WE CAN’T TALK about the anniversary, the return of David Tennant, the future of the series, the spin-offs, before addressing one of the biggest comebacks in sci-fi history. Everyone knows where they were on 24 September 2021 when the news broke that Russell T Davies was returning as Doctor Who’s showrunner.
To quote a certain Time Lord: “What? What?! WHAT?!” Davies had given up the reins in 2010 after a farewell tour to rival Cher. But now – like the ageless diva herself – he was back and spearheading the 60th anniversary specials. “The original press release just said that I was doing the specials,” Davies tells SFX, “and I absolutely insisted on saying ‘and future seasons to come’. Seasons plural, because I said the future would look insecure otherwise. So I was inserting those words into press releases myself.”
He’s a man who cares for, nay loves Doctor Who. He knows what fans think – he’s been one his whole life. He knows how the machine works. But this time he’s got an army and an international streamer behind him. This is RTD2 – but before we talk about the new era, we need to take a step back…
HE IS RETURNING
It’s no wonder fandom was surprised – a return was something Davies said he’d never do. “That’s automatic, though, in fairness,” he counters. “Even though I’d been dying to do Doctor Who for years, ever since I left, I’d automatically say I’m not because someone’s in the job. You’d sound like an idiot if you’re on the sidelines going, ‘I’d love to do it again!’ Actually, if I did want to do it again I’d phone them up and say, ‘Can I write an episode?’
“The truth of it is that I’ve been inventing stories since I was five. So it’s like second nature to me and that never stops. I don’t think of stories for my job, I have this job because I think of stories all the time. That’s what I do
