Doctor Who May Be a Victim of Its Success
By David Hill
In theory, the more success a program has, the better it is for that show. Higher ratings lead to bigger budgets, better guest appearances and better writers, at least theoretically. In turn, this should lead to a better quality show, where the episodes are vastly improved over the beginning of the history of the program’s history. The same corollary should apply with Doctor Who as well.
Yet, over the past few years, it seems as though the general consensus is that Doctor Who has gotten worse. The scripts are considered to be not nearly as good as they had been when the show first came back, and more episodes have been widely criticized in recent seasons than had been the case early on. Naturally, majority of the blame for these issues has been lain at the feet of Steven Moffat, since the decline is thought to have begun when he became showrunner.
While Moffat proved himself to be one of the better writers on Doctor Who when the program first came back, he may be pulled in far too many directions for the show at this point. Moffat did mention that his commitments with Sherlock may keep him from being able to promise a full season of Doctor Who in 2016. This just adds more fuel to the “Moffat Must Go” fire.
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While Moffat’s track record over his tenure as showrunner on Doctor Who may not be what we would like, it is an oversimplification to lay all of the problems upon his doorstep. It could be that, given the meteoric rise in popularity for Doctor Who, the show is simply a victim of its own popularity at this point. What may have been sufficient when the show first returned may no longer be enough for the increased fanbase.
It certainly makes sense that, as more people tune in or become aware of a program, that it will be more difficult to appease the audience. Even though there is still a vast majority that enjoys Doctor Who and the more recent episodes, the number of people that disapprove of the direction of the program has increased. As the show has evolved over the years into something somewhat different than what it was when it began, those criticisms have increased.
This is not entirely Moffat’s fault. Just like the Doctor and his companions have changed and evolved, so too must the show. Naturally, these changes will not be for everyone, yet they may ensure that Doctor Who remains successful, keeping the program on the air.
Even if Doctor Who is not the same, the core remains. It is still an adventure through time and space, where the Doctor is fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. Even if the success of the program is causing a few changes, well, change is a part of what makes Doctor Who great.