Doctor Who Series 10 Episode 9: 7 Big Questions After 'Empress Of Mars'
1. Is This Mark Gatiss' Final Doctor Who Script?
Mark Gatiss has been one of the most prolific Doctor Who
writers since the show returned in 2005. He has provided a remarkable variety
of quality scripts, from the riotous romp of Robot of Sherwood to the
unsettling horror of Sleep No More.
It’s hard to pin down exactly what a Gatiss story is likely to consist of, but he knows exactly how to write for this unique show. There aren’t many TV series’ that allow the writer to mix up different periods of history to such great effect (spitfires in space, robots in Sherwood, redcoats on Mars).
It was no surprise then that Gatiss was one of the favourites when speculation about Steven Moffat’s successor began. The BBC has been tight-lipped about the writing team that Chibnall has been assembling, but comments from Mark Gatiss earlier in the year suggest that he is out of the loop. Whether or not he will be invited to write again remains to be seen, but with the new writers’ room approach, opportunities for those outside the inner circle might become few and far between.
One of the features about series 10 is the way in which Moffat and Capaldi are fulfilling their most fanboyish of ambitions before leaving, and it might just be that Mark Gatiss is following suit with this unashamed and slightly over-indulgent tribute to his favourite Doctor, villain and era.
What questions did Empress of Mars leave you with? Let us know down in the comments.