10 Female Writers Who Could (and Should) Write For Doctor Who
There has been a lot of discussion about how Doctor Who needs more female writers. However this discussion is often scuppered because most article writers simply can't think of anyone or come up with totally unrealistic suggestions. Therefore, I thought I would come up with a list of ten writers who could (and should) write for Doctor Who based on reasonably strict criteria:
1. The writer should be female, acclaimed, alive and have written something in the last 10 years (obvious but you'd be amazed how often these are missed).
2. The writer should have experience writing genre fiction (Doctor Who spin-off media is a bonus)
3. The writer should have written for television
4. The writer should have script-writing experience for a British based production (this does not include American-based co-productions like Torchwood: Miracle Day)
1. Lucy Watkins
Genre TV: Hex (11 episodes), Demons (1 episodes), Merlin (4 episodes), Atlantis (1 episode)
Other acclaimed work: Sinchronicity (2 episodes), Sugar Rush (3 episodes)
Awards: BAFTA Best Drama Serial (nominated)
Potential Script:
Victorian Brighton, the perfect place for a holiday according to the Doctor. That is, at least, until a ghost takes a liking for to him. With The Doctor under the spectre's spell it is up to Clara to save the day.
2. Malorie Blackman
Doctor Who Work: The Ripple Effect (novel)
Genre TV: Frighteners, Whizzywig, Pig Heart Boy, A Whole New Heart
Other acclaimed work: Hacker, Operation Gadgetman, Thief!, A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E., Pig Heart Boy, Cloud Busting, Noughts and Crosses series, Boys Don't Cry (all novels)
Awards: Children's Laureate; BAFTA Best Children's Drama; RTS Best Children's Drama; Numerous book awards.
Potential Script:
In Britain 2014, the government continues to use it's expertise in cyber technology to control its citizens. Breaking curfew a young street theif spies two people that od not fit in. No chips, strange clothes and emerging from thin air.
Trying to take Clara home they arrive in a world that should not exist. With the TARDIS key stolen, The Doctor will have to go into the grid if he is to sort out history, even if it means losing himself."
3. Debbie Moon
Genre TV: Wolfblood, The Sparticle Mystery (2 episodes), The 7th Dimension
Potential Script:
Revisiting the Maitlands Clara finds Artie alone. Apparently Angie has gone to join a new programme guaranteed to "unlock her potential". Clara goes to work undercover, trying to find out why The Institute is so interested in young people's minds and rescue Angie before it is too late.
4. Catherine Tregenna
Doctor Who Work: Out of Time, Captain Jack Harkness, Meat, Adam (All Torchwood episodes).
Other acclaimed work: Law and Order UK (6 episodes), Lewis (2 episodes).
Awards: Hugo Award (nomination)
James has been living on the streets of London for many years and has seen some strange sights, but nothing as odd as people literally being eaten whole. Everyone is convinced he is mad, until he runs into Clara, the woman he fell in love with so many years ago.
5. Lloyd Rose
Doctor Who Work: The City of The Dead (novel), Camera Obscura (novel), Algebra of Ice (novel), Caerdroia (audio), What’s a Girl To Do? (essay)
Other acclaimed work: Homocide: Life on the Streets (1 episode); Kingpin (1 episode)
Potential Script:
Magic? Clara is convinced it's nonsense, The Doctor isn't so sure anymore. Visiting Victorian London, Madame Vastre has disappeared investigating a mysterious society and The Doctor soon finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that has run through the whole of human history.
6. Jane Goldman
Genre Film: Stardust, Kick Ass, X-Men First Class, The Woman In Black
TV Writing: Baddiel Syndrome
Potential Script:
An Edwardian country estate, the perfect model of charm and civility. Or so they would have you believe. But beneath this veneer lurks an evil. A dark cloud lies over the manor and this time there is no chance of escape.
7. Chloe Moss
Genre TV: Frankenstein's Wedding; Switch;
Other acclaimed work: Secret Diary of A Call Girl (3 episodes); Prisoner's Wives (1 episode); Playhouse Presents (1 episode); Numerous successful plays including How Love Is Spelt, Christmas Is Miles Away & This Wide Night.
Awards: Susan Smith Blackburn Playwriting Prize; Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Drama (Nominated)
Potential Script:
The Doctor is usually an expert at escaping from tight spots but he may have met his match. Inside the Universe's most high security prison no one believes they are anything other than criminals. Stuck inside a never ending routinised hell can the lonely Time Lord survive long with his freedom removed?
8. Sarah Phelps
Genre TV\Film: Spinechillers (1 episode), Being Human (1 episode), Camelot (1 episode), Beyond Black
Other acclaimed work: No Angels (3 episodes), Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Numerous plays for radio and stage
Awards: Broadcasting Press Guild Award Best Drama Series (nominated twice)
Potential Script:
The Doctor is used to running away from dangerous situations but this involves more than usual. After rescuing a young girl from the noose he is on the run from mobs, the authorities and what appear to be Ghosts from beyond.
9. Sally Wainwright
Genre TV: The Last Witch
Other acclaimed work: Sparkhouse, At Home With The Braithewaites, The Canterbury Tales (1 episode), The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Unforgiven, Last Tango In Halifax, Scott and Bailey
Awards: BAFTA Best Drama Series, BAFTA Best Writer, BAFTA Best Drama Serial (nominated), BAFTA Best Single Drama (nominated)
Potential Script:
The Doctor doesn't go in for revenge but the same can't be said of Clara Oswin Oswald. She discovers him beaten and barely comprehensible. With no way of operating the TARDIS she is determined to find out what happened to her friend and stop it from happening to anyone else.
10. Sarah Dollard
Genre TV: Being Human (1 episode), Primeval (webisodes & Script Editor)
Potential Script:
Things can be tense in the TARDIS, but never this bad. Something is manipulating The Doctor & Clara, trying to drive a wedge between them. But who and why?
NB: If these script ideas sound cheesy this is due to forcing the format of their former scripts into Doctor Who. Actual results may vary
1. The writer should be female, acclaimed, alive and have written something in the last 10 years (obvious but you'd be amazed how often these are missed).
2. The writer should have experience writing genre fiction (Doctor Who spin-off media is a bonus)
3. The writer should have written for television
4. The writer should have script-writing experience for a British based production (this does not include American-based co-productions like Torchwood: Miracle Day)
1. Lucy Watkins
Genre TV: Hex (11 episodes), Demons (1 episodes), Merlin (4 episodes), Atlantis (1 episode)
Other acclaimed work: Sinchronicity (2 episodes), Sugar Rush (3 episodes)
Awards: BAFTA Best Drama Serial (nominated)
Potential Script:
Victorian Brighton, the perfect place for a holiday according to the Doctor. That is, at least, until a ghost takes a liking for to him. With The Doctor under the spectre's spell it is up to Clara to save the day.
2. Malorie Blackman
Doctor Who Work: The Ripple Effect (novel)
Genre TV: Frighteners, Whizzywig, Pig Heart Boy, A Whole New Heart
Other acclaimed work: Hacker, Operation Gadgetman, Thief!, A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E., Pig Heart Boy, Cloud Busting, Noughts and Crosses series, Boys Don't Cry (all novels)
Awards: Children's Laureate; BAFTA Best Children's Drama; RTS Best Children's Drama; Numerous book awards.
Potential Script:
In Britain 2014, the government continues to use it's expertise in cyber technology to control its citizens. Breaking curfew a young street theif spies two people that od not fit in. No chips, strange clothes and emerging from thin air.
Trying to take Clara home they arrive in a world that should not exist. With the TARDIS key stolen, The Doctor will have to go into the grid if he is to sort out history, even if it means losing himself."
3. Debbie Moon
Genre TV: Wolfblood, The Sparticle Mystery (2 episodes), The 7th Dimension
Potential Script:
Revisiting the Maitlands Clara finds Artie alone. Apparently Angie has gone to join a new programme guaranteed to "unlock her potential". Clara goes to work undercover, trying to find out why The Institute is so interested in young people's minds and rescue Angie before it is too late.
4. Catherine Tregenna
Doctor Who Work: Out of Time, Captain Jack Harkness, Meat, Adam (All Torchwood episodes).
Other acclaimed work: Law and Order UK (6 episodes), Lewis (2 episodes).
Awards: Hugo Award (nomination)
James has been living on the streets of London for many years and has seen some strange sights, but nothing as odd as people literally being eaten whole. Everyone is convinced he is mad, until he runs into Clara, the woman he fell in love with so many years ago.
5. Lloyd Rose
Doctor Who Work: The City of The Dead (novel), Camera Obscura (novel), Algebra of Ice (novel), Caerdroia (audio), What’s a Girl To Do? (essay)
Other acclaimed work: Homocide: Life on the Streets (1 episode); Kingpin (1 episode)
Potential Script:
Magic? Clara is convinced it's nonsense, The Doctor isn't so sure anymore. Visiting Victorian London, Madame Vastre has disappeared investigating a mysterious society and The Doctor soon finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that has run through the whole of human history.
6. Jane Goldman
Genre Film: Stardust, Kick Ass, X-Men First Class, The Woman In Black
TV Writing: Baddiel Syndrome
Potential Script:
An Edwardian country estate, the perfect model of charm and civility. Or so they would have you believe. But beneath this veneer lurks an evil. A dark cloud lies over the manor and this time there is no chance of escape.
7. Chloe Moss
Genre TV: Frankenstein's Wedding; Switch;
Other acclaimed work: Secret Diary of A Call Girl (3 episodes); Prisoner's Wives (1 episode); Playhouse Presents (1 episode); Numerous successful plays including How Love Is Spelt, Christmas Is Miles Away & This Wide Night.
Awards: Susan Smith Blackburn Playwriting Prize; Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Drama (Nominated)
Potential Script:
The Doctor is usually an expert at escaping from tight spots but he may have met his match. Inside the Universe's most high security prison no one believes they are anything other than criminals. Stuck inside a never ending routinised hell can the lonely Time Lord survive long with his freedom removed?
8. Sarah Phelps
Genre TV\Film: Spinechillers (1 episode), Being Human (1 episode), Camelot (1 episode), Beyond Black
Other acclaimed work: No Angels (3 episodes), Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Numerous plays for radio and stage
Awards: Broadcasting Press Guild Award Best Drama Series (nominated twice)
Potential Script:
The Doctor is used to running away from dangerous situations but this involves more than usual. After rescuing a young girl from the noose he is on the run from mobs, the authorities and what appear to be Ghosts from beyond.
9. Sally Wainwright
Genre TV: The Last Witch
Other acclaimed work: Sparkhouse, At Home With The Braithewaites, The Canterbury Tales (1 episode), The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Unforgiven, Last Tango In Halifax, Scott and Bailey
Awards: BAFTA Best Drama Series, BAFTA Best Writer, BAFTA Best Drama Serial (nominated), BAFTA Best Single Drama (nominated)
Potential Script:
The Doctor doesn't go in for revenge but the same can't be said of Clara Oswin Oswald. She discovers him beaten and barely comprehensible. With no way of operating the TARDIS she is determined to find out what happened to her friend and stop it from happening to anyone else.
10. Sarah Dollard
Genre TV: Being Human (1 episode), Primeval (webisodes & Script Editor)
Potential Script:
Things can be tense in the TARDIS, but never this bad. Something is manipulating The Doctor & Clara, trying to drive a wedge between them. But who and why?
NB: If these script ideas sound cheesy this is due to forcing the format of their former scripts into Doctor Who. Actual results may vary