Summary
The following is a list of script editors[1] on the long-running British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. This list makes no distinction between the titles "story editor" and "script editor", as both titles were used for the same position while the production was based in London.
During the original series, the script editor worked in conjunction with the series producer in developing the creative direction of the series and they held the power to commission scripts, effectively becoming second in command to the producer. However, once Doctor Who moved to BBC Wales, the title came to describe a significantly different position. Beginning with the 2005 series, the role of the Doctor Who script editor diminished significantly, in deference to the rise of the new position of "Head Writer".[2] In many respects, Russell T Davies and his successor Steven Moffat have proven the closest analogue to the old position, but as they are also executive producers, they have had a much greater range of responsibilities than script editors of the original series. Script editors of the new series do not have the power to commission scripts. Instead, they act as liaisons between the production staff and the screenwriter, before passing their joint work to the Head Writer for a "final polish". Moreover, script editors in the BBC Wales version are assigned not to whole seasons, but to individual episodes — or at most "blocks" of 2-4 episodes produced concurrently. Acknowledging that the Head Writer is much closer to being the script editor of the past, Helen Raynor has said that the modern Doctor Who script editor's job isn't a creative one, but "in the next seat to creativity ... a nuts and bolts job [in which] you do participate, you are a part of it, but you aren't driving it."[3]
Since the 2011 series, the job description has changed. Lindsey Alford (see above) was credited as "Script Executive" for the 2011 run, Caroline Henry was "Script Executive" on "The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe", and in 2012-13 associate producer Denise Paul took the credit of "Script Producer". John Phillips was credited as "Assistant Script Editor" for majority of Series 7 except for "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" and "A Town Called Mercy".
For Series 11, broadcast from October 2018, Sheena Bucktowonsing was credited as Series Script Editor on each episode, alongside other production crew who were credited as Script Editor, Script Supervisor and Assistant Script Supervisor on various individual episodes.
Notes edit
- ^ This list does not account for uncredited script editors, such as John Nathan-Turner, who effectively held the job for the last episode of The Trial of a Time Lord, or Craig Dickson, who was the BBC's script editor for the 1996 telemovie. Likewise, stories such as The Abominable Snowmen and Kinda, which were developed by multiple script editors, are assigned only to the person whose name appears on the credits.
- ^ Occasionally, as in this article Archived December 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, the press has also used the term "lead writer"
- ^ a b "Script Doctors: Helen Raynor". Doctor Who Magazine #379. Panini UK (reprinted on the website of David Darlington, with permission). 1 February 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2009.[dead link]
- ^ Stories are listed in broadcast order. Since stories were often produced out of broadcast order, some script editors can falsely appear to have non-continuous tenures
- ^ ""Ce n'est pas plane pour moi" - Eric Saward as Doctor Who Script Editor". 18 May 2018.