At the time of broadcast for series 7 there was something of a sense that Chibnall was being lined up to replace Moffat. Both of his episodes for that season seemed to be setting up world elements in the show with the potential to recur as ongoing story elements: The Doctor's team in 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship', the Tally in 'The Power of Three', the nature of which was never properly examined, leaving them essentially enigmatic. It definitely felt like an introduction story for them, rather than a one-off story.

It seemed like a pretty good bet at the time that he was to be the next showrunner and was sowing the seeds for his run in those episodes. It didn't happen however. Now with hindsight I am definitely of the opinion that the BBC intended it to but it got delayed by a few years, for whatever reason. Maybe they got cold feet on him. Maybe they just hoped they could keep Moffat for as long as possible and not risk the show. Maybe Chibnall got cold feet or became unavailable. Maybe a new, preferred candidate cam up instead but they eventually got cold feet or became unavailable. Who knows.

Certainly the fact that he hasn't written any episodes since seems conspicuous. Perhaps he was simply very busy with his plentiful other TV work. Perhaps he has been quietly planning and stockpiling ideas for a long time now to get ahead of the game.

But now it is happening with him do we think he will go back to those threads he started to sow? Or has too much time passed now, the threads turning out to not be too memorable anyway and he'll instead start up with entirely new ideas?

My instinct is the latter.

Could be interesting if he goes with the idea of a Gang on board the TARDIS* rather than just one or two companions.

Maybe chop and change the members of the Team throughout the series.



I could certainly see him returning to the Power of Three Bad guys, maybe even making them the big bad of his first series.


Anyone know if Chibnall has ever said what his favourite parts/Doctors/Monsters of Classic DW were? Could give an idea of some of the things he might do with the show.

*Having just watched Rory the Time Master recruit his gang of Eight.

I think there's a chance that that may be reading too much into it all where this is concerned, and it's possible to look at several of the writers in this way (I'm as guilty of that where Whithouse is concerned). Keeping in mind that those episodes were written way back in 2012 (possibly 2011, depending on how long it took to get them to the screen) and Chibnall won't be taking over until 2018, even if there was a delay in getting him on board, that's still several years that people will have been expected to remember these particular characters.

Personally I'm of the opinion that harking back to any of his episodes, especially from the Moffat era, would be a poor move. I personally don't want reminding of his previous efforts, but even so I think in pursuit of moving forward those characters weren't even particularly interesting enough the first time we saw them to warrant a second mention, let alone trudging them all up for further appearances.

I too think he'll look forward to new ideas, and that's the best course of action. Of course he may yet end up with a writing spot in Series 10, and like Moffat did in Series 4 (Moffat introduced River Song in Series 4, RTD didn't use the Daleks in The End of Time as Moffat had plans to use them early on in Series 5 and we also have the unused Doctor's Daughter card as well) he could well lay the foundations for a few ideas and have a few influences that shape the direction the series takes.

First somebody suggests that Jamie Campbell Bower could be the next Doctor, now we're getting ideas in our heads of the team from Dinosaurs on a Spaceship returning... people aren't helping my confidence in this. :P

Chibnall did also introduce the new UNIT and Kate Stewart in 'The Power of Three'.

With hindsight was that something he discussed with Moffat with an eye to establishing them for his own run on the show?

It's pretty circumstantial evidence for the above point but I do remember Moffat not having much enthusiasm for UNIT generally before he reintroduced them in 'Power of Three'.


It's not an idea so much as a curious speculation. I just wonder if at the time Chibnall had it int he back of his mind to set up these characters and situations for his own run.

For sure too much time may have elapsed to follow them up now.


He surely will. How could they not have the incoming showrunner present on the season? I would guess at least two episodes will be written by him, either a big two-parter or two individual episodes to sow the seeds for his own debut season without treading on Moffat's toes and intruding on his plans or storyline for his final season.

I guess I'd maybe see it in the same way I see Captain Jack. An RTD character, but first seen in a two-part Moffat story. And aside from one failed attempt at getting Barrowman back for Series 6 he's a character very much consigned to RTD's era (unless Series 10 proves otherwise).

Kate Stewart proved to be a pivotal recurring character in the 50th anniversary, Series 8, Series 9 and possibly beyond... but she's been written by three seperate writers now and unless there's been plans for Chibnall to take over since about 2011 when Series 7 was being drafted I have my doubts that Chibnall had any big sway in her involvement, just as Moffat ultimately had no further sway in Captain Jack's.

Nah..highly doubt CC was ever a first choice for showrunner.

I doubt that the "powers that be" even thought about a change of showrunner back when series 7 was planned. I think people are reading too much into that.

What?
Doctor Who fans reading too much into things, getting massively worked up about insane theories based on precisely no facts at all? Surely not...

Wasn't "The Power of Three" a bit of a last minute bonus episode anyway? I'm really thankful we got it as it brought back UNIT, introduced Kate and actually gave some substance to Amy and Rory's ongoing lives right before their exit.

Surely he'll have to take over next year in order to deliver a series in March 2018? Otherwise, we're looking at another gap year - and I really wouldn't rule that out!

And if he does take over next year in such a senior role, surely he'll be begin preparing for it this year.

And as for the return of the gang from 'Dinosaurs', I don't think that's unlikely at all. I don't think those three actors will return to their roles, but the setup may well, with a lovable, sensible older character and two younger ones to do all the screaming and running. RTD had Jackie Tyler, Chibnall had Brian. Perhaps he'll create a new 'Brian' to travel in the Tardis full time. I can't say many of Moffat's characters have made me want to care about them, something that was never a problem under Gardner and RTD. Chibnall may realise this is a huge problem with the current show, and one of the reasons it has lost 1.5M viewers despite having much higher production values.

Whats happening with Broadchurch 3? I am assuming he will be writing/finishing writing that this year for broadcast in 2017 and then he will move on to DW next year
I dont watch Broadchurch but Im sure I remember a headline somewhere announcing S3.

Broadchurch filming in May, I think. so CC will be v busy! But yeah, reckon he'll be in charge in 2017 for Series 11 writing/filming,,..

ETA Yeah, May. Olivia Coleman's confirmed it, and she'd know!

Judging by his comments on being excited to hear about what Moffat has lined up for Series 10, I'm currently thinking Chibnall isn't contributing to Series 10 himself.


Well yes, in a behind-the-scenes capacity, Chibnall's preparations begin now and he'll be working as a showrunner from next year. But his output won't be until 2018 which is all I meant

I don't think my musings and speculations in the OP were particularly a reach. I'm not speaking only with hindsight; anyone with a memory will recall that at that point in time Chris Chibnall was being strongly discussed as being lined up to replace Moffat. I even remember posting on this very forum that Dinosaurs on a Spaceship gave me some confidence in him as the heir apparent. It did not seem unlikely then that he was sowing some seeds.

It's also worth noting that on top of those two episodes he also wrote the 'Pond Life' shorts for that series. That's not something a feelancer typically does. That's something a staff writer, usually the showrunner does. It definitely looked like he was 'getting his feet under the table'.

None of us are privy to the behind the scenes goings on but it's pretty easy to read between the lines and realize Moffat has stayed quite a lot longer than originally intended or expected. So I can quite easily conceive that the BBC HAVE had ambition for Chibnall since that time. Perhaps not set in stone, perhaps not an actual plan or timeline and presumably not an actual offer to Chibnall... but he was a strong contender even that far back and outside of Gattiss would have been the betting favourite even then.

Why it took so long, who knows. Speculation is in my OP.


You could be right but I'm not really inclined to reach much into official statements. To me that reads like a piece of gracious PR rather than meaningful information.

I think what is most concerning is that everything you say hear about the BBC probably thinking about Chibnall as a successor here is entirely on the mark. His Pond Life credentials back that up well, and the fact that he got two of the Pond's closing episodes was also somewhat telling.

At the same time this is a bit concerning. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship can be described as a divisive episode at best... and divisive in the sense that whilst some really like it, others really genuinely hate it. With the mixed reception to most of Chibnall's work considered (both in Doctor Who and Torchwood) it seems less a bold move and more a risky one for the BBC to then pursue the man as Moffat's successor for so long - bearing in mind that by the time his first series broadcasts, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship will be nearly six years old!

Perhaps the cynicism from some is stemmed from the fact that Chibnall last contributed to Series 7 - often considered one of the poorest series since 2005 (and that's not just a personal opinion, though I would agree with it) and within that series Chibnall's episodes weren't among those that were particularly well received (again, I was all pro-Whithouse, but concede that A Town Called Mercy was also subjected to a mixed reception). All this talk about him irrationally makes me hark back to one of the lowest ebbs in the show for me. It's totally unfounded to suggest that Series 11 will have anything in common with his previous work, but the suggestions that it could aren't terribly reassuring for many.


Absolutely! These people are very skilled at ensuring they don't let anything slip... that may yet prove to be the case with Series 10

That is a good point about season 7 that it is probably the weakest series of new who. I mean Moffat wrote Asylum of the Daleks which has gotten a lot of hate, the Angel episode had a lot of mixed reception along with a Town called Mercy. And the Power of Three seems like it was rushed and done in the last minute with some terrible editing. S7 just seemed like a mess and i don't think any writer that season did anything great.

But what he did do was The Pond Life which was probably the best bit of Amy and Rory that season, and wrote PS, that is the sort of stuff you want in a showrunner.

But it isn't like he hasn't written any good episodes, he wrote some of the best Torchwood episodes and trusted with 2 finale's, and now has experience in running a very successful show.

The break away from Doctor Who for him is also probably a good thing for him as well, he will have new ideas and Broadchurch might have helped him improve his writing also.

I thought reception to Asylum of the Daleks was mostly quite positive, but that may be me projecting my opinion - it's my favourite episode from Series 7.

I didn't think much of Pond Life myself, but I think again that is down to problems with Series 7. It was the kind of exposition that I felt they'd previously managed to work into the show itself, rather than through some relatively disposable short eps - the fundamental question there is how many people actually watched them at all? And critically who has bothered to watch them again? It's similar problems with the 'PS...' segment really. The sequence inherited its sentiment from a Moffat-penned episode and so was already going to be quite emotive. It's hard to assess it on its own when it feels like such a sequence should have been part and parcel of The Angels Take Manhattan, and written by the man who delivered that story.

I personally quite enjoyed Torchwood - apart from Miracle Day. But it does have a reputation for being a huge guilty pleasure all round outside of Children of Earth. I only discovered yesterday that Chibnall wrote Adrift, which is one of my favourite Torchwood episodes (I think Catherine Tregenna holds onto the crown with Out of Time) and so credit for that as well as some other competent episodes. But he also delivered my least favourite episode of all as well. I think the worry is that the standard for Torchwood, for me at least, was set so much lower after a shaky start. Not to cheapen what were some fantastic episodes, but the phrase 'lower standards' again is something that doesn't fill me with enthusiasm. Combine it with some poor episodes in the lower standard Series 7, and what I consider to be easily the weakest episodes in Series 5 as well and I find myself depending wholly on the idea of a pleasant surprise from him. But that's just me.

7mil according to Moffat, but I don't know if that's per episode or in total or what.

Asylum of the Daleks was one of my favourites from series 7. I don't recall it receiving much hate around here. As far as I remember the reception for it was positive, though there were a few complaints that there weren't as many Dalek variants as some had been expecting.

I liked Pond Life and the other minisodes and the so-called "prequels" (though I think calling them "prequels" is an unnecessary corruption of the language when there is a perfectly good, and accurate, word for what they actually are: prologues).

They bring an extra dimension to the stories as aired. I just wish they'd been incorporated into the episodes in question.

You mean every Dalek ever?

I really liked Series 7 part 1, and felt more like a series of specials than 2009 ever did, and all 5 episodes were pretty strong (series 7 part 2 fell apart in the middle with a lot of boring episodes).

What DoaS and PoT have in common is they both featured Rory's dad, and Chibnall was the only writer to write this character so was it his idea? I remember at the time feeling we'd missed out, with Brian being introduced so late into Rory's time in the show, so hopefully Chibnall might make the extended characters more family based than Paternoster/River Song based.

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship is Doctor Who at its best, with a moral story that is fun and self contained within 45 minutes not affected by an on going arc. If he produces more stories like this I'll be happy.

Even looking at 42 and the Silurian 2 parter, what is most striking is the fact that the supporting cast seem fairly memorable, which is something you can't say about Moffatt's era where key characters are well written, but the other characters just feel like generic add ons.

Broadchurch also was fantastic, the way the story managed to pace itself over 8 weeks, and even though the characters all had faults, they weren't unlikeable.

And if Capaldi does stay longer as the Doctor, it would be a long shot but one series of Olivia Colman as companion, like Catherine Tate as Donna would be fantastic

Did he actually say that? You know how slippery he is with words (just like anyone in a PR, image management role). Did you actually believe it at the time?

But the story itself, did you think it was good?

Broadchurch happening is why it took so long. That Moffat may have intended to leave at the end of S9 and was persuaded to stay on for S10 ties in with Broadchurch S3 being commissioned, which none of the parties involved may have expected in the original negotiations. Also there is was a story going around a while back (can't remember where so no idea if it is verifiable or not) that Chibnall was offered it earlier and turned it down (again, if true, probably because of Broadchurch being greenlit). The subsequent success of Broadchurch is probably what made them persist in asking him (again, tying in with Moffat's jokey remark in the announcement press release that it took a lot of gin and tonic to convince him).

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