The Shocks and Scares Will Make You Scream
- Publication: Radio Times
- Date: 2024-06-15
- Author: Huw Fullerton
- Page: 14
- Language: English
Doctor Who mastermind Russell T Davies prepares us for a thrilling season showdown
We're strapping In for the finale, Russell. What can we expect?
Oh my God, everything's coming to a head. It's a bit of an end-of-season showdown. There are fantastic monsters waiting. Some of the greatest we've ever created on screen... But ah, I can't say any more, stop it! When you see them, you will scream.
As you may have noticed, there have been various strands hidden in the series - Susan Twist, who is centre stage this week - it's time for the Doctor to stare that mystery in the face. And the Tardis has been groaning - as if it's in trouble in some way. And of course, the biggest one of all is the story of Ruby Sunday's mother.
There are two ways to view this. You can see it as all the strands coming together, finally. Or it's just a great big finale with a brand-new story. It's literally designed to be watched both ways.
Will all of this series' mysteries be solved?
I can promise that 99 per cent of the mysteries are solved. We're not doing one of those open-ended, weird, come-back-next-year things. I mean, c, one strand very clearly leads to next year. But it'll do it so loudly, it'll slap you in the face. Otherwise I can promise you absolute answers, no ambiguity, and shocks and scares along the way. It's one of my favourite stories. It's the story that I pitched this whole show to Disney with. It's absolutely a golden story. I'm so pleased with it.
This year feels like a reinvention of the show - the new streaming era with Disney. Any growing pains? Anything you'd do differently, looking back?
I mean, no, to be honest - I'm very proud of it! You know, they might not be the ratings we'd love. We always want higher. But they are building over the 28-day period. Episode one, Space Babies, is already up to 5.6 million and counting. So it is getting there. And actually, I was brought back to bring in a younger audience. That's been massively successful.
The audience no one ever gets are the under-30s. They just don't watch television any more. But those figures are astronomic for Doctor Who, it's their top programme in that bracket. I never thought it was possible, to be honest But according to the people who juggle the numbers, all targets have been reached and exceeded. The BBC are running around like mad things.
This year, the episodes have been released on iPlayer before airing on BBC1. Some viewers were upset - were you expecting controversy?
I was, but let's be honest if we gave the Doctor a new hat, the controversy would be of much the same size. But seriously, I do think it's a genuine controversy - I can see it's a big change. But the trend of TV is heading this way. I'm not creating that future. Doctor Who has to ride with the times or die.
After the finale, what's next?
We're back for a special at Christmas, and we've just wrapped up filming on the 2025 series. We've got so many surprises coming up with that I could talk about the alien planets and the monsters right now - but I'll see you in a year.
And after 2025 - how secure is the show? Fans always fear another cancellation... I'm working on the fourth script now for season three. It's not actually commissioned, that's still up in the air. But that's the same for every TV programme. I shouldn't say we're confident, because that's asking for a fall, but we're very confident, to be honest And we'll just keep going.
I can't stop, that's the problem! Ncuti's off to do a play, The Importance of Being Earnest [at the National Theatre from November]. And so we're coming back after that. Amazingly, we might be shooting those scripts early next year. Those scripts have to be ready by about August, for prep. And it's June. We're not behind - but all my deadlines are just going to slap me in the face like mad. That's my summer ruined, ha!
Finally, you gave series quest star Jonathan Groff old episodes to watch to prepare him for Doctor Who and then swore him to secrecy. Can you now tell us which ones they were?
I sent him the very first episode, An Unearthly Child. Which is a miracle because no one can watch that now [due to rights issues]. Wouldn't it be hilarious if Jonathan was the final viewer of An Unearthly Child? I sent him [2005 finale] The Parting of the Ways to show him the space opera swagger of Doctor Who. I sent him [2007's] Blink. And I probably sent him The Ark in Space (1975) because that's my favourite story, and I would always show that to someone!
With that in mind, what episodes should we watch to prepare us for this finale?
I'll tell you - but I'll have to avoid a couple of stories deliberately because they'd give too much away! When you see it, you'll say, "What was he on about? It's just like that one!" [See panel right.]
Read our tribute to original Doctor Who star William Russell in Feedback: page 144
Caption: MYSTERY WOMAN Susan Twist has appeared in different guises in every episode this year
Revisit All 310 Doctor Who Adventures
Across all Of time and space, Radio Times is the only magazine that has been by the Doctor's side charting his - and her - travels since the very beginning 61 years ago. Now you can revisit it all via RadioTimes.com/who-archive
Written by our Doctor Who experts Patrick Mulkern and Mark Braxton, the online Radio Times Doctor Who Story Guide is an ongoing project that covers every exciting adventure, from William Hartnell's debut in 1963 right through to the latest episodes with 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. That's 310 stories and counting...
The comprehensive guide features detailed storylines, analytical reviews' and listings of cast and crew.
You'll find a wealth of archive material - gorgeous magazine covers, original features, and interviews with the stars; writers and production personnel. There are also readers' letters, rare photographs and lustrous artwork."
Turn back time at radiotimes.com/who-archive
INTO THE WHONIVERSE
CLASSIC CATCH-UP
The five adventures to. revisit before the finale, by Russell T Davies.
1 SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE 1970
UNIT are in this new finale - and in terms of their stories, it's always good to watch Spearhead from Space. That's Jon Pertwee's first episode, with, the Autons. It's curiously modern-feeling. Because there was a strike, the whole thing was shot on film. So it has a very fluid, mobile and well-framed film camera look. A lovely piece of work.
2 BAD WOLF/THE PARTING OF THE WAYS 2005
That's me writing my first big season finale, and I love season finales. This year, for longtime viewers, you'll get the kind of same vibe off that. It's me stretching those muscles again and enjoying it. I love writing the biggest cliffhangers I could possibly ever have. And this one's huge. Oh my God, this is like a triple cliffhanger. It's amazing!
3 THE BELLS OF SAINT JOHN 2013
In this new finale we have a mysterious character called Susan Triad, a tech billionaire. Similarly, in The Bells of Saint John, Steven Moffat had Celia Imrie being evil at the top of the Shard. I love that story. So we've got a bit of that feel to it. Modern London. Danger. Skyscrapers. That's a good little thumbnail for it.
4 A GOOD MAN GOES TO WAR 2011
This is the one where the when the truth comes out about Amy Pond's (Karen Gillan) incredible family connection. The identity of Amy's daughter is absolutely pivotal to that story. And it's the same now. The identity of Ruby's birth mother is powerful and changes the whole plot. [This week's episode] The Legend of Ruby Sunday is very much in that tradition. "Who are you, companion? Where are you from? How did this happen? How timey-wimey is this?"
5 THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD 2023
The obvious one to point out is last year's Christmas special. You should watch that with a protractor and a ruler, and work out who's standing where, and who's pointing in which direction. Who, exactly, was where and when will all be very important - so important it's ridiculous. We had to stand there with a map - genuinely! Actually, it would almost be better to watch The Church on Ruby Road after the finale to go, "Oh, right, that was happening. I see!"
These episodes of Doctor Who - and hundreds more - are available on BBC iPlayer
Caption: OLD HAUNTS From top: Spearhead from Space, The Bells of Saint John and Bad Wolf
Caption: WHO'S THAT GIRL? Karen Gillen as Amy in A Good Man Goes to War
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