The Doctor Who franchise is in a state of limbo at the moment, as this year’s Christmas Special has been cancelled and the show itself is in the midst of the BBC’s tender process. Suffice it to say that things are rather unclear regarding the show’s future, and one Doctor Who writer has a rather grim prediction about that future, though he makes a great point.
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In a new interview with Radio Times, writer Mark Gatiss was asked about his hopes for Doctor Who’s future, and he isn’t exactly optimistic. “My two penneth is, I genuinely think… [F] Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives, and I think that sort of sometimes goes for showbiz as well,” Gatiss said.
“I think the fact that Doctor Who had a second act of 21 years is absolutely amazing. Amazing! And for it to come back possibly even more popular than it was in the first run… but I think maybe it’s just time for a break, because all good things come to an end,” Gatiss said.
Gatiss Points To Doctor Who History, And He May Be Right
Gatiss looks to franchise history when speaking of this era’s possible end, as this isn’t the first time the series has been put out to tender. This same process happened the last time the show was cancelled, and Gatiss points out that the process never went anywhere and instead just sort of faded away.
“I think the BBC putting it out to tender is a perfectly great idea, but we’ve been here before. When it was cancelled in 1989 the BBC made a big statement saying ‘We’re committed to taking Doctor Who through the ’90s.’ They put it out to tender then, and then it just quietly didn’t happen, and I have a feeling maybe that’s what’s going to happen,” Gatiss said.
Gatiss also makes sure to note that just because this chapter closes doesn’t mean the show goes away forever. In fact, taking a substantial break might be the best thing for it in terms of fresh ideas and approach.
“I feel very doomy, but it’s true. It’s fine. I think the fact it’s come back so successfully means it will come back again,” Gatiss said. “It’s not a one-off 26-year (sic) run, but I think maybe it’s just time for a proper break, because you want people to miss it and have fresh ideas, and probably someone to run it who grew up with David Tennant as the Doctor, rather than Tom Baker.”
Now, it is worth highlighting that the tender process for Doctor Who looks to already be different from the last go-round, as the series already has both BBC Studios and Electric Entertainment interested in bidding before the process has even started.
BBC director general Matt Brittin has also expressed confidence that the series will return, saying, “That’s a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history, and we’ll do so again. I think that’s one of the great things about the 100-year history of the BBC. We can do that, and we can creatively renew shows that people love, and we’ll be working hard on that right now.”
Doctor Who is now streaming on BBC iPlayer.
All 16 Doctors’ First Adventures in Doctor Who, Ranked
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