Who could succeed Russell T Davies as the next Doctor Who showrunner, when he eventually decides to hang up his sonic? Here are Lovarzi’s top picks…
David Tennant
He’s been the Tenth Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor, the Fourteenth Doctor… How about making David Tennant the Sixteenth Doctor, and putting him in place as the next Doctor Who showrunner? It might not be such a crazy idea.
Okay, it is a crazy idea, but stay with us. We’ve never had an incumbent Time Lord who’s also written for the show. We’ve come close; past actors have suggested story ideas, and Tom Baker even came close to producing his own Doctor Who movie, alongside his companion Ian Marter. And Peter Capaldi played the theme music for one of his episodes, and painted the rather impressive picture of Clara for ‘Heaven Sent.’
But how do David Tennant’s writing skills fare? Well, he might not need any. It’s not uncommon for Doctor Who fans to complain about the writers at some point, so at least David Tennant could always play the ‘I’m not actually a writer’ card every time he’s subject to cries of “Tennant must go!”
But where David Tennant could be really useful as a Doctor Who showrunner is in his knowledge of the programme. He’s not only familiar with the modern era, but the classic as well; he was a fan long before he was cast as the Doctor, and he already has a sense of what works and what doesn’t. He knows Doctor Who‘s history. And as a lifelong fan, if he ever gets upset with the writing and starts yelling “Tennant must go!” into a mirror, then he can simply fire himself. It’s a win-win.
Plus, as Doctor Who showrunner, David Tennant could cherry-pick his favourite writers from the past to recruit. He might have to work hard for Terrance Dicks, but in the age of artificial intelligence, he’s sure to find an algorithm that could knock together a decent story, with a Doctor whose hair would get more and more bouffant as the series progressed, you know.
Nicholas Briggs
If David Tennant says no to the gig, surely the next obvious candidate would be Nick Briggs, of Big Finish and Dalek fame. When you think about it, he already is a Doctor Who showrunner over at Briggs Finish, so it wouldn’t be a massive transition. He knows the series intimately, and his knowledge of the lore and the writers and the actors, old and new, must be second to none. Plus, he’s a talented actor himself, and a writer, and he must understand the challenges of Doctor Who production, having worked on the modern series since 2004.
So, is it finally time to “elevate!” Nick Briggs to the coveted Doctor Who showrunner role? He’d get my vote.
Philip Morris
Who better than missing episode hunter Philip Morris to lead the series into a bold new age? If he doesn’t feel like writing any scripts, no problem: he can just air all the missing episodes he’s found, on a loop, and cackle with delight as the hashtags #LambertMustGo and #InnesLlyodMustGo dominate the webosphere. It would certainly buy him enough time to carry out the restoration work on ‘The Feast of Steven‘ before the 2025 festive season.
Alex Skerratt
As it’s my article (and, let’s face it, the only time anyone would suggest my name) I’ll throw my hat into the ring. You know what they say: nothing prepares you for becoming a Doctor Who showrunner better than writing a few seasons of The Sooty Show. In fact, Richard Gauntlett was also on the writing team (he was Urak the Tetrap in ‘Time and the Rani‘) as was Wink Taylor, from Big Finish’s ‘Natural History of Fear,’ so I’ve already got the essential contacts.
As Doctor Who showrunner, I would most probably cast Daniel Craig in the title role, with Sweep as the companion. They say “write what you know,” so I’d have the Doctor go to church every Sunday and spend his evenings writing articles about Doctor Who, because Fourth Wall. I’d shoot every episode on 16mm film and build my own version of Lime Grove Studio D. All of the dialogue in episode one would be made up of real-life Facebook comments, ironically criticising the quality of the writing, just to break everyone’s sanity.
BBC, I know you’re tempted. Call me.
Toby Hadoke
Who on earth is Toby Hadoke? A potential Doctor Who showrunner, that’s who. Hiring Hadoke would be an efficient move; he could create the ‘making of’ documentaries alongside the main productions, and when the inevitable Blu-ry extras come around, he can tell us exactly Who on Earth is Toby Hadoke? by interviewing himself. Sorted.
I foresee the Hadoke era as being one of the series’ ‘cheap and cheerful’ periods. The stories would largely revolve around the Time Lord going to stay in the houses of his former companions, catching up on lost time over Benton‘s bacon and eggs and guitar-playing. Hadoke, of course, already channels some serious Doctor energy, so it would be great if he cast himself in the lead role. The first episode would be about killer moths, with a taste for wool.
Katy Manning
Because it would be funny.
Over to you, Internet. Who would you enlist as the next Doctor Who showrunner? And which names would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.
Jamie Matthieson. He’s written for Doctor Who (Flatline, Mummy on the Orient Express among others), Being Human, and Dirk Gently. I think he was being considered before Chris Chibnall took over. He knows the show and is good at both horror and comedy in a science fiction and fantasy style.
I do like your idea for David Tennant or Nicholas Briggs, too. That’s brilliant!
• ‘Ghost Story’s’ Andy Nyman
• “I’d like to write more sci-fi” Jed Mercurio (Line Of Duty)
• “They (the BBC) didn’t want my submitted script” Joe Hill (Locke & Key)
• “I wish to write/produce DW” J. Michael Straczynski
It will be Pete McTighe. You’ll see why when the spin off series comes out.
Nick Briggs is a great candidate. as long as he casts Sooty as the Doctor and I agree with Sweep playing Davros.
Not sure if this piece is supposed to be a joke or to be taken seriously. If it is a joke – good one! If not – uh, no.
David Tennant? I mean, who doesn’t love David Tennant, but he is an actor, period. No writing experience. No production experience. No directing experience. Just no.
Nicholas Briggs. Better choice than David Tennant, admittedly, but I have never been impressed with his work at Big Finish. He churns out a lot of mediocre or worse retreads – I make it a point to avoid any release written by Briggs. I don’t think he would bring anything to the show as a show runner. apart from cancellation. No experience at all that would suggest he would bring anything as a show unner.
Toby Hadoke – this one seems like it comes from the same pot as the Tennant suggestion – “I’ve seen this guy and he seems to know something about Doctor Who, and I like him, so he would be a great showrunner!” No experience at all to suggest this, mind you.
Nick Briggs, or Eric Seward.