With Russell T Davies returning to Doctor Who as showrunner, it’s natural to wonder if Steven Moffat may return as well. Well…
Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson, make up the backbone of behind-the-scenes modern Doctor Who. All of them are back for the upcoming new series. David Tennant and Catherine Tate are two of the most beloved actors in modern Doctor Who. Both of them are back for the upcoming series.
As we hear more about returning figures (Bonnie Langford springs to mind) it’s only natural to wonder about Steven Moffat. Not only is he Doctor Who showrunner for longer than Davies (so far), Moffat is also one of Davies best collaborators. “The Girl in the Fireplace,” “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances,” and of course “Blink” are all episodes written by Moffat during Davies’ era as showrunner.
Moffat insists he will not return to the series. But, then again, Moffat’s most famous Doctor Who phrase is “The Doctor lies”. So, it’s entirely possible that Moffat is lying. And a recent Instagram post has us wondering even more. Is Moffat coming back? Better question – is Moffat back already?
Steven Moffat: A Madman With a Box
Our story begins in March 2023. The Mirror prints an article – “Rumor: Steven Moffat Returning to Doctor Who“. According to an anonymous source, Davies “approached [Moffat] about returning in just a writing capacity because he knows Doctor Who inside out and has a brilliant imagination for adventures in space and time”. According to that same source, while it took some convincing, Moffat is on board.
This rumor is just that: a rumor. However, thanks to a recent Instagram post from Moffat, people are wondering anew. The post shows Moffat in front of a police box which looks not entirely unlike the Doctor’s TARDIS. The post features the following caption: “Briefly in the homeland. Got a lift. (This means NOTHING other than I found a police box.)”
On the one hand, Moffat is in front of a police box. But on the other hand, he’s saying not to read into it. On the other other hand, the Doctor lies. And so does Moffat. And with that in mind, let us talk about the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary and a certain holiday that conveniently happened near it.
The Doctor, Amy, and Rory
The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials were all filmed around the summer of 2022 – so far as we know. Only a small part of the filming took place in public locations. More important than the length of filming is the question: who else appears in the specials? Yes, David Tennant, Catherine Tate, and the late Bernard Cribbins are all there. But that’s just one era of Doctor Who. What about the Steven Moffat era? What about Amy, Rory, and the Eleventh Doctor?
Here’s where things get interesting. In October, Amy Pond actress Karen Gillan posted on Instagram pictures and video of her vacation in the Galapagos. And wouldn’t you know it? Two of her companions on this adventure happen to be Rory Williams actor Arthur Darvill and the Eleventh Doctor himself Matt Smith.
Now, it is true that all three actors continue to be friends. And it’s also true that the trip coincided with Smith’s birthday. But they also continue to be busy, working actors which means the place they’re most likely to see one another in person is at conventions, not on holiday.
Consider the possibility that this trip is the result not solely of Smith’s birthday but a celebration of their Doctor Who reunion. After all, none of them have worked together since leaving the series. And all of them have shown interest in returning.
Of course, there is one other person all three actors want there if they ever return to Doctor Who. And it’s exactly who you think it is.
Moff and the Ponds
Can Russell T Davies write for Smith’s Doctor as well as Amy and Rory? Sure! He’s one of the best and most prolific writers on television. But those characters all have a very Steven Moffat quality to them. Amy is literally Scottish just like Moffat, but each of those three characters possesses a certain cleverness that can only be described as “Moffat-esque”.
In other words, if Amy, Rory, and Eleven are in the 60th Anniversary specials, it’s very likely Moffat at bare minimum took a pass on their dialogue. What we’re saying is, if those characters return, it’s all but a guarantee that Moffat is back, too.
And if Moffat returns for a little script doctor-ring (see what we did there), it probably means he’ll stick around for the Ncuti Gatwa era, too. So that’s the thing to look for – more evidence that Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, and Matt Smith are in the upcoming specials. If they’re back, Moffat is, too.
