Doctor Who season 14 is already avoiding three massive problems with the modern series. Chris Chibnall's tenure as Doctor Who showrunner was, unfortunately, very divisive. In part this was because of controversial story decisions such as the Timeless Child retcon, which revealed the Doctor was not a Time Lord at all - but, rather, they are a being who originates from outside the universe, and who became the base genetic template for the Time Lord race. But the Chibnall era was also divisive because of a number of production decisions, albeit made with the best of intentions.
Russell T. Davies, the mastermind behind Doctor Who's 2005 relaunch, is returning as showrunner. 2023 will kick off with three specials featuring the mysterious return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate, before the torch is passed on to Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday. Chibnall avoided publicity, but Davies is courting it, leading to a constant stream of Doctor Who news. Already it's becoming clear he is course-correcting on several decisions made by Chibnall, fixing some of these mistakes.
Russell T. Davies Is Keeping Doctor Who's Episode Count Low
Doctor Who Magazine #585 reveals Russell T. Davies' Doctor Who season 14 will be eight episodes long. On the face of it, this is disappointing news; the series used to have 13-episode-seasons, and even Chibnall only reduced the episode count of Doctor Who: Flux to six because of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. But it's important to remember the pressure of making 13 episodes of an action-packed TV series a year was intense, leading to burnout among the actors. Chibnall compensated for this by having extended breaks between his seasons, but these simply meant Doctor Who lost any momentum. Davies, however, appears to be committing to eight-episode seasons from the get-go. This fits well with the modern TV landscape, where eight episodes has become quite common, and it means the stress of filming won't be quite as great on the cast.
Russell T. Davies' Doctor Who Is Returning To Christmas Day
Doctor Who is celebrating its 60th anniversary in style, with three specials featuring Tennant's return - and a return to Christmas Day. Chibnall was unwilling to do Christmas specials, believing the idea had been played out, and he moved the show to New Year's Day instead - a shift that angered the fanbase, who had loved gathering with their families on Christmas Day to watch a festive special. Davies, however, is bringing them back. What's more, in Doctor Who Magazine #585 he reveals this is a commitment, not a one-off, because he is already working on the Christmas 2024 script. The news is sure to delight viewers, restoring Doctor Who to a position of pride in the BBC's Christmas schedule.
Doctor Who Is Returning To Yearly Seasons
Many viewers are disappointed at the news Doctor Who season 14 - which recently began filming - will be just eight episodes in length. But Russell T. Davies' comments in Doctor Who Magazine #585 confirm there's a reason for this; it is because Davies intends to release a new season every year, with a Christmas Special to bring the year to an end. This actually means Davies will be making more Doctor Who rather than less, because content will be coming out with far greater frequency than was the case under Chibnall.
Chibnall's solution to the dual problem of stressful, exhausting filming and demanding post-production was to increase the gag between seasons. Season 11 ended in December 2018, and season 12 began in January 2020. Granted, the gap between Doctor Who seasons 12 and 13 was extended due to the disruption caused by coronavirus, but the pattern was already clear; one season every 18 months or so. Davies' Doctor Who will be annual, a regularity that's probably baked into Doctor Who's Disney+ distribution deal. This means one of the greatest complaints from modern Doctor Who fans is finally being dealt with, and there will be a lot more time traveling adventures going forward.
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