In what was the start of a wild weekend of unexpected news regarding Doctor Who, the BBC released a statement that with the airing of Series 10 of the revived program, six-year head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat would be stepping down from his position, and handing the reins over to Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall. While many were aware that Moffat was actively seeking his successor (odds favoring veterans and insiders like Brian Minchin, among others), the news that it would be happening in one more season was shocking enough. When combined with the notification to the public that, with the exception of a 2016 Christmas special, there would be no new content until Spring of 2017, the story grew from surprise, to shock — and in many’s eyes, upset.
The official news release from the BBC regarding Steven Moffat’s departure
In this unscheduled reaction episode, we look at all the facts given in the BBC statement regarding Moffat’s departure, Chibnall’s succession, and the Series 10 delay. We try to make some sense of the circumstances, the impact it will have on the program both in content, casting, and audience, and how much we’re actually being told about the machinations within the BBC.
News Links:
- Matt Smith Reacts to Moffat’s Exit
- When It Rains, It Pours: US Viewers to Lose Doctor Who on Netflix and Hulu
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Why do you say that Chris Chibnall was “Moffat’s right hand” during the last two series of Doctor Who? Never heard of that either from him, or Moffat, or anyone else, and in fact he was busy with Broadchurch and Gracepoint during that time. So what’s your source for that?
Or are you confusing Chris Chibnall with Brian Minchin?