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust hire a good producer. Someone with the sense to delegate and the experience, professionalism and taste to find the right people to delegate to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIMO I think they should go back to producers and script editors personally,\u201d one fan noted, looking back to the days of the classic series, while another had an even more drastic suggestion.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course if the BBC really are struggling in their recruitment process, I\u2019ll happily volunteer myself to take up the challenge,\u201d he wrote. \u201cJoking aside, why not give the fans a go? Open a competition for fans\u2019 Doctor Who story ideas and build a series out of the best ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as it was a disaster with the Absorbaloff Blue Peter competition I\u2019d love to see a fan written episode,\u201d agreed another.<\/p>\n

And one reader had an even more intriguing idea.<\/p>\n

\""Web\"<\/div>\n

\u201cYes, Sally Wainwright would be great as Doctor Who showrunner, but I maintain that it would be way funnier if they kept it a secret who was in charge so people didn\u2019t know who to get mad at,\u201d they joked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they\u2019d do press conferences wearing a different Doctor Who monster costume each time.\u201d<\/p>\n

You heard it here first \u2013 the next Doctor Who showrunner is\u2026 a Zarbi. We can\u2019t wait for their first Radio Times interview.<\/p>\n

Doctor Who returns to BBC One later this year. Want more? Check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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