‘I Was Vilified’: Doctor Who’s Stephen Moffat Reflects On Downside Of Being Showrunner For The Long-Running Series

As a gamer who has been following Doctor Who since its return to our screens back in 2005, I must say that Steven Moffat’s tenure as showrunner was a rollercoaster ride of emotions for me and many other fans. While his contributions to the series cannot be denied – episodes like “The Empty Child” and “Blink” are still talked about with reverence – his time in charge also sparked intense debate among fans.

The long-running television show, Doctor Who, has never been more beloved than it is now. This popularity, however, comes with a heightened level of criticism, as evidenced by Steven Moffat’s statement that he felt like the “chief devil” while running the series.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve been along for the ride since “Doctor Who” made its triumphant return to our screens in 2005. But it was during my tenure as showrunner, spanning Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi’s incredible portrayals of the Doctor, that I truly felt at home. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, I shared some insights into my time at the helm and the intense criticism I faced. To put it mildly, the level of hostility I encountered was staggering. As Moffat, these words were mine:

The intensity of the dislike I receive is comparable to causing three commercial airplanes to crash. In other words, it never seems to let up. I was constantly criticized and labeled as a hater, someone who dislikes men, a general hater of humanity, a woman-hater, a man-hater, a bigot towards both sexes, a misogynist, and a racist. To put it another way, given the number of people I’m perceived to be against, I might as well be called an all-encompassing bigot, which I would argue means I treat everyone equally unfairly.

When Russell T. Davies stepped down as showrunner of Doctor Who, coinciding with David Tennant’s departure from the series, many fans eagerly anticipated that Steven Moffat would take over. Known for penning some of the show’s most beloved episodes such as “The Empty Child” featuring the Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston and “Blink” starring the Tenth Doctor David Tennant, Moffat was eventually appointed to the role. He served in this position until 2017, overseeing two regenerations before his own departure from Doctor Who.

As an ardent fan, I can’t help but echo the sentiments shared by Steven Moffat, who admitted to burning himself out while working on Doctor Who. He even went as far as labeling one of his seasons as one of the most disappointing in the series’ recent history.

During Matt Smith’s time as the Eleventh Doctor, there was a surge in the popularity of Doctor Who. However, it should be noted that Steven Moffat’s tenure as showrunner for the series sparked some debate among fans. Of course, pleasing everyone is difficult, and many Doctor Who enthusiasts didn’t appreciate the changes Moffat made to the series.

Previously, Moffat’s writing of female characters has faced criticism, yet it appears that he has also received unfavorable comments about his portrayal of characters who are people of color and gay. It seems that Moffat struggles to write well-rounded characters across the board, a fact that he humorously acknowledges as demonstrating some form of equality in his writing.

Ever since I stepped down from my role as showrunner, the allure of Doctor Who has been too strong to resist. After taking a short break and giving myself some breathing room, it appears that the creative pull was simply too great. So, here I am back to weaving tales in the latest season, this time collaborating with the talented Ncuti Gartwa on an episode.

Now that “Doctor Who” is available on Disney+, its international fame has soared to unprecedented heights. The latest season garnered generally positive reviews, but it’s likely that there will be plenty of opportunities for fans to express their disagreements in the future.

2024-09-10 21:07

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