Doctor Who is a renowned TV series which was first premiered in 1963, the show was created by Sydney Newman, and it continued for 24 seasons before it was canceled. The show was then recreated in 2005 and it continued for 13 seasons before it was put on hold.
However, during the holiday season of 2022, it was announced that the show would return in 2023, and in a recent interview with GQ, Russel T. Davies announced that he’ll be returning to the show. Russel T. Davies desires to make this franchise as popular as Star Trek.
What Did Russell T. Davies Say About His Return to The Show?
Russell T. Davies announced his return to Doctor Who during his interview with GQ magazine, where he was asked “why did he decide to return to show?” where Russell T. Davies expressed his passion and ambition for Doctor Who, and he aims to make the show as popular as Star Trek. Russell T. Davies expressed his green-eyed jealousy for the Star Trek franchise and how the show became so popular from an old archive show. Here’s what the actor said in the interview:
“You’re right, you’re right. Partly, it’s simply that I love it and always have loved it. But the world has changed. And we’re now in the age of the streamer. I watch the Star Trek empire with vast envy: the way that’s turned itself from an old archive show into something fantastic. The cast is so progressive, so good, so beautiful. And very cleverly I think Star Trek is reaching out to making something like fifty-two episodes a year. So that’s your yearly show, genius. And there’s a problem with the BBC, it’s a public service broadcaster, so there’s only so much they’ll ever commit to.”
Russell T. Davies expressed his amazement for the show, as well as the cast members who have done a fantastic job playing their roles. Russell T. Davies also expressed his dissatisfaction with BBC because of their commitment to Doctor Who; he compared the show to Star Trek which was inconsistent with their episodes but during the streaming era, they have heavily increased the output.
Can Doctor Who Be as Popular as Star Trek?
Russell T. Davies was the producer of Doctor Who during the show’s revival in 2005, and it was he who handled the show’s Cristopher Eccleston and David Tennant period. He was also responsible for making Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, the spinoffs of the show. However, he decided to step down from his responsibilities. But Russell T. Davies would be returning along with David Tennant, and they will be reprising their roles. Here’s what the actor said about Doctor Who’s decline and a possible revival of the show:
“So I thought — with no criticism whatsoever towards the people who were running it at the time, because they were running it within the BBC’s measures — it was time for the next stage for Doctor Who. I thought the streaming platforms are ready, the spin-offs are ready; I always believed in spin-offs when I was there. I did Torchwood as a spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures as a spin-off. Those spin-offs declined when I left, and I can see why. And I very much left after 2008, when the money became scarce, I think that’s fair enough for the public service broadcaster that the money is spent on other things.”
“But now, it wasn’t my idea, it was the BBC’s notion to go for a streamer [Disney+] to invest in the show worldwide, which I completely agree with. We’re not on the budget level with Star Wars and the Marvel shows—”
After the 2023 specials, Russell T. Davies would manage the show, and Ncuti Gatwa will be playing the next Doctor. It is difficult to say if Doctor Who could match the popularity of Star Trek as both shows have different themes. Star Trek has been popular consistently and a part of the franchise’s success goes to its live-action films, TV series, and merchandise, which includes apparel, books, comics, and video games.
On the other hand, Doctor Who has a theme of time-traveling, aliens, and strong storytelling. The franchise has several spin-offs, books, comics, merchandise, specials, and video games, but most importantly they have a dedicated fan base. It is difficult to say if Doctor Who could match Star Trek’s level of popularity just yet, and it would be better to watch how Russell T. Davies makes the franchise better with new additions in the franchise.
Doctor Who can be streamed on HBO Max.
Source: GQ Magazine
