Yet Another Proof That Steven Moffat Is Returning for Doctor Who’s 60th
Steven Moffat can deny his inevitable Doctor Who comeback all he wants, but fans know not to trust him in these matters.
The official confirmation that Russell T. Davies will be the new (old) showrunner for Doctor Who ’s anniversary specials and beyond has jumpstarted the rumors regarding his former colleague and friend’s return. The Doctor Who fandom knows that wherever Davies goes, Moffat is certain to follow.
Eagle-eyed viewers have been working part-time as conspiracy theorists non-stop since last year, gathering every possible piece of evidence that Moffat is part of Doctor Who’s production. For instance, the dates of his social media photos have been linked to entries from the show’s production diary concerning a writer who is away on vacation.
Yet, fans seem to be missing the obvious. Doctor Who’s 50th-anniversary episode is proof enough. If your memory fails you, the Eleventh Doctor stumbles upon the Curator – and this interaction basically foreshadows the events of the upcoming 60th anniversary.
At one point, the Doctor is astonished to see his old face pop up again, and the Curator tells him that he might actually be seeing a few of his “favorite” faces return in the nearest future.
Considering that the Curator is basically a canonical future incarnation of the Doctor when he retires, his words are prophetic on a whole different level. David Tennant’s comeback as the Fourteenth Doctor is either a huge coincidence or – what’s more likely – a carefully orchestrated plan that was set in motion as far back as 2013.
When The Day of the Doctor aired, Steven Moffat was still the showrunner. Did Russell T. Davies just call him up to ask for permission to borrow his decade-old idea for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary? We mean… that could be what happened.
Or Moffat has been involved in scriptwriting for the 60th anniversary (and the subsequent seasons with the Fifteenth Doctor) all along, which is what many fans hope for.
Either way, viewers will find that out in November 2023 upon the premiere of the three special episodes, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate. Fingers crossed for good news!