Steven Moffat says Doctor Who "feels wrong" when there's no comedy
"If you take the comedy away, the Doctor is terrifying."
Doctor Who fans may know Steven Moffat, the sci-fi series's former showrunner, for writing some of the scariest episodes of all time - from Blink to Silence in the Library, from Heaven Sent to World Enough and Time.
However, his scripts were also known for their comedy - something he has now said is crucial to the show's success.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Moffat said: "If you write funny then you have to be in the present tense. I was writing studio sitcoms like Coupling, then Doctor Who came along. Suddenly, people were saying I write serious drama. What are you talking about?
"Even the Weeping Angels had two sitcom characters with funny names, Sally Sparrow and Kathy Nightingale. Russell [T Davies] writes like that, too. If there's a page without a joke in it, it feels wrong.
"If you take the comedy away, the Doctor is terrifying. This guy's running into the middle of every fight he can find and deciding who should win. People get one chance, then he exterminates their species."
More like this
Other than short stories and Comic Relief sketch The Curse of Fatal Death, Moffat first wrote for the series during Davies's first era, before taking over as showrunner in 2010.
He oversaw the tenures of two Doctors - the Eleventh, played by Matt Smith, and the Twelfth, played by Peter Capaldi - before handing over to Chris Chibnall in 2018.
Read more:
- Doctor Who boss says Mrs Flood mystery will be a "slow burn"
- Doctor Who Christmas special includes nod to Timeless Child reveal
Some fans have theorised recently that Moffat could be returning to guest write episodes during Davies's new era, which started earlier this year with the 60th anniversary specials.
While appearing on Newnight last year, Moffat was quizzed by presenter Kirsty Wark on whether he could return to the show in some form, to which he said: "It's really very recent that I quit Doctor Who... Look, I love, I absolutely adore Doctor Who, it's the most wonderful show. But it's in very safe hands with Russell [T Davies]."
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Wark pressed Moffat, saying he wasn't answering her question, to which he said: "Am I a politician? Do I have to answer your questions?"
Asked whether he feels "the pull" of the series, said: "Oh, yeah, well I always stay in touch with Russell and ask him what he's up to and so on, of course I do.
"That doesn't mean I'm dashing off to Cardiff on the train tomorrow - unless I am..."
Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
