Yesterday, the news broke that the BBC has parted ways with Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and production company Bad Wolf. The planned Christmas Special has been scrapped, and the Time Lord is now in limbo as the British broadcaster puts the show on a competitive tender.
That will see the BBC ask producers to "pitch in a bake-off-style process to regenerate the sci-fi series," explains Deadline (via SFFGazette.com). However, the prospect isn't generating much in the way of enthusiasm after Disney+'s failed partnership with the channel.
The streamer came on board to help give Doctor Who a big-budget overhaul and bring the show to a global audience. Ultimately, it was deemed a poor investment, and Disney+ exited the partnership as soon as possible.
According to four "respected UK drama producers" the trade spoke to, all have "serious reservations" about stepping into the TARDIS. From a business perspective, sinking time and money into a franchise still owned by the BBC doesn't make sense. That's what Disney did, and the show ultimately failed to make an impact in terms of viewership or subscription numbers.
One producer said, "You would have to be mad" to take on Doctor Who, with another adding, "[It’s a] bit of a nightmare for any producer in this market with the shadow of the Disney fallout."
"It’s hard to see another major U.S. studio replacing Disney. So the budget would be hard to get above £3M ($4M) [per episode] without significant co-pro or insane investment from the distribution arm [BBC Studios], which they will struggle to recoup on sales."
Others feel that the show has lost its way creatively, with Davies blamed for using a "sledgehammer" to tackle issues of diversity and inclusion. His glib attitude about Doctor Who's future has drawn widespread backlash, particularly as he recently teased an exciting update that proved to be anything but.
According to insiders, Davies' ousting was "mutual," as everyone realised "Doctor Who required a level of surgery that could not be masked by the sticking plaster of a festive episode." There are conflicting claims about how much the showrunner had actually written, though it was likely only announced to calm concerns about the series being scrapped when Disney+ walked away.
Unfortunately, this all means that Doctor Who won't be back until 2028 at the earliest. However, even that is "considered an outside bet," with one producer believing that it could be gone for at least five years until 2031.
The UK tabloids have also weighed in, with The Telegraph talking to a former writer who told them, "We had this nonsense, this identity politics, and there is nothing less likely to make people feel at ease than by making them think they are being hectored or lectured."
A source told The Times, "The show doesn't necessarily need money, but it needs a rethink and perhaps an abandonment of the preachiness we have seen recently," with another former writer stating, "It will inevitably return at some point, but first it needs a very long rest. At the moment Doctor Who is a toxic brand."
Keep checking back here for updates on Doctor Who as we have them.