# Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall both leaving Doctor Who - thoughts? \[Russell T Davies is returning\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, disney-hulu\ **Created:** [July 29, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620 "2021-07-29T23:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/61 "2021-09-24T14:27:43Z")
**BREAKING NEWS!** Russell T Davies is returning to take over as showrunner! > **[Russell T Davies to return as Doctor Who showrunner | Doctor Who](https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/russell-t-davies-to-return-as-doctor-who-showrunner)** > > Russell T Davies will make an explosive return to screens to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who in 2023, and series beyond.  BBC Studios are partnering with Bad Wolf to produce. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/62 "2021-09-24T14:32:22Z")
This is good news. I updated the title with the news ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/63 "2021-09-24T15:37:55Z")
Allons-y! ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/64 "2021-09-24T15:48:34Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Russell T Davies is returning to take over as showrunner! I literally squealed with joy. If there’s anyone who can right the listing ship that is the Who franchise, it’s RTD. I can only imagine…a return to season-long arcs teased out over many episodes with a satisfying conclusion; forward thinking storylines but enough respect for the canon that there aren’t any “everything you know is wrong!!!” plot twists dropped right before a year-long hiatus; actually installing some lighting inside the TARDIS (seriously, 13’s looks like it’s illuminated with nightlights). Maybe finally bring back Ace for an episode or arc as had been floated once upon a time? I’m ecstatic. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/65 "2021-09-24T15:50:26Z")
Davies is the only guy that could pull Doctor Who out of the muck and make it worth watching again. He’ll still have the woke BBC questioning every move. I’m really hoping Davies can make Doctor Who must see TV again. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/66 "2021-09-24T15:56:26Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > **BREAKING NEWS!** > > Russell T Davies is returning to take over as showrunner! Good news, indeed. I actually liked the most recent Doctor, but I really liked Davies’ work on the show. Now, for the next question: will the next Doctor be a ginger? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/67 "2021-09-24T16:03:42Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > a satisfying conclusion; I never found RTD’s conclusions satisfying. The tinkerbell-esque “Everyone believe in the doctor at the same time” was not great. I didn’t find the others that much better. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/68 "2021-09-24T16:22:30Z")
Woohoo! Please, please please bring back the story quality! And make the whole Jody Whittaker thing a horrible fever dream he had during regeneration. Timeless Child… ugh… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/69 "2021-09-24T16:22:58Z")
I hope the Daleks and Cybermen are permanently retired. The show has to create new and more imaginative villians. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/70 "2021-09-24T16:41:27Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > > [@veryfrank](#): > > > > a satisfying conclusion; > > I never found RTD’s conclusions satisfying. The tinkerbell-esque “Everyone believe in the doctor at the same time” was not great. I didn’t find the others that much better. I’ll admit that was a bit silly, but I did like the rest of that season finale. And I can’t help wonder if that set the stage for some of Moffat’s more egregious leaps of storytelling faith like, every civilization in the universe knows who the Doctor is, in fact we get the word “Doctor” from him and not the other way around, and other silliness. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/71 "2021-09-24T16:48:00Z")
I’m curious to see how much writing he will actually do. Really, the best stories of the Davies era were not written by him, with the exception of “Midnight”, which is my mind is the best episode of Doctor Who. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/72 "2021-09-24T16:54:15Z")
Funny, that ones ranks as mainly filler for me. I had to read the synopsis to know it. “[The Empty Child](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Empty_Child)” & “[The Doctor Dances](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doctor_Dances)” pairing was probably my favorite story. Surprisingly not David Tennant who I think is easily the best of the new Doctors. Those were written by Moffat. [Actually 10’s intro episode](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Christmas_Invasion) was all kinds of awesome. That was written by Davies. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/73 "2021-09-24T17:02:16Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > “[The Empty Child](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Empty_Child)” & “[The Doctor Dances](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doctor_Dances)” pairing was probably my favorite story. Surprisingly not David Tennant who I think is easily the best of the new Doctors. Those were written by Moffat. Pretty much all of the great Davies-era stories were written by Moffat. Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and Silence in the Library. I haven’t seen the most recent series yet, but I’m surprised how much Chibnall wrote while show-running. He wrote or co-wrote 75% of the episodes. Compare that to 51% from Davies or 49% for Moffat. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/74 "2021-09-24T17:10:41Z")
Davies had an incredible team of writers and production staff. Fans got to know the production staff in the behind the scenes episode specials. He’ll need similarly talented people to succeed. ---
**Author:** ![vislor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vislor/32/5933_2.png) [@vislor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vislor)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/75 "2021-09-24T19:35:11Z")
I’m certainly happy about this! I think it was on here, a season or two after RTD left, and someone here said, “I never thought I would miss RTD but here I am.” Or words to those effects. I liked RTD’s run more than the rest and am only sad that Jodie couldn’t get a season under him. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/76 "2021-09-24T21:22:28Z")
I am thrilled and hope he is picking the new Doctor as well. I assume the showrunner picks. I hope he picks a David Tenant level talent and finds a way to make a great Doctor out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/77 "2021-09-24T22:08:55Z")
Well, I’m a woman and a feminist so I can say this: Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor was almost as bland as Peter Davison’s. Quit bending over backwards to say what a great job she did, and that poor scripts are to blame for the show’s decline in quality. The Doctor’s persona should be riveting, and hers wasn’t. At all. And I hope the next Doctor is male. There, I said it. I _like_ feeling squishy about the Doctor, and guys get enough cheesecake to drool over in sci-fi. They don’t need _my_ Doctor to wank on as well. But it’ll probably be another actress. Just to avoid being charged with sexist tokenism. Besides, Jo Martin has already nailed down the Doctor’s feminine persona as not being just a one off thing. Fine. I hope the next Doctor is a little old lady. That would be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/79 "2021-09-24T22:23:14Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > But it’ll probably be another actress. Just to avoid being charged with sexist tokenism. Besides, Jo Martin has already nailed down the Doctor’s feminine persona as not being just a one off thing. > > Fine. I hope the next Doctor is a little old lady. That would be fun. Heh. Helen Mirren as The Doctor. ooooh… Maggie Smith as The Doctor. Angela Basset! Maybe Ming-Na Wen! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/80 "2021-09-24T22:30:17Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > But it’ll probably be another actress. Just to avoid being charged with sexist tokenism. Besides, Jo Martin has already nailed down the Doctor’s feminine persona as not being just a one off thing. The Black lady who played one of the “negative numbers” Doctor was great. Use her. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620/81 "2021-09-24T22:33:00Z")
> [@Noelq](#): > > Heh. Helen Mirren as The Doctor. > ooooh… Maggie Smith as The Doctor. > Angela Basset! > Maybe Ming-Na Wen! My personal choice would be Thandiwe Newton. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-both-leaving-doctor-who-thoughts-russell-t-davies-is-returning/947620.md?page=5)