What Elements of the Moffat Era will Chibnall Keep?
Tom Tit
Posts: 2,554 Forum Member
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Wild speculation thread but Doctor Who fandom has been pretty desperate for some discussion points since the season ended so now there is some huge news it's time to speculate.
What elements from the Moffat era do we expect Chibnall to keep?
I think River will retire with Moffat. Hard to imagine anyone else writing her, or wanting to (not because she isn't a good character but she's just such a personal Moffat character I don't think any other writer would want to tread on his toes or feel he had anything to interject into her story) .
What about the Paternoster gang? I'm certain Moffat will use them in his closing season. Will they live on beyond that? There's still spin-off potential there. Could they be put aside for use by Moffat (and maybe Gattiss) in that context?
Missy: she's been such a successful character that it strikes me they will want to keep her around, but again, she's such a Moffat character, it's hard to imagine another writer really doing her justice. Regenerating her too quickly would be such a shame though. Of course, all writers want to make their own mark too.
The general Moffat millieu, his future vision etc: this has been quite distinctive under Moffat. The future church and politics, retro-medieval fashions. It's been done quietly and never discussed that much but there's quite a lot of world building gone on here. His vision of the future has been very consistently portrayed. Will Chibnall and co continue with this vision or will they leave that time period behind and start to build a new 'contemporary future world' for the Doctor to recur in.
UNIT: Chibnall was given the chance to introduce the new UNIT in 'Power of Three' so I have to think this is something he will maintain and possibly even had a hand in discussing the creation of with Moffat? Speculation.
What elements from the Moffat era do we expect Chibnall to keep?
I think River will retire with Moffat. Hard to imagine anyone else writing her, or wanting to (not because she isn't a good character but she's just such a personal Moffat character I don't think any other writer would want to tread on his toes or feel he had anything to interject into her story) .
What about the Paternoster gang? I'm certain Moffat will use them in his closing season. Will they live on beyond that? There's still spin-off potential there. Could they be put aside for use by Moffat (and maybe Gattiss) in that context?
Missy: she's been such a successful character that it strikes me they will want to keep her around, but again, she's such a Moffat character, it's hard to imagine another writer really doing her justice. Regenerating her too quickly would be such a shame though. Of course, all writers want to make their own mark too.
The general Moffat millieu, his future vision etc: this has been quite distinctive under Moffat. The future church and politics, retro-medieval fashions. It's been done quietly and never discussed that much but there's quite a lot of world building gone on here. His vision of the future has been very consistently portrayed. Will Chibnall and co continue with this vision or will they leave that time period behind and start to build a new 'contemporary future world' for the Doctor to recur in.
UNIT: Chibnall was given the chance to introduce the new UNIT in 'Power of Three' so I have to think this is something he will maintain and possibly even had a hand in discussing the creation of with Moffat? Speculation.
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Comments
Seconded.
Generally I'd like Chibnall to have an element of Moffat's more intricate plotting and an in-depth exploration of what makes the Doctor work.
I certainly hope so. Capaldi is the man to break the three season trend.
Kate Stewart is a decent enough 'familiar face' and a good tie to UNIT. If Jemma Redgrave is still up for the role, and Ingrid Oliver would also be keen on coming back as Osgood then the two could logically appear again. And for once these are characters were ageing actors are less of a hurdle to the continuity.
If Moffat doesn't play his 'Doctor's Daughter' card, then maybe Chibnall will?
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On the other hand I suspect River Song and the Paternoster gang are things to be consigned to Moffat's era... especially seeing as both already feel that way already. River's story is essentially done, whilst the Paternoster's haven't shown up nearly two whole series now.
Purely a personal preference but God I hope not
And i expect the tone to stay slightly dark as well, considering the stories he has written in the past.
I don't care much for the Series 4 episode in question, but if handled correctly I really wouldn't mind this. It'd give reason to an otherwise needlessly retconned death in the episode (basically dismantling the emotional core of the episode). Admittedly with only twelve episodes a series, I'd also much rather explore wholly new ideas rather than constant retreads.
I imagine it'll be Peter's choice if he wishes to stay or not.
Yes, I would think so. Apart from the case of Colin Baker, it's generally been down to the actor (although Tom Baker might have tested that if he'd decided to stay an 8th year...)
I really hope Capaldi decides to stay on for some of the 'Chibnall era', and I'm sure Chibnall will ask him to, similarly to Moffat asking David Tennant to stay for series 5.
Actually I agree with this Rtd and Moffat got their own Doctors which might be easier to write for maybe Chibnall should make his own elements and dump Moffat elements only giving them references like Moffat did with the RTD Era.
I'd also love there to be not even a mention of the Daleks in 2018. I'm hoping series 11 will be more about people (ones you care about) and less about concepts and overblown story arcs with payoffs as enjoyable as a rice cake after a hard day's work.
Is Chibnall going to inherit Peter Capaldi and the season 10 companion, or is he going to get a blank canvass in the same way Moffat was in 2010?
If Season 10 loses more viewers, the BBC might have to make a tough choice about Capaldi anyway. And Moffat could write a one-season companion in the same way RTD did with Donna for season 4.
I personally would have no problem with Chibnall connecting to other eras of Who - I'd love to see him reconnect with some of the RTD era characters who have been sadly lacking over the past six years.
I hope there will be a lot less timey-whimey stuff though. A full time companion and a likeable Doctor. That's my starter for 10.
Just a shame we're getting yet another gap year before... yet another Moffat series and then Chibnall takes over the following season. I'd much rather Moffat did a series this year, then left 2017 as a gap year leading to Chibnal's refreshed debut in 2018.
Me too. Essentially, an 18 month hiatus and then . . . more of the same. Oh, its 1986 all over again!
You know, I'd never thought of that. In a way it's almost a perfect epitaph for Moffat, who's managed to become the modern-day JNT - Ironic given what he had to say about that era as a cocky young man.
I wonder if Ian Levine will produce a "Moffat in This Dress" single this time?
Haha! Brilliant. You know its weird but I was stuck in traffic today and ended up talking to my husband about Moffat leaving/Chibnall taking over. He's only moderately interested in Doctor Who but did his best to pretend to care.
But I made that exact same comparison with JNT. Which is a worry if you remember what then happened to poor old Colin Baker!