"Huge gaps in the narrative": Former Doctor Who star discusses creative flaws in the sci-fi show

The Fifth Doctor from Doctor Who, Peter Davison, who played the character from 1981 to 1984, recently voiced his discontent regarding the current situation, citing so-called significant storytelling weaknesses in the show's recent past. Interviewed on The Lewis Nicholls Show on YouTube, Davison discussed the shift in storytelling, noting that the show appears to be lacking in key beats.

According to Screenrant, he said:

"It’s like watching a trailer for a Doctor Who show you’d like to watch later. There are huge gaps in the narrative. They’re just leaping onto the next bit and hoping your brain fills in the rest."

His remarks reflect a frustration with the show’s tendency toward rapid transitions, where plot points are introduced without proper development or resolution. While he complimented the scope and innovation of the show, his biggest concern was the absence of narrative cohesion.

Here is the interview for your reference:

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Davison's criticism and its aftermath

Davison's criticism lends itself to one of Doctor Who's ever-present debates among critics and fans worldwide: at what expense is innovation sought? At the expense of the show's very structure? By pitting new installments against trailers, short, exciting previews that are light on substance. He spoke of a feeling of fragmentation that audiences have been demanding increasingly.

The mention of the series skipping ahead to the next thing is linked to a larger pacing issue, wherein emotional evolution and narrative continuity are sometimes compromised for the sake of reaching the next spectacle.

Notably, Davison's backlash is not an exclusion of new Doctor Who or its direction. Rather, it serves as a reminder of balance. He emphasized that, as much as the program is attempting to do something new and forward-thinking, change shouldn't come at the expense of those building blocks of storytelling that had initially gained traction for the program.

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A shared sentiment among the fanbase

The Davison testimony is not the rant of one individual, instead, it's the anger of the vast majority of Doctor Who viewers. Since Chris Chibnall's time and up to the current era of Russell T. Davies, viewers have been grumbling about convoluted, vaguely connected storylines, aimless direction, and not delivering on key story beats. While ambition has been at the DNA of the show from the beginning, for others, there has been a perception that the execution has become sporadic.

Half-answers dangling over periods between episodes, emotional stakes wasted on non-resolution, and motivations shifted on a whim for characters have all conspired to bring on a sense of bewilderment. Davison, as a man with love for the programme and its history at his core, brings weight to such grievances. His voice conveys the seriousness of the case, suggesting that the success and longevity of Doctor Who are no less dependent on coherence than they are on imagination.

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Spectacle and structure: Where is the balance?

One of the highlights of Davison's interview was that the show today is more for the "thrill" and not so much for the journey. Prioritizing swift pacing, cinematic visuals, and shocking reveals at the expense of those narrative moments can lead to new episodes glossing over the narrative beats that make them significant. For long-form television, especially a series as invested in its mythology as Doctor Who, glossing over narrative beats leaves viewers lost, rather than engaged.

It isn't a question of resisting change. Davison did assert that storytelling can and should be modified. But he held on to storytelling fundamentals—continuity, emotional coherence, and audience comprehension. Without these, the spectacle is hollow. It's the blend of innovation and consistency, but it's no longer exclusive to Doctor Who. It's a problem for any show with time travel, regenerations, and alternate realities, though. Incoherence is especially at risk here.

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The role of showrunners and creative leadership

Although Davison did not cite any particular individuals, what he did say necessarily raises broader concerns about the showrunner appointment. Chris Chibnall's period, in particular, was regularly criticized for convoluted plot twists and not quite doing enough to flesh out the characters. Russell T. Davies' revamping has introduced new hope for narrative coherence, but even his recent instalments have struggled to steer clear of fan grievances regarding clarity and timing.

Davison's complaint can be read as a call to the writing team of today to reprioritize. The world-building of the show is stronger than ever, but that aspiration must be supported by narrative scaffolding to yield its full potential. As Doctor Who evolves and adapts further, the capacity to maintain a tangible, earthed throughline can be the difference between episodes that stun and tales that last.

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What Davison's commentary presents regarding Doctor Who's future

That a past Doctor has been so open to having such worries is itself significant, as it shows a genuine concern not just for the history of the show, but also for its potential to be impactful to viewers going forward. With Ncuti Gatwa taking over the position of the Fifteenth Doctor and a new era already commenced, Doctor Who is in a place of choice. The production team has proven to be adventurous, but Davison's comments can serve as a wake-up call.

Both the audience and the makers can learn from taking a step back and asking: Are the narratives being offered resonating? Are the stakes properly defined? Are we being pulled in, or left to fill in the gaps ourselves? These are questions that ring not only through Davison's interview, but through a viewer who has come to grow up with, grow into, or grow anxious about the show.

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Peter Davison's vision isn't a complaint—a reminder, rather. A reminder that even with all the time-traveling, regenerating, shape-shifting bombast, Doctor Who is at its best when it does the one thing that actually counts: telling a story worth telling, step by step. And change and improvement must happen on a show as old as Doctor Who, yes, but that must be rooted in a respect for narrative coherence.

In that sense, his words are less a lament, perhaps—perhaps they are a prescription. For if anyone is well aware of the symptoms of a story in disarray, it is a Doctor.

Also read: When is Doctor Who Season 2 finale set for screening? Here's all about the latest updates