He's a bad writer, and it would be hard to deny it.
Even the most extreme NuWho fans are going to list at least one of his stories in their least favourites. Pretty much everything he's written aside from the massively overrated Broadchurch have been ridiculed by the majority.
He also has a particular way of writing - 'Women crying, children dying,' I call it. Cheap appeals to our emotional biases. Helps to hide bad dialogue and otherwise shitty writing, making it seem 'deep'. That said - aside from Broadchurch where it managed to trick people into giving it good reviews - it isn't usually effective.
He also has some deplorable political biases shining through his works.
For Doctor Who he's done:
42 - The least memorable Doctor Who serial of all time.
The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood - A laughable story. The only 'good' parts were torn directly from Classic stories - Inferno, and the Silurians, Frontios etc.
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - Poor character writing. Straw misogynist. Shit story.
The Power of Three - Moffat-esque in its intriguing premise and utter failure to make anything of it. Ignores the premise to focus on Amy being emotional.
- Possibly the worst writer for that sample size. Consistently sub-par even for NuWho –
For Torchwood:
Day One. Awful, incredibly immature story. 'Adult' Doctor Who? It's sex monster time, boys! Possibly the best example of his bias, too:
Female sex monster goes around raping and killing innocent men - played for laughs. Said sex monster is sad? Oof, apparently it's time to feel sorry for her. 'Women crying.'
Cyberwoman. Often considered the worst story in the series. 'Women crying.'
Countrycide. I liked this when it first aired because I love cannibal stories. Rewatching it - it's pretty shit.
End of Days. Some interesting ideas - poor execution.
- These are there stories that killed Torchwood's first Season. I never saw Season 2. Apparently, some of his stories there are good - I doubt it. -
This is the guy who's writing Season 11.
And some people are looking forward to it.
Even the most extreme NuWho fans are going to list at least one of his stories in their least favourites. Pretty much everything he's written aside from the massively overrated Broadchurch have been ridiculed by the majority.
He also has a particular way of writing - 'Women crying, children dying,' I call it. Cheap appeals to our emotional biases. Helps to hide bad dialogue and otherwise shitty writing, making it seem 'deep'. That said - aside from Broadchurch where it managed to trick people into giving it good reviews - it isn't usually effective.
He also has some deplorable political biases shining through his works.
For Doctor Who he's done:
42 - The least memorable Doctor Who serial of all time.
The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood - A laughable story. The only 'good' parts were torn directly from Classic stories - Inferno, and the Silurians, Frontios etc.
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - Poor character writing. Straw misogynist. Shit story.
The Power of Three - Moffat-esque in its intriguing premise and utter failure to make anything of it. Ignores the premise to focus on Amy being emotional.
- Possibly the worst writer for that sample size. Consistently sub-par even for NuWho –
For Torchwood:
Day One. Awful, incredibly immature story. 'Adult' Doctor Who? It's sex monster time, boys! Possibly the best example of his bias, too:
Female sex monster goes around raping and killing innocent men - played for laughs. Said sex monster is sad? Oof, apparently it's time to feel sorry for her. 'Women crying.'
Cyberwoman. Often considered the worst story in the series. 'Women crying.'
Countrycide. I liked this when it first aired because I love cannibal stories. Rewatching it - it's pretty shit.
End of Days. Some interesting ideas - poor execution.
- These are there stories that killed Torchwood's first Season. I never saw Season 2. Apparently, some of his stories there are good - I doubt it. -
This is the guy who's writing Season 11.
And some people are looking forward to it.