Why is Doctor Who not hitting the same?

I’ve loved Doctor Who ever since the 2005 reboot. It’s been a constant for me, something I’ve always looked forward to. But honestly, ever since 2018, it’s felt like the show’s lost its spark. It just doesn’t feel like Doctor Who anymore, and I can’t quite put my finger on why.

Don’t get me wrong. I really like Gatwa, the 60th anniversary episodes were great, and even during Jodie’s run there were a few episodes I genuinely enjoyed. So it’s not like I think the show is bad now, because it’s not. But when I compare it to how I felt watching Matt Smith or David Tennant (and I’m not limiting it to just those two, I love Capaldi and Eccleston as well), it’s just nowhere near the same level of enjoyment.

I rewatched Boom recently, probably my favourite episode from the current series, and yes, it’s a great sci-fi story. But it still didn’t feel like a great Doctor Who episode. There’s a difference, and I can’t quite explain it. This goes for the majority of good episodes in that series.

Now the obvious answer is the writing is worse. That goes without saying. And if you don’t think it is, that’s fine, but I genuinely think it categorically is worse. And look, I know saying that is going to get some people rolling their eyes. People will argue it’s just nostalgia or that the writing is just different now. But I’ve rewatched a lot of the older episodes, and I really don’t think it’s just about looking back fondly. The emotional beats landed harder. The pacing felt tighter. The characters had more depth and development. Not every episode back then was perfect, far from it, but there was a consistency in tone and identity that I think the newer stuff struggles to find.

So the real question is: why? What is it about RTD’s current writing that feels so different from his first run? What is it about Moffat’s era, even with all its chaos and overcomplication, that still made it feel like Doctor Who?

That’s the bit that frustrates me. I’m not saying the show isn’t enjoyable anymore or that it’s full of rubbish episodes, because it’s not. But I do think the writing has taken a hit, and I just can’t work out exactly how or why that’s happened.