The odd thing is the brief Gideon bit on The Flash this week sounded like the original.

Moffat quits Who.

Aw, crap. I'm not sorry to see Steven Moffat move on. If it had been two years ago, I'd have been eager for him to stop; but his last two years have been some of the best Who ever, and a great improvement in his two greatest flaws (gender issues and overly convoluted arcs). Clara went from possibly my least favourite modern-era companion in Season 7, to my favourite.

Even so, he'll have been in charge for eight years by the time he steps down. That'll be longer than anyone save John Nathan-Turner, who only racked up 9+ years because the BBC wouldn't let him move on. It's time for someone else to see what they can make of it. (I hope that Moffat will still write for it occasionally. His four efforts during the Davies era are very well-regarded; they're all in the top ten DW adventures ever on this site, for instance: [link] )

However. In the first place, I'm not mad about Chris Chibnall taking over. Unlike Moffat, he's never written a particularly good Doctor Who adventure. On that ratings site, his best-rated adventure is Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, in 136th place - not even in the top half. I give it 7/10, and that's mostly because dinosaurs are cool. And the villain... to quote one site, "Plenty of people have pointed out that possibly choosing a Hebrew name for the insatiably greedy character was not the greatest decision ever, and they are very much correct." Doesn't fill me with confidence concerning his sensibilities. Conversely, season 1 of Broadchurch was amazing and deeply emotional television, so maybe he's learnt a trick or two.

I think this would be a good time to revive the showrunning structure of classic Who - have a producer to manage everything and a separate script editor to look after the stories. Better writers, like Jamie Mathieson or Peter Harness, who won't get the top job because they don't have showrunning experience, could still be responsible for the stories.

But the worst news is: no new Doctor Who this year!! (Except for the Christmas special.) This sucks.

In conclusion, at least no one can doubt Chibnall's love of the show. For those who are interested, here's a clip back from 1986, with a trio of Liverpool fans criticising Season 23 (Trial of a Time Lord, with the Sixth Doctor). Chibnall is the one with glasses and no beard. [link] It also appears as one of the special features on the DVD of Trial of a Time Lord (specifically the last part, The Ultimate Foe).

I want to know where in 1975 Quebec one would find a bar with a dance floor and a juke box featuring Captain & Tennille songs that's crowded with both hippie flower children AND massive belligerent thugs spoiling for a fight in broad daylight.

Pre-amnesty draft dodgers in the only english-speaking bar around?

LOT: I hate both Hawkman and Hawkgirl (might just be the overbite, for some reason, it annoys me). Love the Family Cold and Sara.

The kidnapping did seem out of character. I would have believed it more if Stein had tricked him somehow, but the roofie didn't make sense (and, how did he get Jax into the car if he needed Big Bro to carry Jax out of the car?

Also, refuse to believe that the Atom doesn't have any effect on the timestream. If nothing else, I would think that Ray Palmer would invent other cool stuff.

anybody up for a watch and post of the X-files?

I am! Original intro. was awesome.

so good to see and hear it again! But wtf is McCale up to?

was it just me or was that scene on the porch really strained?

That was the creepiest thing evah!

That was some vintage Chris Carter nonsense, yo.