Steven Moffat: Doctor Who Series 9 Is “Tonally” The Same

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Steven Moffat has potentially reassuring words for us avid Doctor Who fans… as well as stating something that could troubles vast swathes of fandom.

Some might’ve thought Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor a bit grumpy, but Moffat says, “I told the writers, don’t just write him mean, write him funny – because he’ll make any joke fly.” Anyone who’s seen The Thick of It knows that.

A dark wit was an undercurrent throughout much of the run (apart from the pretty humourless Death in Heaven), with some fan-favourite lines including “don’t be lasagne,” “my carer – she cares so I don’t have to,” and “it’s because her face is so wide: she needs three mirrors.” All of which, completely out of context, sound really odd.

And then of course there was the “there’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive; no wonder everyone keeps invading you” line from Last Christmas.

And then the showrunner said something a bit unsettling.

“As ever, Doctor Who is a combination of complete daft silliness and loads of people getting slaughtered in the early evening. Tonally, [Series 9 is] very much the same. Peter is getting stronger and more confident in the role.”

While it’s good to hear Capaldi’s getting into the swing of things even more, that bit about Series 9’s tone is troublesome – at least to some people. True, many enjoyed Series 8, and just like any other series, others didn’t. But Series 8 did seem a departure from before. And that’s fine – but to carry on a grimmer path might not be the right move.

Hmm. As the saying goes: only time will tell!

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