10 Things That Would Make Doctor Who Better

1. Stop Writing Itself Into A Corner

Deus ex machina literally translates as €œgod from the machine" but it has evolved into also representing a plot device that takes a seemingly unsolvable problem and suddenly and abruptly resolves it through the intervention of some newly introduced character, ability or object. That's got Doctor Who written all over it, hasn't it? In Doctor Who, long-running story arcs should not be solved by a deus ex machina, though that has not stopped Moffat and company from doing exactly that when they've written themselves into a corner. During the World Tour for Series 8, Moffat said that he thinks of the Doctor as €œthrowing himself out a window€ and figuring out how he'll land on the way down. Unfortunately, the writing in episodes like The Big Bang use this device to conveniently wrap up a €œmystery€ that has occurred over that particular series. Hey, the TARDIS has exploded and no one remembers anything, but suddenly there's a wisp of River Song and suddenly Amy remembers everything. Crises averted. It can be tremendously unsatisfying, and not to mention intentionally vague about answering any questions asked in earlier episodes. Because of time constraints, sometimes episodes wrap up a little too neatly in this manner. In Closing Time, for example, all of the sudden a Cybermen invasion is averted because of the power of love? That's it. Seriously?! Moffat has mentioned the return of two part stories in Series 9 and, if done correctly, this might give some concepts more room to breathe. Perhaps it's unrealistic to wish for a showrunner's entire writing style to change but Doctor Who is about hope. Fans can hope that their favourite show will become even more outstanding, despite the hurdles it may encounter along the way. What did you think of this list? Do you agree that these changes would make Doctor Who better, and are there any other things that should have been included? Join the conversation in the comments section below.