PURE AND SIMPLE

IN THE FINAL PART OF OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, SHOWRUNNER RUSSELL T DAVIES TALKS RELAUNCHING DOCTOR WHO

- DARREN SCOTT

“Dot And Bubble” was originally suggested in 2010. Was the throughline the same?

No. It wasn’t a treatment, it was a chat. It was just literally an idea of what if Twitter followed you around all day as a bubble, as pictures. It was that simple. If I had written that in 2010 for Steven [Moffat], then I would have led it somewhere else. I would’ve led it to whatever subject was in my head at that time. I think that rose naturally out of the casting of Ncuti. And thanks to him for allowing that story and portraying it so magnificently in that final scene, which is the performance of a lifetime, I think. I think it’s the Doctor of a lifetime there, I think that’s really, truly astonishing.

Sadly, I will admit that should have been a problem with every Doctor, and shouldn’t have to be the Doctor’s role to inherit stories of that weight. Nonetheless, it came very naturally from a lot of conversations. Everyone said to me, “What’s it going to be like when the Doctor goes back into history now – like, he’d face racism in Victorian times, he’d face racism in Regency times, he’d face racism in the 1300s” and then actually I sat there thinking, “He’d face racism now, what on earth are you on about?”

Do you write the visibly emotional performances from Ncuti, or does he bring the tears himself?

Sometimes I write it in. Actually, I wrote it less and less because Ncuti would rather I didn’t. He would much rather he feels his way through it. I don’t want to put words in his mouth. But it’s very largely his choice, and I love it. I adore it. We look forward to those moments. It’s amazing, and it’s what he does now. That’s who the Doctor is.