Doctor Who is losing some solid supporters, with some expressing dissatisfaction with the BBC series. One actor who once played the titular character voiced his surprise at the intense backlash it received from fans.
Doctor Who has been running for decades, but it has lost its sparkle to some fans, who feel it has changed. The sci-fi series aired from 1963 to 1989 and was revived by Russell T Davies in 2005. Davies, the showrunner and executive producer, is dedicated to bringing the best side of the franchise to the audience. Still, some were not happy with it anymore, which a Doctor Who alum admitted was a surprise for him.
Matt Smith, who played the Eleventh Doctor, spoke with The Times and reflected on his Doctor Who era, which catapulted him to fame. He also got candid about the criticism that the show received from some of its fans. “Those debates reduce it to a place that it doesn’t need to be in,” Smith said about the backlash against the show that left him confused. “People that attack Doctor Who blow my mind. It’s about an alien who is cool and travels around the universe saving civilizations – what’s not to love?” In the same interview, Smith talked about flagging content that could potentially leave the audience upset, which he wasn’t really supportive of, saying, “I’m not sure I’m on board with trigger warnings.”
Smith admitted he had no issues showing upsetting content because he agreed with Ralph Fiennes that movies or TV shows should leave the audience with unsettling feelings. Instead, he was concerned that the recent policies could prompt filmmakers to regulate the flow of their stories and limit their creativity by stripping the dangers. He also believes trigger warnings have an influence on how the audience perceives the show because they have already been warned. In another interview in February, Smith used Doctor Who to elaborate on his point on how trigger warnings could affect the impact of the show. “I always thought that was one of the great things of doing Doctor Who. That you scared children, in a controlled way, but you did scare them. Imagine you go to kids watching Doctor Who, ‘By the way, this might scare you.’ No, I’m not into it,” he said (via RadioTimes).
Smith added about trigger warnings:
It’s OK to feel uncomfortable or provoked while looking at a painting or watching a play, but I worry everything’s being dialed and dumbed down. We’re telling audiences they’re going to be scared before they’ve watched something.
Meanwhile, Smith praised Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and he was right that the actor pulled off the role excellently. However, the concerns about Doctor Who are not much about the lead star — many are not happy with the changes in the series, and it failed to attract a mainstream audience after it was released in the United States. There are even rumors that Disney might cancel it after two seasons due to poor viewership. Davies also announced that he would continue to use breaking the fourth wall and add more music to the show, which didn’t thrill some of the fans.
As for trigger warnings, Doctor Who comes across as creepy and sometimes horrifying. However, it was part of its classic elements. There are episodes designed to scare due to the horror vibes. In general, Doctor Who is a combination of sci-fi, fantasy and horror with comedic touches. For instance, in the “Boom Town” episode, Christopher Eccleston’s (the Ninth Doctor) reaction to the sounds of crashing teacups was hilarious. There were also tons of funny scenes in the “Runaway Bride” episode featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). The show is a combination of various elements, which contributes to its longevity. And yes, Smith was right that surprising the audience with the lack of trigger warnings could make shows more effective. Still, others might not agree with this. However, shows that leave strong impressions are usually those that end tragically or leave the audience uncomfortable to the point that they can’t get over what they just watched.
Doctor Who Season 15 will likely air in early 2025.