This first bit is an in-joke

TV I've just written this comment on a post at The Guardian about the writers that Steven Moffat has appointed for Doctor Who. This first bit is an in-joke for readers of the parish newsletter:

I was more taken aback that Shrek had been signed. He is a good writer apparently. We'll see.

But really, as previous caller mentioned it's unfair to judge how a writer deals with Doctor Who until we've seen them deal with Doctor Who (and this from someone who's grown to loath Love Actually and just sat through the editing dogs dinner that is The Boat The Rocked). It sunk Matthew (Life on Mars) Graham (Fear Her was voted worst of the new series episodes by DWM readers "Not you to Bob! Bob?") and other writers found their work heavily rewritten by Davies to get them to the shootable stage.

But this line up is as clever at RTD's first series in 2005. Then he handed off the season to seasoned tv writers who'd also previously written for Who -- notable all but Moffat wrote for the second series of Big Finish 8th Doctor audios on what was a vintage year for those (or what was once called Season 28).

Moffat's selection is equally clever. Gatiss and Roberts have been writing for Who since the nineties in novels and later audios before working on the tv version. Whithouse somehow managed to write School Reunion, the most classic Who related new episode up until that point despite not really being a fan and now has Being Human under his belt. Chibnall's the surprise, but his work on the second season of Torchwood was a big improvement, his Who episode 42 had some excellent moments as does L&O:UK.

The appointment of Nye and Curtis create buzz around the series -- respected tv & film writers from outside of the usual Who writers list. I mean would this post have been written if it had been the usual suspects? What you don't mention is that in terms of Curtis there's a nice bit of payback. Curtis asked Moffat to write his first tv Doctor Who scripts -- the spoof for Comic Relief with Rowan Atkinson. This is Moffat's chance to return the favour.