Doctor Who: The Only Constant Is Change

So the announcement was made on Friday that Steven Moffat would be stepping down as Executive Producer and Head Writer of Doctor Who by the end of 2017 with Chris Chibnall taking over as of 2018. Now I know I shouldn't say I told you so but...

I told you so.

I told you so.

And...I told you so.  

Along with the announcement of Steven Moffat (The Moff!) handing over the reins to Chris Chibnall (The Chib?) was also the news that the entirety of Series 10 will not appear until 2017 with only a Doctor Who Christmas special on the schedule for 2016. This was a possibility that I had entertained but I was expecting more that Series 10 would be split to at least give us some Doctor Who in 2016. 

But with only a Christmas special to look forward to this year, 2016 will mark the least amount of Doctor Who we've had since the show was revived. Prior to that, 2009 gave us 3 specials (4 if you count End of Time Part 2 which was technically 2010 but...) as well as the Doctor guest starring on an episode of Sarah Jane Adventures. 

But if anyone wants to complain about the paucity of new Doctor Who in 2016, then us old-timers from the days of the classic series will rant and whine about our 16 YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS WITH NO NEW DOCTOR WHO ON TV AT ALL EXCEPT FOR ONE MOVIE WHICH WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW WE FELT ABOUT THAT! 

I'm hoping that some of the down time might go towards some online content, you know, some mini-episodes. We've not seen a lot of these during the Peter Capaldi run whereas there were a lot of these featurettes during the Matt Smith years.  So maybe two or three short 3 to 6 minute stories to whet our appetite until the big stuff comes along.  

Speaking of Peter Capaldi, there's no further word on his time as the Doctor. He has dropped hints that Series 10 might be his last and since it is the last season for Steven Moffat, Capaldi may elect to make a clean break of it for the new guy to establish his own Doctor, like the transition from Russell T Davies to Steven Moffat and as I have speculated before. 

As the saying goes, "The only constant is change" and nowhere is that saying more applicable than the world of Doctor Who. Still, by the time Steven Moffat leaves, he will have been a strong and steady presence over Doctor Who for 8 years with contributions to the show prior to that under Davies. That kind of longevity creates a special bond between a creator, the creation and the audience. The departure of the Moff is going to take some getting used to. 

I don't think two years is enough time to do that.

That's all I've got for today. I'll be back with another post tomorrow and more Doctor Who stuff will be on the blog next Sunday. Until then, remember to be good to one another.

Dave-El
I'm So Glad My Suffering Amuses You