He's not been as great as most people thought he'd be. But I think it's fairly ridiculous to call him an 'awful writer'.
Doctor Who... Page 1,070
He's written some great stuff, but it's the over seeing bit that's been duff, you know writing the show bible.
So all that stuff about everybody being obsessed by the Dr and River being his niece and none of the arc bits making any sense.
Quote: zooo @ 31st May 2014, 8:40 PM BSTHe's not been as great as most people thought he'd be. But I think it's fairly ridiculous to call him an 'awful writer'.
Yeah, he's clearly able to write very entertaining telly, both now and in the past. The 50th special last year was great. His first year in charge of Who was also the best season of modern Who for my money. The next two years overall 'arc' didn't pan out as well though, no. I still prefer his take on Who overall to RTD's though.
50th anniversary was bizarre, like after all that crap that preceded it and then boom one of the best bits of scifi in years.
Even the minisodes were awesome.
To be very nerdy, in the new issue of Dr Who magazine, they've just done a big survey rating every episode of Who. Moffat penned stories took 4 of the top ten places for the Tennant years, and eight of the top ten for the Smith years.
Which suggests most fans still like most of Moffat's episodes, but that he's not nurturing other writers as well as RTD perhaps. One difference is that Moffat doesn't rewrite other peoples scripts to the same degree RTD did. Apparently RTD did the final draft of almost everyone else's episodes, apart from Moffat's.
Which era Moffatt or RTD took the highest.
Though that's not an entirely fair question, as Moffatt focussed on arc plots which always attract the loyal fans more.
The kind who read Dr Who magazine.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ 31st May 2014, 8:57 PM BSTTo be very nerdy, in the new issue of Dr Who magazine, they've just done a big survey rating every episode of Who. Moffat penned stories took 4 of the top ten places for the Tennant years
Was Blink in there?
That and Girl in the Fireplace are my two favourite Moffat eps.
Quote: sootyj @ 31st May 2014, 9:02 PM BSTWhich era Moffatt or RTD took the highest.
Oh, I don't know about overall era, all the eps are spread out over 241 stories! Fairly evenly spread by the look, two Moffat episodes actually take the first and second spot overall, one from each era.
Quote: zooo @ 31st May 2014, 9:06 PM BSTWas Blink in there?
That and Girl in the Fireplace are my two favourite Moffat eps.
Yes. Well, he only wrote four Tennant stories, so all four appear in Tennant's top ten!
Quote: Matthew Stott @ 31st May 2014, 9:08 PM BSTYes. Well, he only wrote four Tennant stories, so all four appear in Tennant's top ten!
Ah! Good point. Hurrah!
Plus of course, he writes Sherlock, and that's fecking awesome.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ 30th May 2014, 6:55 PM BSTWouldn't pass?
Wind or muster?
Quote: zooo @ 31st May 2014, 9:10 PM BSTPlus of course, he writes Sherlock, and that's fecking awesome.
Yeah, though I really didn't like the latest series much. Hated the second episode. The final one was much more like it, they actually focused more on the mystery at hand, and there was a proper villain!
I have never yet been disappointed by a Sherlock episode. Probably happen next series.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ 31st May 2014, 8:57 PM BSTTo be very nerdy, in the new issue of Dr Who magazine, they've just done a big survey rating every episode of Who. Moffat penned stories took 4 of the top ten places for the Tennant years, and eight of the top ten for the Smith years.
Which suggests most fans still like most of Moffat's episodes, but that he's not nurturing other writers as well as RTD perhaps. One difference is that Moffat doesn't rewrite other peoples scripts to the same degree RTD did. Apparently RTD did the final draft of almost everyone else's episodes, apart from Moffat's.
There is a term in the industry for someone like that. Wonder if we will ever know why CE walked 
Quote: zooo @ 31st May 2014, 9:13 PM BSTI have never yet been disappointed by a Sherlock episode. Probably happen next series.
That wedding one? Oh Christ. We get it, Sherlock likes Watson!
Found the list all of the New Who one's were from RTD's era. It's not like Twilight Zone it's not stand alone episodes, so like I say much of all comes down to the show runner.