And he saved one for us.
Hes just got this big beaming grin, watching hisDoctor Whostory come alive.
Does that happen a lot, and do you still get the same feeling?
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It can vary, it can vary [depending on] whos doing it.
Most people who are doingDoctor Whoare doing it because they really love the show.
And a lot of them being of a certain age will have grown up watching the show.
So most of them are pretty excited to see the TARDIS, yeah!
At a very minimal level, theyre seeing something they saw on the telly a lot.
And they saw it when they were kids.
Director Rachel Talalay talks of when she makesDoctor Who, she doesnt see them as television episodes.
She comes toDoctor Who, and the involvement spans months for just one episode.
She calls her episodes mini-movies.
Where does that come from?
Is that the collaborative nature ofDoctor Who?
Is that the environment you wanted?
Youve got a whole new world to design the aesthetic for.
you might do that.
you could light it completely differently if you want to.
In that sense it is like a movie.
Thats what I say to directors coming into the show.
Every trick youve ever done.
The film you wanted to make when you were eight.
Not the film you wanted to make when you were at film school.
A show-offy adolescent of a movie.
WithDoctor Who, there are never too many hero shots, never too many jumps or frights.
Its Spielberg in his heyday.
Its big, flashy, simple, fun, bold storytelling.
And we are not a home to Mr Subtlety.
Thats presumably what youre looking for?
Someone to come and be a velociraptor at the fence, testing the boundaries, trying things?
Whats your new shot in the TARDIS going to be, given that its a circular set?
What are you going to do with it this time?
And how are you going to light it?
You talk about making the film you wanted to make as an eight year old.
Presumably that extends to writers like yourself too onDoctor Who?
I know you get into tremendous trouble when you say it, but its a childrens show!
Of course it is.
Of course adults like childrens shows and films.
Harry Potter,Star Wars,The Hobbit.The odd James Bond film, except where they get silly!
These are big, colourful, boisterous childrens stories.
Thats whats great about them.
Thats why you never grow out of them.
Childrens stories too that children arent having to sneak in underage to watch.
In my kids classes, most of them have played the likes ofGrand Theft Auto, for instance.
But the joy inGrand Theft Autois that theyre stealing something from the adult world.
They should enjoy that.
Theyre rehearsing to be adults.
Theyshouldbe watching adult shows!
ButDoctor Whois a show they think theyown.
Thats a different thing from the thrill of going and playing with the grown-ups toys.
Which is why we can be weak when it comes to the adolescent audience [withDoctor Who].
Adolescents sometimes ask that terrifying, hilarious question: isDoctor Whoa bit silly?
No its not a bit silly: its extremely silly.
But when youre an adolescent youre serious, and you want to be a grown-up and do grown-up things!
I think its one of the thrills ofDoctor Who, that its a bit silly.
Underneath that its big, and emotional, and wise.
But at a surface level, yeah, its bonkers.
If youre worried that the moons an egg, youre really not getting it.
The phone box is a time machine!
That blokes got two hearts!
Where do you want to start?!
I always watchDoctor Whowith my children, and its fascinating watching them watching it.
BecauseDoctor Whois reachable for them.
How difficult, though, is making it reachable?
What does that entail?
I think its having a very clear idea of who youre addressing.
Doctor Whocan address pretty much anything.
It can address depression and suicide.
But it has to be clear and relatable to a child.
That doesnt mean it has to be patronising.
Some people think that.
It doesnt have to be simplistic at all: what makes you think that kids are dumber than you?
Theyve got literally more neurons than you have.
It has to be accessible to them.
It has to permissible for them to watch.
I dont want any conservative person saying thatDoctor Whois not a safe programme to watch.
It must be in their terms, clear.
The only thing you have to do to make everything clear to an eight year old is write better.
More clearly, and more heartfelt.
You mustnt ever try and make yourself seem clever.
You must make them feel clever.
Kids are demanding and complicated.
They watch television with their eyes being sucked towards the screen.
They give it complete attention, even if they are playingAngry Birdsat the same time.
You have to make your television, your show, work in their terms.
Its like there is a thing that Jerry Seinfeld says about comedy.
He knows that as hes refining the joke, the swear words drop out.
He just says that if youre still having to say fuck, you havent appraised it right yet.
Its a cheap fix, whats the sophisticated fix?
I think if you expand that idea in a bigger way how do you frighten people without horrifying them?
How do you harrow people but reassure them?
to make it work for a child audience, you just have to do your job better.
Thats what I mean by it: just do it better.
Children ask the best ones.
And Russells face was of a man who never saw that coming!
Do you have a favourite thats been put to you?
[Laughs] Theyre always just so tremendously engaged with the story.
They ask great questions, and they also appreciate it if you’re able to answer them back!
Like, how could Rory inThe Pandorica Opensjam a sword through a Cyberman?
How could he be that strong?
Is that a good question?
Its a great question.
Rory wasnt a human at the time!
He was an Auton!
Youre proud of that one!
[Laughs] I remember it!
I remember saying to him Was Rory human at the time?
and he quickly realised and said He was an Auton.
I went Thats right!
Its fun, its fun.
Is that the level of interrogation you put yourself through too?
I worry about stuff.
I worry about stuff like a child!
And sometimes the answer has to be because its more fun.
But I can usually answer a question that Im asked!
Because of the compulsive way my mind works, I tend to have some kind of answer!
I remember watchingThe Eleventh Houron the big screen when that was officially launched.
And its only getting started.
Call that a ten year period and include the next three years, God knows what were looking at.
I have no idea.
Its going to be so different.
Which is why the question of the overnight ratings makes me want to scream!
Im not asking that, dont worry!
But I want to talk about the physical format.
But how do you choose which trends in television to follow?
And which do you say wereDoctor Who, we dont follow that, we go over here?
I dont know, I dont know.
I suppose the one that I would eye at the moment is how serial television has become.
None.Stranger Things: no concession to you if you dont know what the plot is.
[An arc thats] dropped in, dropped in, dropped in, and now its paid off.
Thats an interesting challenge for the future, and I dont know what the answer to it is.
But I dont have to know the answer to it!
Chris can figure that out!
You sought very cinematic directors though.
How conscious is that change?
But youre getting away with stuff youre never, ever going to get away with again.
Rose Tyler, hanging from a balloon over a picture of London isnt something were going to do again.
Back then, though, that looked amazing.
And this is again a challenge for the future:Doctor Whoversus the early series ofGame Of Thrones.
Obviously theyve got a bigger budget, but were alright.
Were looking pretty good.
Later on, their budget is through the roof, and where are we?
Thats the terrifying thing.
You have to get visually more literate.
You have to get visually better.
There isnt such a thing anymore as this is just shot like television.
Whats shot like television now?
Not even a sitcom.
It will be shot beautifully.
A sitcom will be actually well made.
The moment you get a single camera, its sensational.
The reason you just cant make it look like television now is theres no such thing.
Everything looks like a movie now.
WhatsDoctor Whogot to do except not just really compete, but try and find ways to lead?
And whats really difficult about that is we dont have as much money as anybody.
The trick we always go for inDoctor Whois aim for a visual that nobody else has done.
We cant do a dogfight in space, because youve seen a dogfight in space.
If we do a city on fire, other people have done this better.
We had to find new visuals, things you hadnt seen before.
A farm on a spaceship!
Its cool for no reason I can even think of.
Back in the day, Rose Tyler in her Union Jack top during the Blitz.
Its a visual you havent seen anyone else attempt before, therefore we can do something without comparison.
How do you feel about the clickbait culture thats also surrounded the show in your time?
I think its damaging.
I dont think we should be relaxed about this at all.
Its created an atmosphere of nastiness and bitterness.
Thats not what Im like.
Im fairly obviously from my work so wetly liberal.
You talk about right to reply: what about a right to myopinion?
Am I allowed to express my opinion and not have it invented for me by hacks?
Thats the thing I find difficult.
I think probably the real damage is what it does toDoctor Whofandom itself.
BecauseDoctor Whofandom is actually kind and lovely and funny and creative.
But you have to warn everyone who comes on to the show to be wary of it.
It drives a wedge between the fandom and a TV production team who should be close to each other.
Im just a superannuated fan.
Im very happy to talk toDoctor Whofans.
As I keep saying, the storyteller should sit at the same campfire as the audience.
This is a terrible thing that we have separated those people out.
Its wrong, its wrong.
It is going to be personal?
It is going to be hurtful?
Its not a healthy thing.
And its not said often enough, that this hatred isnt even as honest as hatred.
Well, clearly if youre not feeling that when you leave something, then youre leaving too late.
You should leave feeling theres more you’re free to do.
I miss we never got to see the Doctor getting involved in university politics!
Hed be serious about it, the Doctor.
Hed be a good lecturer!
Of course, her agent is jumping up and down with joy.
It wont do her any harm.
People notice when youve discovered a star, so its alright!
Do you remember how you felt before that?
And how has the reality measured up?
Did it pan out how you expected?
Its one of these odd things, and I put Chris [Chibnall] in the same predicament.
Why would you say no to that?
Of course youre not going to say no, but youre not ready to say yes.
Therefore, Ive now been thinking aboutDoctor Whofor ten years!
Do you think the format of the show will always be television?
Im sure, in a good hearted, sentimental way that cinema will continue to exist.
But have you noticed how good your televisionis?
What is your television like?
What kind of television does the man who overseesDoctor Whohave?
Its just a television!
[Laughs] A big one with good sound!
And were getting a better one, and going for a bigger one.
Because I never think a television can be too big!
Theyre building your living room.
Theyre terrified that your living room is a nicer place to watch cinema!
I remember once finding my older son sitting watching a film on his bed on his iPad.
And I said do you want to come down and watch it on the big screen?
And he said Youre watching television on your iPhone!
Im watching it this size, he said [holding up his iPad].
Im an old man.
I found a belated comment on our site aboutLie Of The Land.
I think the reaction the the episode on the Saturday night when it was shown was mixed to good.
Does that go to viewing habits?
The trouble is we used to not know anything is the truth.
Ill know in a few years.
The ratings are fine.
The AIs are fine.
Gradually over time, you realise that stuck in someones memory, that didnt.
Its a loud clamorous competition to say the most outrageous thing.
That may not be a bad thing, its a social event.
But youre not doing audience research.
I know a very famous TV executive who Ill not name!
in America, who fired a showrunner because she said he was responding to what they said on Twitter.
She said Im just not having that.
If you want audience research, well do it.
But were not doing things that people say at Twitter.
For me, I always remember the line Just this once, everybody lives.
Thats the one that broke me, and still does.
We talk about the emotion of an eight-year old.
But the emotion of an eight year old is still inside an 80-year old.
Oh God, yes.
Just the 80 year old tries to hide it.
If we can quickly touch on Christmas.
But hasnt that changed?
Lots of people dont watch a Christmas episode on Christmas day.
Okay, Ill finally be honest about the Christmas episode!
You know whats different about the Christmas episode?
Its all bollocks what we say about it!
Its a bit more broader than the normalDoctor Who.
Thats a big thing to say!
Have you seen the rest of the show!
[laughs] I mean, really?
Its more broad thanRobots Of Sherwood?!
Its justDoctor Whoon Christmas Day with some version of Christmas in it.
I get trotted out every year to advertise the Christmas special.
Well, its more this, its more that.
You have to take into account that some people are watchingDoctor Whowho dont normally watch it.
Exactlylike every other episode ofDoctor Who!
Its just an episode ofDoctor Who, on Christmas day.
I perpetrate the lie!
Or rather, I continued it after Russell started it, for the sake of having something to say!
And then people say I dont like the Christmas ones as much.
But I wonder: what are you talking about?
Theyre not similar.Last ChristmasversusThe Christmas Invasion?
Do they have anything in common apart from the fact they mention Christmas?
How do you feel, then, about series 10 now?
Do you have sufficient distance from it to cement your own feelings?
It seemed to have gone down very well.
I was very pleased that people seemed to be keen on it.
I was pleased people thought my last run was a good run.
I was really pleased with the finale episodes.
Im not always pleased, but I thought they were really good.
But its funny, the progress throughDoctor Who.
People said that season 10 is a return to form.
So I thought Id just go and see what they said about the last one.
Season 9 is a return to form!
When was it off form?
You are mistaken in thinking that anybody else feels different than that.
Thats exactly what the condition of being alive is.
I want to leave it just there, because thats lovely.
Steven Moffat, thank you very much.
Doctor Whoseries 10 is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday.
you’ve got the option to order ithere.
The packshot looks like this…
