"Unconfirmed rumors that Chips and Whittaker are out!" Topic

Rumors is rife on the interwebs that Chipnel has been sacked as show runner for Doctor Who by the BBC and that Whittaker walked only to be told to come back and film a regeneration scene.

If true, this is big!

Big – but not unprecedented.

Eccleston only did one series, didn't he ?

But that was the actual plan – big name for the reboot and then outta here.

I didn't care for this last season. I also haven't warmed to Whitaker's breathless manic Doctor yet either. It took awhile for me to warm to Capaldi fwiw.

Rumor. Might be true, might be bunk.

My own opinion is that they changed too much. When the Doctor changes everything else around the character needs some continuity – even John Pertwee's Doctor didn't toss nearly all the previous baddies and had The Brigadier to help as well, he was just stuck on Earth for a while to save money.

Pertwee and Eccleston were my favorite doctors. Most Americans my age grew up on Baker and that is their doctor, but I really liked Pertwee.

I agree with Dynaman8789…. too much change too soon. And the Doctor was played very much on one level with little nuance. I rate David Tennant as best recent doctor, but best episode was The Empty Chld on Eccleston's shift.

Apparently it's a nonsense rumour – link

They doth protest too much… So it must be true!

I'll repeat. Might be true, might be bunk. I'm leaning towards bunk but would not be surprised either way.

Please let it be true!

As a Doctor who fan starting in 1982 the last three seasons have been getting progressively worse.

Eccleston only did one series, didn't he ?

But that was the actual plan – big name for the reboot and then outta here.

Not according to Eccleston. He left after one season because of differences with the producers and Russel T Davies, the "showrunner" (fancy word for "head writer") at the time. In an interview he indicated he wanted the character to be more serious and less comic (though honestly, any less comic on his part would have been dreary to watch). Personally, I found his work to be merely okay, and that season watchable but largely unmemorable (the "The Empty Child," which I believe is a Moffat script, was indeed well done).

Tennant was a far superior Doctor, though my current favorite is Matt Smith, who I think pulled off the Doctor's desire to be a child-at-heart, while still giving off the pain and even denial of the centuries-old man who has seen too much death and loss. He could give a look that just said "I am far older and far more determined than you"— and then go tripping off to play with a fez while plotting the villain's demise.

I haven't yet seen the 12th or current Doctors, but if Moffat was no longer the showrunner, I would have lower hopes for these seasons in the series.

Rumours abound, fuelled I suspect by a degree of wishful thinking.
I didn't find the last series inspiring, for a combination of a variety of reasons. I've been in that position before at a couple of points in the "classic series", so dips are not new. The savage polarisation of views however is something new.

As far as I know the next series is well under way in filming, and by the time it airs we will almost be at the three year point when people seem to choose to move on.

I honestly dropped out mid way through Capaldi's first season. He was ok himself, but I found the writing to have dropped off a cliff compared to Matt Smith's episodes. I didn't hate Capaldi, but him playing an electric guitar in front of a Challenger tank early on really struck me negatively for some reason (it just felt very un Doctor like) and the writing just got worse from there.

I heard that the last season wasn't well liked, but I honestly had checked out two seasons back and couldn't be bothered. I have heard rumors for a year now about Whittaker and Chipnel dropping out (I at least follow who is involved with the series, even if I don't watch it), so this sounds like more of a continuation of those early rumors than anything 'new.'

Hope this is not true. I think Whittaker and her crew have some potential that has not yet been exploited. I would be sad if they miss the chance to go there.

Last season had some tiring episodes, though – but in honesty any season had some – I usually just forget about them and remember the highlights.

…. last season a bit too "right on" politically correct at times.????

I quite like Whittaker as the Doctor, but a few of her episodes were a bit too "Quantum Leap" for my taste.

@Parzival – you are correct, I'd missed this explanation

link

> …. last season a bit too "right on" politically correct at times.????

So was every other (well, most of them) for the time they were filmed.

They should have given it another rest after Eccleston. His season was ok as an attempt, but it only got worse. Now they are seriously messing with formula. That's when most shows get canned.

TGerristen

… I didn't hate Capaldi, but him playing an electric guitar in front of a Challenger tank early on really struck me negatively for some reason ….

Yes, same. One look and it was "Nope". There has to be an element of suspension of disbelief but it was ….well…"I could do that, so how is he the Doctor?"

I enjoyed Martha, Matt Smith and Clara. Not so much Tennat or Eccleston.
Whittaker, why did she have to have such a large entourage? Didn't they think she could do it by herself?

I first saw the Auton Invasion when it came out. Scared the life out of me as a 6YO to think store Mannequins were able to come to life and chase people down Main St.
Pertwee was the Doctor I grew up with but loved the period with Sarah Jane and Leela.

New episode tonight at 8PM!!