Criticisms made by Russell T. Davies about the state of modern TV writing reveal a lot about what audiences can expect from Doctor Who's future. In a joint interview with fellow Doctor Who fan and writer Mark Gatiss to promote their new drama Nolly, Davies spoke of the poor quality of TV scripts he sees during his work as a screenwriting mentor. While the comments have received some backlash on social media, they do hint at the possible direction of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who season 14.
Talking about the young writers he mentors, Davies observed (via The Times) that there is a generation of up-and-coming screenwriters that are "trapped into wanting a job in that medium purely to increase representation." RTD adds, "I read their scripts and they’re rubbish." This gives some insight into the writers RTD might be looking to involve in Doctor Who season 14. It is clear that Davies feels a lot of young writers do not understand the medium of TV, and if that truly is the case, it could mean one of two things for the future of Doctor Who.
RTD's Criticism Teases Returning Doctor Who Writers For Ncuti Gatwa's Era
If RTD truly believes that a proportion of modern screenwriters do not understand TV, he may be looking for experienced hands to join him on Doctor Who. Having already brought back David Tennant and Catherine Tate for the 60th anniversary, and assembling a production team that includes many of the figures who worked on the show between 2005 and 2010, it seems clear that RTD is getting the band back together. It remains to be seen whether this band reunion will extend to Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat or Davies' Times interview companion Mark Gatiss.
Interestingly, Steven Moffat, speaking to the Radio Times, said that he "would have to be insane" to return to Doctor Who. Crucially, however, Moffat does not deny that he would turn in a script for the new era of the show if asked. Aside from Russell T. Davies as lead writer, the remaining writers on Ncuti Gatwa's first Doctor Who season are yet to be announced. Given the improved approach to promotion, a reluctance to announce the names of writers this early could suggest that they are big names in the Doctor Who universe - names that would garner headlines and column inches.
RTD's New Doctor Who Era Should Cultivate The Next Generation
For Doctor Who to continue regenerating, there needs to be a more concerted effort to nurture the next generation of talent. RTD returning to Doctor Who is partly a byproduct of nobody else appearing to want the job following Chris Chibnall's departure. If RTD had not made a game-changing deal with the BBC, it is entirely possible that Doctor Who may have gone off-air for a considerable amount of time - again. This problem will not go away unless the new RTD era actively cultivates the next generation of Doctor Who writers.
During the tail end of the classic era, Doctor Who became a proving ground for writers like Rivers of London creator Ben Aaronovitch. He, alongside script editor Andrew Cartmel and writers like Rona Munro and Ian Briggs, revitalized the show during the Seventh Doctor and Ace era. If RTD has been mentoring young writers since leaving Doctor Who then, despite his headline-grabbing criticisms, he surely knows the right young creatives to approach. In doing so, the new era of Doctor Who can properly future-proof itself beyond the initial excitement of David Tennant's return and Ncuti Gatwa's debut.