This past year has not been especially kind on Doctor Who fans. Not only has the show been inexplicably off-air, but news about the upcoming season have been received with mixed reactions, to say the least.
Now, to be honest, I've not been particularly bothered by this. I've never been a Moffat fanatic even at his best, and after the fiasco of Hell Bent... let's just say it's been nice having all of these classic stories to watch instead.
The truth of the matter is that in my opinion, Moffat hasn't delivered a wholesome season since 2010. There's been many good episodes since then, don't get me wrong, but for one reason or the other, the storyline has always fallen flat. And I'm not saying that I firmly believe Series 10 will be any different.
But you know what? Moffat still has talent. We all know he does. Every time he's screwed up in the past, he's come back and like the Doctor, I have hope that this is the one time where he comes back and stays. And here are my 10 reasons why...
10) A potential sequel to Sleep No More.
I didn't like Sleep No More - it was mostly just really boring, with completely forgettable characters, and a plot that was really hard to follow. However, I respect it for being unique in more than one aspect, and the implications it left at the end could definitely be explored in another story... just make it a good one.
9) Peter Jackson directing?
A while ago, Jackson and Capaldi made a teasing video suggesting the New Zealand director would give Doctor Who a shot. We know he's a huge fan of the series and likes to be paid in Daleks. The episode in question would no doubt look amazing, as Jackson probably has enough money now to shoot a Doctor Who film trilogy if they wanted to.
8) A bigger budget.
Having missed a whole year of Doctor Who, it's possible that the BBC have increased the budget for the next one, meaning that things would look twice as good visually. And let's face it, Series 9 already looked very impressive.
7) A potential crossover with Class.
Class has had a real problem with marketing... there has been none. However, it's now been announced that Fady Elsayed(what a name), who will play one of the main characters in Class, will appear next season, and Peter Capaldi will also be appearing in the first episode of Class.
Hopefully, this will endear the upcoming show to wary Doctor Who fans such as myself.
6) Moffat wants to leave Chibnall with a blank slate.
Though I personally enjoy The End Of Time, it came under a lot of criticism for overglorifying the Tenth Doctor, making it harder for Matt Smith and Steven Moffat to prove themselves. Having learned from this, Moffat's approach will be to quietly fade away. This will mean that there will likely be no grand Gallifrey-focused storyline peppered with retcons, and we don't have to complain about none of it making any sense.
5) It's Doctor Who.
Having more of it is never a bad thing. It means there's always a chance for another brilliant episode.
4) Pearl Mackie.
Yes, her introductory minisode wasn't very promising at all, but now that new scripts are being written and Mackie has had a chance to get into the role, perhaps she can evolve into a fun, interesting new companion? All I can say here is that the sky's the limit. She seems really bouncy and excited.
3) The Troughton-style TARDIS team.
It's not really been confirmed whether or not Nardole will join the TARDIS crew, but if he does, it would be the first time since Series 6 that the Doctor has travelled with two companions, and for the first time since Series 1 that the male companion has not just been "the boyfriend".
With two proper companions, the dynamics on the show can be much more family-friendly, and you can go a lot further in storytelling than with just one person travelling with the Doctor.
2) Peter Capaldi.
One of the most wonderful people to ever work on the show, Capaldi has proven time and time again that he was born to be Doctor Who. And in the midst of the mess the show has been lately, he's had some of the most defining and well-acted scenes any actor playing the Doctor has ever had. I started watching the show at the end of Matt Smith's tenure, and I will say this: I finally understand why people cry when the Doctor regenerates. There's a difference between watching the show from the start and seeing the leads come and go... and seeing one come and go in real time. I've built up a connection with Capaldi that I have with no other Doctor and it will destroy me when he finally does regenerate.
1.5) At least the regeneration is not this season.
1) No Clara Oswald.
Yes, this is a very personal choice, but after seeing Clara practically emasculate the Doctor in Series 8 and then have her be the reason why his character was completely destroyed in Hell Bent, I am so happy that the Twelfth Doctor can now finally take the center stage in his own show and be the "constant" for the audience. With the focus firmly on Peter Capaldi, hopefully his characterisation will improve and leave incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall with a good place to start Series 11 with.
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