Russell T. Davies has big plans for the future of Doctor Who, and beyond more consistency in the schedule for new episodes, he's signaled a desire to also bring some back to universe-expanding spinoffs. The BBC series has inspired several offshoot dramas in the past, though none have managed to succeed on the same level as the flagship series. Former showrunner Steven Moffat shared one possible reason as to why this may not be the best franchise for add-on shows, while still offering up what he believes is the most obvious choice for a new series.
Steven Moffat might not be showrunning Doctor Who at the moment, and hasn't in several years, but after sitting at the helm for six seasons and helping bring the spinoff Class to life, he's earned the right to speak on such matters. Fans might not wholly like what he has to say, however, at least when it comes to the general idea of creating spinoffs for the Who franchise.
Steven Moffat Thinks Doctor Who Spinoffs Are A Tough Sell
While shows like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures had respectable runs, neither were popular enough to remain alongside Doctor Who in the present day. Former showrunner Steven Moffat recently shared his thoughts on why that could be, and spoke about spinoffs to Radio Times about Who-adjacent shows and the key element they lack:
It's tough with spinoffs of Doctor Who. I like them, I always have a slight suspicion that the thing that's best about Doctor Who is that Doctor Who's in it. You don't improve a Doctor Who by taking Doctor Who out of it.
I'll let Steven Moffat slide on the taboo of calling "The Doctor" by the show's title, since it was to prove a point, and I definitely agree with the point being made. The Doctor is the most exciting and fascinating part of the Doctor Who franchise, and why we'll all be using our Disney+ subscriptions soon to watch the 60th anniversary specials. Can a spinoff drum up the same kind of hype as the flagship show bringing back David Tennant for a big adventure?
Steven Moffat Thinks UNIT Is An Obvious Candidate For A Spinoff
The former Doctor Who showrunner is shaky on the idea of a spinoff that doesn't have an iteration of The Doctor involved, but that doesn't mean he's out on the concept entirely. Steven Moffat pointed toward one popular fictional organization in the series that could be the subject of a spinoff, and I can't say I disagree:
So I don't know. There's loads of things you can do, there's loads of ideas in Doctor Who that are good enough for their own show, that's the truth. The obvious one is UNIT - why did no one just do UNIT?
UNIT is a solid choice for a spinoff, especially considering how often the organization has been featured in Doctor Who. In fact, actress Jemma Redgrave, who plays UNIT leader Kate Stewart, will be a part of the Season 14 cast. Could it be that Russell T. Davies is on the same wavelength as Moffat and already has big plans for Kate and Unit in this new era of the series?
It sounds like a promising concept, but again, Steven Moffat's point stands. Is a show that is essentially "Doctor Who without The Doctor" still as entertaining as the main series? I would tend to lean toward the answer being no, but I must admit Moffat has one major mark against him. He did help craft "Blink," which is one of the best episodes of Doctor Who, and it barely has The Doctor in it at all. Given that, maybe a spinoff is possible.
Truthfully, it feels like anything is possible with the recent launch of the Whoniverse, which almost sounds like Doctor Who's attempt to jump in on the hot trend of creating a multiverse. It's possible a multiverse could even set up a spinoff with an alternative iteration of The Doctor, played by a new actor or one of the former stars who left Doctor Who to do other things.
Make sure that Disney+ account is active for the start of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials, which start on Saturday, November 25th. There's so much to look forward to for longtime fans of the show, and here's hoping there will also be some unexpected surprises along the way.
