Doctor Who's Stalled Journey with Russell T Davies

It feels like a long time ago when Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor came to an abrupt end, regenerating into Billie Piper. This unexpected twist has left many fans scratching their heads, but it seems that Doctor Who will have to move forward with this new direction. Recently, it was confirmed that the Time Lord will return in 2026 with a new series and a Christmas special written by Russell T Davies.

For dedicated Whovians, the constant rumors and speculation have been exhausting. However, after countless headlines and hints, it has finally been revealed that Disney has ended its partnership with the franchise, although Davies remains as show-runner. Despite this, I believe it's time for him to step down.

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The BBC may have asked Davies back to address the finale's reliance on nostalgia, which some fans have compared to desperate attempts to save a sinking ship.

Perhaps there is a lack of understanding about the deep-rooted issues facing Doctor Who today. With record low ratings and no confirmed Doctor to pilot the TARDIS, the challenge is to keep viewers engaged, and cheap tricks won't work.

I want to clarify that I think Russell T Davies is a visionary who played a significant role in bringing Doctor Who back to life after it was shelved in the 80s. Since he revived the franchise in 2005, he has overcome numerous obstacles confidently. He is a legend, but I no longer believe he is the right person to run this show.

I've felt this way for a while now. Ever since I watched "Space Babies," I noticed that the episodes I liked best—Boom and Rogue—were the only ones not written by Davies. The obvious exception was Lux, an episode with a clever meta interlude that addressed how hard-to-please the fandom can be. One episode doesn't make a great series.

Even when Gatwa transformed into 1950s Miami, it didn't boost the ratings, and it was one of the lowest-viewed episodes in an already low-rated series.

I was disappointed. Instead of solid storytelling, we had callbacks and cameos, plus the Disney-ification of a fundamentally British cultural institution. Classic villains were replaced with a toothless, silly variety (again, the less said about the Space Babies’ Bogeyman, the better), presumably to appeal to younger audiences. Everything that hardcore Whovians know was explained as if for the first time.

Even the release schedule was designed for a time difference, and the seasons were numbered as Season One and Season Two when acquired by Disney, as if what came before didn't matter.

When none of this worked and Gatwa decided to leave, it seemed like Davies used the nostalgia of Billie Piper to survive.

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However, Disney’s lack of commitment might be better for the show going forward, if it means Doctor Who can do less cringy flattery to American audiences.

But Davies trying to shift from his long-standing advocacy for the BBC's decline and the need for Who to go global feels fundamentally unsustainable. He was the loudest advocate for Disney’s involvement and the financial opportunities it opened, promising it would become a sci-fi version of the Marvel universe. The current state of both franchises is strikingly similar.

The fact that we're still awed by David Tennant, Catherine Tate, or Billie Piper returning to our screens is evidence of the mark Davies has made on Doctor Who. But there is little in his recent work to match what he did in 2005, and that's a problem.

If Doctor Who is to rise from the ashes again, we need fresh ideas.

Who, you might ask, could replace him? If we're fan casting, I would love to see what Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker would do with the Doctor. Although whether he would fancy the scrutiny is another matter.

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Although, given that all three show-runners during the modern era have been men, it would be a welcome sight to see a woman in the job. Kate Herron and Briony Redman, the duo behind standout episode Rogue, brought writing that was sharp and tender.

The exchange between the Doctor and Rogue in his ship was the most compelling of the series, set to Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head.

It pains me to say all of this, because I still think Davies is brilliant, and Lux proved he can still contribute as a one-off writer if needed.

But there’s also only so many times you can mount the mammoth task of revitalizing a once-phenomenally successful franchise as show-runner.

It's time Davies left that job to someone else.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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