The man credited for Doctor Who’s renaissance has slammed ‘rubbish’ television screenwriters who seem to be less interested in television and more interested in pushing inclusion and diversity.
Russell T. Davies, the show’s primary writer and producer during its 2005 revival, recently complained that many scriptwriters today do not enjoy television at all, but are more interested in pushing “representation.” Mr. Davies is well regarded among Doctor Who enthusiasts after returning the series to critical acclaim during a reboot back in 2005, casting Christopher Eccleston and then David Tennant in the starring roles and writing more adult and contemporary plots.
According to a recent interview reported on by Daily Mail, Davies freely aired his grievances with the modern crop of scriptwriters.
‘I do a lot of mentoring, and there are voices wanting to be heard – of any gender or ethnicity – who consider themselves invisible,’ he said. ‘They hate the media that ignores them, and they’re trapped into wanting a job in that medium purely to increase representation.’
He told The Sunday Times: ‘I read their scripts and they’re rubbish. They don’t actually love television, so they don’t know how to write for it.’
In the same interview, actor and director Mark Gatiss shared Davies’ concern about the quality of new writers.
‘Sometimes I think I’m like Pollyanna because I’ve met so many people who hate making television,’ he said. ‘It seems to make them so miserable. Go and work on the bins or something. It’s hard work – it gives you ulcers – so you have to love it.’
To the delight of longtime Whovians, Mr. Davies has returned to oversee the series for its 60th anniversary year following last season’s poor reception from fans and critics alike, with much of their ire aimed at showrunner Chris Chibnall for being overly political and ‘woke’. Chibnall stepped aside following the show’s most recent Christmas special, which featured Jodie Whittaker as the doctor.
Ncuti Gatwa will make his debut as the Fifteenth Doctor this year, the first black actor to play the role, and potentially the first openly gay Doctor, though that remains to be seen. And there’s also news that a transactor will play ‘Rose’ in the new season, leading some to question Mr. Davies protestations.
Doctor Who fan and entertainment critic Mr. H. was one of the first to make this observation.
Is Russell T. Davies trying to hoodwink fans of the long running sci-fi series? Will it still be as ‘woke’ as last season with Davies doubling-down on the insertion of trans characters? What are your thoughts on this news and the trajectory of the property?
