Doctor Who showrunner and writer Russell T. Davies has warned viewers about the dark side of social media when it comes to fandom, saying opinions can be easily misinterpreted on platforms like X, which he called “hate sites”.
Speaking at a series geek masterclass in France on Wednesday, Davies, who considers himself a Doctor Who fan first and foremost, said we “often fall into the trap of talking about fans and assuming that means online voices.”
“I think they’re different. I know they’re different, I absolutely know that,” he continued. “And that hostile online voice exists on X, which is a hate site. We shouldn’t be surprised that hate exists there, because it’s a hate site…It’s very dangerous to assume that it’s the voice of a fan.”
Davis is no stranger to dealing with hate. The latest edition of Doctor Who saw Ncuti Gatwa take the reins as the first black actor to play the iconic role, but sadly it led to racist and homophobic discourse online. Davis said social media is helping these voices penetrate the mainstream, along with what he called “the collapse of journalism.”
“Then there’s a dangerous point where minority voices slip into the mainstream, because all of a sudden you’re seeing minority voices in newspaper articles and all of a sudden you’re seeing critics quoting those voices,” he said.
Davis acknowledged that while fans “don’t have to love the show,” they can respectfully “disagree with it and still have a good time.” “Fandom is creative and wonderful and fun, but everything is getting worse,” he said, adding, “If you’re under 16, turn off your cell phone and throw it in the trash. I’m literally an evangelical about it.”
Last year, Disney+ ended its partnership with the BBC after co-producing two seasons of Doctor Who. Although it has been confirmed that a Christmas special will air this year, Davis remained mum on whether the show will return or who will play the title role.
The latest season finale saw the departure of Gatois, who played the Doctor, and the return of Billie Piper, who played David Tennant’s sidekick Rose Tyler in the early 2000s. Gatowa’s Doctor regenerated into Piper, but it wasn’t explicitly stated that she would be wielding a sonic screwdriver next. During the masterclass, host Renan Cross tried to get Davis to reveal more about Piper’s role in the series’ future, but Davis would not budge.
“I really wish you the best of luck,” Davis said. “I love Billy, that’s all!”
