Doctor Who fans the world over owe Russell T. Davies a huge debt of gratitude. The writer brought the sci-fi series back to our screens in 2005 and transformed it into a modern, highly successful show that reached a far wider audience than the original run ever did. After five years in charge, though, he handed the keys to the TARDIS over to his successor Steven Moffat and never returned to provide another episode.
Now, however, Davies has given us his first piece of Doctor Who fiction since 2010 in the form of a novelization of “Rose,” the pilot episode of the show starring Christopher Eccleston. The writer enjoyed the experience of getting to flex his prose muscles – he even had fun with predicting some future incarnations of the Doctor – but has made it clear that this hasn’t whet his whistle to return to the TV show proper.
Speaking in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Davies confirmed that he has no plans to return, as he thinks it belongs to other people now. Specifically, Chris Chibnall, who’s just taken over from Moffat.
“People keep asking me if I’ll write another episode. But really, think about it. Go back to the job you had 13 years ago. Or go back to your old school. Walk in, say hello, take your old seat. And start giving instructions! Watch everyone’s faces. Shortly before they call the police… Move on! And besides. Why look back? The future is golden.”
Besides that, Davies doesn’t think he ever left Doctor Who behind, as he remains just as avid a fan of the Time Lord as he ever was.
“People keep saying, ‘Oh you’re back, you’re back in Doctor Who, back, back, back.’ But…I never went away! I’m a Doctor Who fan. It’s permanent. It’s indelible, it’s instinct.”
While fans of his era of the series would no doubt love for Davies to pen an episode for season 11, maybe he’s right about the show embracing the new. That’s definitely worked well so far.
The appointment of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor has caused a bit of controversy but, on the whole, the decision has created a worldwide buzz for when Doctor Who returns to the BBC this October. And, from the sounds of it, Davies is counting down the days until the TARDIS comes back just like the rest of us.