"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," William Shakespeare once wrote, but Doctor Who’s prodigal son Russell T. Davies, who also created spin-off series Torchwood and other award-winning shows, including Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin, is perfectly comfortable carrying the keys to the TARDIS.
With a renewed zest and zeal usually reserved for far younger creatives, Davies is the prolific scribe who miraculously restored luster to the legendary British sci-fi show when he helped to revive Doctor Who for the modern age. After a 16-year absence from our screens, the iconic Time Lord was given a fresh lease of life under Davies’ tutelage; the series returning in style in 2005 and enjoying a largely acclaimed 13-season run (plus numerous Doctor Who Christmas specials and TV spin-offs) ever since.
Now, Davies – who’s been whipping up Time Lord stories since he was a child – is back as showrunner, writer, and executive producer to whisk Doctor Who into uncharted dimensions. Indeed, for the first time in its illustrious history, Doctor Who will materialize on Disney Plus internationally alongside its traditional UK launch on BBC One/BBC iPlayer.
Good writing in Doctor Who is to write on every level
Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who showrunner
Perhaps understandably, Davies was anxious about returning to helm a show that’s not only close to his heart, but has also enjoyed plenty of success in his absence. However, buoyed by his confidence-boosting initial run on the series and the electrifying displays of Doctor Who’s new stars – Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, who play the 15th Doctor and companion Ruby Rose – Davies is more relaxed than you might expect.
“The apprehension is always the same, which is: will people like this?,’” Davies tells TechRadar. “It’s a show that deserves to be liked and loved. But, actually, there’s not much apprehension because I look at Ncuti [and] Millie, and I look at what our design team has done and I think, ‘Well if that doesn’t work, I give up.’
“Because I’m so proud of it. I’m so happy with this show and it’s my job to sit here and sell it, but I fear I don’t need to be forced to do anything. I literally think it works, it’s lovely, It’s an open door to new viewers to come and watch it, and I just hope they come. So not much apprehension, more excitement I would say.”
Gatwa, who viewers might recognize from Netflix’s Sex Education, will navigate the TARDIS through the timestream following his inspired hiring as The Doctor in May 2022. Primed for new adventures across time and space alongside Gibson’s orphaned Ruby, the galavanting Gallifreyan’s latest regeneration launches into dynamic escapades injected with all the endearing qualities that have made the treasured show a television institution for over 60 years.
In a historic move ripe for our digital generation, Gatwa steps into the famous role as the first Black and openly gay actor. Gatwa and Gibson were first introduced in December 2023’s Christmas Special ‘The Church on Ruby Road’ – an episode that Davies penned and teased the fun-filled and at-times frightening narratives to come.
The apprehension is always the same... will people like this?
Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who showrunner
Regarding any definitive tonal changes or stylistic alterations for the latest installment of Doctor Who – one of 10 epic shows we can’t wait for in mid-2024 – Davies distills his production philosophy down to its purest essence. “I simply wanted it to look and to feel like it was made in 2024,” he said “That it has a vibe of today and I think we’ve done that. Ncuti and Millie do that automatically.”
Having penned dozens of Doctor Who scripts, it’s obvious that this is no task for the timid; a fact that Davies can certaInly attest to as one of its master wordsmiths.
“Good writing in Doctor Who is to write on every level,” notes Davies. “You’ve got to write the best jokes, the best scares, and the best horror movie motifs you’ve ever seen. It exercises every muscle. That’s why writers find it very hard to write – it’s hard work.”
As a lucrative franchise that has enjoyed such longevity around the world, infusing the cherished series with fresh eyes, both young and old, is a vital component to its health and welfare.
I wanted to go back to the white interiors [of the TARDIS] of the 1960s
Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who showrunner
“I was watching Doctor Who when I was three years old, so I know that it can shape your life, and can lead to great blessings and beauties and joy in my own life,” Davies adds. “It’s not just a children's show; it’s a show for the whole family. I know that kids draw Doctor Who and get inspired by Doctor Who and they love the monsters and they love the fun of it.
“And it is more fun than a lot of other science fiction franchises. I love those other shows, but it genuinely has a child’s heart at the center of it. The Doctor has no boss. He has absolutely no responsibilities. He has no bills. He has no money. He’s like a kid going out to play and no one ever calls him back in and he just heads for the horizon on his bike, and I love that.”
Speaking of moderate makeovers, the Time Lord’s TARDIS has scored a brilliant refreshed interior that harkens back to an earlier age that Davies is thrilled to present to his audience.
“I wanted to go back to the white interiors of the 1960s,” he admits. “Over the years, the program was played with a white interior when it was made in back-and-white and I always loved it. I had a long debate with myself. I’m a child of the ‘60s so that’s my childhood TARDIS. It’s genuinely a good design, so let’s go back to it. I love it. I’m like a child running around that set, I adore it.”
Music in all its myriad shades has always been a key component of Doctor Who, from classical pieces to pop tunes. Based on the groovy Doctor Who season 14 trailer that fans were treated to in March, this upcoming season seems to be no different with its needle drops.
“I put music at the heart of it,” he explains. “There are some songs, but it’s not a musical. I want Doctor Who to fill every emotion and every sense in your body. I want it to look good. I want it to sound good. I want it to taste good. You could eat Doctor Who and it would be the most delicious meal. Music is part of that. Sometimes the emotions and joy of it lift up to such a point where they can burst into song. You can sing along with Doctor Who, what could be better?” We couldn't have said it any better, Russell.
Doctor Who season 14 will launch with a two-episode premiere on Disney Plus at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT on Friday, May 10 in the US. It’ll also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer at 12 AM BST, and on BBC One at a later time, on Saturday, May 11 in the UK.
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