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Doctor… Who? Showrunner Steven Moffat answers the ‘Doctor or Doctor Who?’ question

July 24th, 2017 by Marc Comments

So, for years fans have disputed wether or not The Doctor’s name was really just that or the full ‘Doctor Who’.

And, while no-one’s answer will put the debate to bed, Steven Moffat – the current showrunner (until Christmas at least) – tackled the question at SDCC at the weekend.

And the simple answer? They’re both right.

But what has simple ever has to do with anything?

“If you take continuity seriously and, be honest, you all do, there isn’t any doubt about this. I’m sorry. It was established in “The War Machines” that his name is Doctor Who,” says Moffat.

“He doesn’t often call himself Doctor Who because it’s a bloody stupid name, but he signs himself Doctor W. The third Doctor had a car with “WHO” on the license plate. He’s not a master of subtlety. No need to be mysterious, I’ll call myself Doctor Who.”

(Continues after pic)

I could be wrong, but wasn’t Tom Baker credited as Doctor Who in the closing credits? Feel free to let me know if i’m right or wrong here.

However, Moffat did go on to say that the other side of the argument is probably right too: “If you prefer to believe that he’s really calling himself ‘the Doctor’ and that’s just the name of the show, that’s equally true.

“Because what would Doctor Who continuity be without a blatant and unresolvable contradiction?”

What indeed… or should we say ‘who’?

Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….