Summary

• Davies doesn't like continuing series for too long, but the fresh challenges of Doctor Who drew him back.
• He has a personal connection to Doctor Who and enjoys the creative freedom the show offers.
• Despite his tendency to leave after a few seasons, Davies' return to Doctor Who was driven by excitement and ion.

After 14 years, Russell T Davies returned as showrunner for Doctor Who, and there are clear reasons behind both his departure and return. Davies was initially approached to be the showrunner for the revival of Doctor Who, which brought the series back to television after a 16-year hiatus. Doctor Who officially returned on March 26th, 2005, with Christopher Eccleston starring as the Ninth Doctor. However, Eccleston only stayed with Doctor Who for one season, and David Tennant took over as the iconic character to continue the new era of the series.

Davies played a pivotal role in shaping Doctor Who from 2005 to 2010, and left when Tennant regenerated into Matt Smith. Following his departure, the show has had two other showrunners, Steven Moffat (2010 – 2017) and Chris Chibnall (2018 - 2022), who each put their spin on the classic show. After Chibnall stepped down, Davies announced that he would be returning for Doctor Who season 14. Davies has since opened up about his decision, where he shared why he originally left Doctor Who and about the factors that made him come back to the series again.

At the time of writing this article, Doctor Who is available for streaming on Max, and the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials are available on Disney+.

Russell T Davies Doesn't Like Continuing Series – Even Doctor Who

Davies opened up in an interview with TV series Russel T Davies has worked on, it is clear that he does not stick around a show for long, as he typically only stays for one or two seasons.

This is seen in shows like A Very English Scandal, Queer as Folk, and It's a Sin, where he only wrote one season. Davies explained that he thrives on fresh challenges with each project, and enjoys the freedom to write whatever piques his interest next. However, his return to Doctor Who is driven by a specific reason, which is unlike any of his past projects.

RTD's Doctor Who Makes Perfect Sense, Despite His Feelings

Davies has discussed how he's always looking for a blank page to explore storytelling in fresh and exciting ways, and Doctor Who offers him just that. Also, the showrunner has a personal connection to the series, as he has been a devoted lover of Doctor Who since he was three years old. Davies' journey into screenwriting even started with a Doctor Who spec script submission in 1987, which centers around an intergalactic news aggregator and broadcaster.

In the late 1990s, Davies actively worked towards revitalizing the show, working to tailor it to a modern audience. Davies has worked on Doctor Who and created spin-off series like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. The producer is deeply ionate about Doctor Who, and the show's ongoing evolution with each new actor who plays the Doctor gives him that excitement to go in any direction he wants creatively.

He stated, "The truth of it is, everyone lies when they leave Doctor Who and says 'Oh, I've moved on! – I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it." Despite his tendency to move on from the series after a few seasons, Doctor Who clearly holds a special place in his heart. The fresh new challenges to shape the next era of Doctor Who perfectly explain why Davies has made a return.

Source: Radio Times