Alwas in motion, the future is

[selenak]

Stephen Moffat stepping down (as of 2017) as showrunner of Doctor Who isn't that much of a surprise; he's had a long run, and while back during season 7 I felt he should have finished then, I'm really glad he didn't, because the Capaldi era felt revitalized and turned into my favourite part of his tenure.

The news that Chris Chibnall will take over, otoh, is something that leaves me with mixed emotions. A couple of years ago I would have been horrified, because I really disliked Chibnall's early Torchwood and early Doctor Who episodes. Otoh, not only did I like Torchwood's second season (which he did head), I also liked both his s2 opener, complete with old lady exclaiming "Bloody Torchwood!", and Adrift. And I really was impressed by by Broadchurch, season 1, which was all Chibnall, all the time, to give credit where due. (Otoh, Broadchurch, season 2, also all Chibnall, etc., was, err, where I quit watching, though mostly because making a story with a clear ending go on just because it had been that successful was exactly the bad idea you'd think it would be.) So basically: his DW era could be terrible, could be good, will probably be some of both.

However, one thing I can already predict: we'll get yet more rounds of "OMG this show runner so misogynist!" "But last showrunner so misogynist!" "How can you critique old/new showrunner for such and such when you liked new/old show runner's display of that and this!" "Fandom is so unfair to new showrunner while being blind to old show runner's flaws!" "Are you kidding? During old showrunner's tenure, the wanky complaints were endless, and now you're surprised new showrunner is in for some entirely reasonable criticism?" (Seriously, the way some Moffat-only and RTD-only fans seem to think that THEIR guy got all the fannish bile while the other guy had never been given that treatment baffles me. Of course, if you ever bring that up, you only hear "but it was totally justified in the case of X! Who still didn't get nearly the amount which Y was getting!" (Oh yes he did. Just from other people. Mostly.)


(And then there will be those who have hated on the previous two and will hate on the new one with equal ferveour, because that's fandom.)

Incidentally, I do hope Chibnall will write Olivia Coleman a role in DW, because Ellie (her detective on Broadchurch) is amazing, and he's that kind of crossover producer (as evidenced by the fact Broadchurch not only had David Tennant as the other lead but Arthur "Rory" Darvill in a key supporting role, and in s2 Eve Myles in a supporting role as well. AI definitely hope for some married couples, because Chibnall is good at established couples, their arguments, and their bond. As evidenced by both the Gwen and Rhys relationship on TW and the Latimers on Broadchurch.

Meanwhile, no Twelfth Doctor in 2016 until the next Christmas Special? Now THAT'S awful news. Rusty at least gave us an Easter special, Moff, when he was in a comparable situation. Come on.

Comments

[wee_warrior]

I was cringing a bit when I read the name, and then I discovered to my great astonishment that he did Broadchurch, which I haven't seen yet, but which has been lauded across the board (S1, anyway). Then again, I dropped out of Who a bit, somewhere around the season where Amy and Rory left. I always meant to pick it up again, but - so much to watch, so little time.

Speaking of Olivia Coleman, something to recommend if you haven't seen it yet: The Thirteenth Tale. She plays a seller of vintage books who occasionally contributes to literary magazines, and is asked by a reclusively living bestseller author (played by Vanessa Redgrave)to write her biography. They make a fantastic on-screen pairing, and the story is intriguing. (There is also Sophie Turner, Sansa Stark and soon Young Jean Grey, who plays Redgrave's younger self in flashbacks.)

[selenak]

I forgot who made the joke that Broadchurch (s1) proved Chibnall got abducted by aliens and replaced/ was exchanged with his Redverse doppelganger/insert sci fi joke of choice, and it really is that good, but to me it does tie with some of his Torchwood work thematically. I.e. you can see how one has grown from the other, with the writing maturing. Mind you, perhaps he can only be good in a miniseries format because the moment the success of Broadchurch made him add a second season, the writing declined again, but the demonstrated fact remains, he can be excellent.

Thirteenth Tale: thanks for the tip, no, haven't watched it yet, can see Sophie Turner as a young Vanessa Redgrave!

[saturnofthemoon]

I'm being optimistic as no show runner, and I'm speaking as someone who thought both Moffat and RTD had their ups and downs, has succeeded in destroying my love for Who. As for the oncoming wank, it seems to hang out mostly on Tumblr and anon memes these days, where I seldom go. *crosses fingers*

[selenak]

Avoiding tumblr: always a wise decision. :)

And I hear you. I mean, even if one showrunner is so antipatico in his (or her, but so far no luck on DW since Verity Lambert) creative decisions that one hates every episode, it's possible to sit him out due to the long lived nature of the show. Mind you, perhaps if I had been watching Eric Saward's era live instead of selected pieces on dvd, I might feel differently, but hey. And there's always Bigh Finish! :)

[lilacsigil]

However, one thing I can already predict: we'll get yet more rounds of "OMG this show runner so misogynist!" "But last showrunner so misogynist!"

Seen it already!

I liked Moffatt's writing and hated his era as showrunner, so I'm hoping that Chibnall is the opposite!

[selenak]

Only one way to find out.:)

[st_aurafina]

Incidentally, I do hope Chibnall will write Olivia Coleman a role in DW

I thought this too! It would be amazing.

I'm not a Chibnall fan, (Vengeance on Varos, omg) but Broadchurch was very together. And even though S2 was hopelessly padded, I did enjoy it a lot more than I was expecting. I'm tentatively hopeful this will be good.

[selenak]

Here's hoping for an Olivia Coleman role, indeed. (And not just a cameo, something truly meaty she can sink her actorly teeth into.) Broadchurch is really what made me go from "eh, Chibnall, his s2 Torchwood episodes I liked were probably exceptions" to "okay, he can be really good if he tries hard enough, and he seems to be maturing as a writer".

What does Chibnall have to do with Vengeance on Varos? Google tells me the script was written by Philip Martin and edited by Eric Saward, and in any rate 1985 is a bit too early for Chibnall to have been more than a fanboy? Or did he name it as a favourite story?

[st_aurafina]

Oh, no, I must be wrong - I just had it in my head that he wrote it it, but of course, that makes no sense.

[kalypso]

Well, if Capaldi steps down...

[selenak]

Coleman!Doctor would be a wonderful idea. :)

[andraste]

I feel the same about Chibnall - he's written some dreadful stuff, but Broadchurch series one was a nice enough surprise that I'm willing to give him a chance.

At this point, I think Doctor Who fandom will be fighting about which showrunner is The Most Problematic until the Earth falls into the sun.

[selenak]

No, more like until we're all Toclafane, since that's the depressing fate awaiting humanity in the end. I can just see those spiky metal balls having a go at each other about The Most Problematic, can't you?

[andraste]

Good point - I can absolutely imagine the Toclafane floating around arguing about whether the Seventh Millioneth Doctor is better than the Nine Millioneth.

[kalypso]

One plus for Chibnall is that he wrote the best episode of Life on Mars (the one about the cell death). We Will See.

From the official announcement, I thought it was the BBC that was holding off the next season, for some preposterous excuse involving the Olympics, but maybe there's a serious reason somewhere.

[selenak]

ZOMG, you're right, so he did. I had completely forgotten that.