‘Doctor Who’ Showrunner Russell T Davies and Writer Steven Moffat Tease Christmas Special

by

As a longtime fan of Doctor Who, I must say that it was truly fascinating to read this interview with Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. Their insight into the creative process behind the series, particularly their appreciation for the show’s design element, resonated deeply with me.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel the excitement of a child on Christmas morning knowing that my beloved series, “Doctor Who,” is making its grand return on this festive day! Just like Santa, it’s coming to bestow a special gift upon us: “Joy to the World.” This year’s hour-long Christmas special will see the return of the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and the reunion of writer Steven Moffat and showrunner Russell T Davies. The star of Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan, is also joining the cast for this extraordinary event. I simply can’t wait to unwrap this fantastic surprise!

The writer behind “Sherlock” has returned to craft his remarkable ninth Christmas special for “Doctor Who”. Titled “Joy to the World”, this story unfolds within the Time Hotel, a unique establishment where each door serves as a portal to travel anywhere and any time. This holiday season, Doctor (Gatwa) crosses paths with Joy (Coughlan), leading them on an adventure filled with dinosaurs, perils, and a mysterious sack of secrets, some of which will only be revealed on Christmas Day. Simultaneously, a sinister scheme is unfolding worldwide, perfectly timed for the festive season. The special airs on Disney+ on December 25th.

The publication “The Hollywood Reporter” had a conversation with the creative minds behind the show “Who”, specifically executive producer and showrunner Davies, as well as Moffat. This conversation took place before the episode’s debut. Rest assured, there are no spoilers to be found here. Join us again on Christmas Day for part two of our interview, where we’ll explore the story in more depth.

***

The Time Hotel is such a great Doctor Who idea, whose was it?

RUSSELL T DAVIES No need to brainstorm concepts for Christmas, just a hint: “Holiday special, please!” (Chuckles)

STEVEN MOFFAT Indeed, that’s correct. “I’m out of ideas, do you have one?” (Both chuckle) But no, you aren’t entirely truthful, you did propose an idea.

DAVIES Well, we did talk about farces, about doing a comedy.

MOFFAT Yes, indeed. I once jokingly proposed creating a time travel comedy for Doctor Who; something with plenty of door slamming action. However, I never managed to write it, despite numerous chances. And this [“Joy to the World”] isn’t quite that either. I felt it wasn’t quite fitting to proceed, but there’s a hint of that concept lingering.

DAVIES One fantastic moment occurs when everyone is gathered in the hotel room and the doors continuously swing open. In total, there are three doors – a bathroom door, a hotel door, and another one…

MOFFAT That’s right and there’s two Doctors and there’s all that.

DAVIES You can see it there. You can see a farce there.

So, potentially, audiences could still be treated to a Doctor Who farce?

MOFFAT I believe it hasn’t been accomplished yet. However, it should ideally occur during the middle of the season. If it were at Christmas, viewers might feel let down because they’d anticipate something more traditional for that time.

DAVIES I don’t know. That’s enough to make me do it!

Maybe as a live stage show?

MOFFAT Yeah, yeah.

DAVIES You know what we should do? The Doctor Who That Went Wrong! Now you’re supposed to say, “You’ve done that!” (Laughs) It would be an easy thing to do. Oh my God, if you got Doctor Who trapped in the Play That Went Wrong [the theatrical comedy show that debuted in London in 2012]! There’s an idea. That’s the beginning of an idea.

In approximately a month’s time, the stunning foyer transformed into a modern hospital on a battlefield-scarred landscape, sadly disappearing from sight.

MOFFAT And it was hardly used, was it? [In “Joy to the World”] It was about a day filming.

DAVIES I think just one day. Amazing.

MOFFAT It doesn’t feel that way, because you think it’s throughout the episode.

DAVIES Extremely impressive, created by our recently awarded RTS [Craft & Design] designer, Phil Sims from Doctor Who. It’s not common for Doctor Who to win this award, despite having many talented designers. Typically, they don’t get recognized because people assume it’s easy due to the abundance of resources, but it’s quite rare. I’m overjoyed for them. Fantastic job!

As a design enthusiast, there’s hardly any show more captivating than Doctor Who when it comes to design-focused productions. If you’re a designer, this is your dream project – it’s nothing short of extraordinary!

DAVIES Juries rarely grasp that, don’t they? They typically sit there and think, “Ah, yes, this resembles Dickens’ London. That’s well done.” They usually lack the keen vision to appreciate the exceptional design subtleties.

ALTERNATIVE EXPRESSION They’re just sitting there, commenting, “This show seems fancy. It must be great, but it’s so slow and tedious, with someone displaying endless emotion while gazing out of a window. [Said sarcastically] Oh, that’s drama.” [Laughs] Nowadays, that’s considered comedy. Comedy without any humor at all, even winning an award.

That’s a trend, isn’t it? They want comedies without gags.

MOFFAT Well, the audience doesn’t.

Given her recent rise to fame, was it challenging to secure Nicola Coughlan for this guest role in our Christmas episode? [Note: After gaining popularity in the U.K. sitcom Derry Girls, the rising star of Netflix’s Bridgerton recently portrayed Diplomat Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Mattel film, alongside Gatwa.]

DAVIES She reveled in her freedom! She’s an acquaintance of Ncuti’s from long ago. I knew her just enough to exchange greetings, and honestly, we were warmly welcomed! It was a straightforward proposal and acceptance. What a charming woman she was. She was simply lovely. It was a pleasure having her around. She was incredibly joyful. Ncuti adored her; the shoot went smoothly. It was generous of her to depart after that and then gain even more fame later on. (Laughs heartily) We truly valued the effort she put into this publicity stunt.

MOFFAT It was a year-long publicity tour for the Christmas special!

DAVIES In Paris and stuff like that… all in the name of Doctor Who, amazing!

***

On Christmas Day, at 9:10 a.m. Pacific Time or 12:10 p.m. Eastern Time, the Doctor Who Christmas Special titled “Joy to the World,” which is directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai, will premiere on Disney+. Following its broadcast, THR will publish an in-depth interview with Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat, filled with potential spoilers.

Read More

2024-12-19 16:55