Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, Preview, Trailer, TV | Tagged: bbc, chris chibnall, doctor who, jodie whittaker, russell t davies

Doctor Who Fans Take Issue with Chris Chibnall/"Nudged" Slight

Some Doctor Who fans are taking issue with what they see as The Guardian taking a cheap shot at Chris Chibnall in its Autumn 2023 TV preview.

Published Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:50:08 -0500

by Ray Flook

Comments

To say that the future is looking bright for the BBC, Disney+, and Showrunner Russell T. Davies's Doctor Who would be putting it mildly. In November, we celebrate the show's 60 years with a three-episode anniversary event that sees the return of David Tennant (as the Fourteenth Doctor) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) – as well as our Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. From there, Davies & Gatwa will be joined by Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday) for a new run of adventures kicking off with a Christmas Special and then moving onto Series 14 in 2024. So with the show looking to spend the next few months embracing its past before moving ahead with a bright future, some fans are wondering why The Guardian felt the need to take what they felt was a cheap shot at previous showrunner Chris Chibnall's expense.

The Fourteenth Doctor And More Changes Coming For Doctor Who — BBC PR Doctor Who

In The Guardian's Autumn 2023 Top TV preview, the listing under "Doctor Who" read: "For the second time in 20 years, Russell T Davies is saving Doctor Who. After the showrunner Chris Chibnall nudged the show closer to the wilderness, Davies has returned with new scripts, more money and everyone's favourite Doctor, David Tennant – until a festive special, when Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the Time Lord's 15th incarnation." While Chibnall's run isn't without its detractors (we've been one of them) – with many still debating what the long-term ramifications from "The Timeless Children" [Ed. Note: I'm a big fan] will be – there are also many who found Chibnall and Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker's run as one that pushed the show toward a larger embracing of the show's global audience – setting the stage for RTD to build upon those open doors. Based on the social media reaction we've been seeing this afternoon, even some of those less-than-impressed with Chibnall's run found the comment a bit out of bounds considering the celebratory vibe.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!