6. Steven Moffat Is Pandering to An American Audience
Doctor Who is a world renowned brand with an international following second to none. The simultaneous broadcast of the 50th anniversary special was testament to its popularity. Fandom in North America is one of the biggest growth markets and brings with it tremendous benefits. American fandom has always been brimming with passion and creativity but now the show has entered the mainstream in much the same way as it has in the UK. Planned reruns from the Tennant era on the Disney XD channel will further enhance its reach. Criticisms that Doctor Who has been Americanised are often tellingly unspecific. Much of it boils down to a resistance towards changes within British society. If the show failed to reflect these realities then it would be, at best, a quaint period drama, a throwback to how it used to live. It might gain a cult kudos for being retro or quirky but it would end up having to survive on a shoestring budget. It certainly wouldn't captivate the younger audience. Its often said that the unique appeal of Doctor Who is its Britishness, but what exactly is Britishness in today's multicultural and global village? Besides, how marvellous it is to see the production team filming outside of Cardiff and London? Funnily enough, there haven't been any complaints that Doctor Who has pandered to Italians, Australians or Croatians. Decisions about overseas filming are primarily creative ones and are not part of a marketing strategy.