'Doctor Who' writer Mark Gatiss: Is this his last season, too?

Nivea Serrao
Updated
Doctor Who: Mark Gatiss on whether he will return

Saturday’s episode of Doctor Who was writer Mark Gatiss’ ninth episode for the show — but it might also be his last one ever. The end of the current tenth season of the show sees not only showrunner Steven Moffat step down, but also the Doctor himself (Peter Capaldi) and actress Michelle Gomez (who plays Missy) depart.

“I don’t know. It’s the end of an era,” Gatiss told EW about whether he’ll return next season. “Obviously, I’ve worked so closely running Sherlock with Steven. We’re the only two people who’re still there from when Doctor Who came back. We both wrote for Christopher Eccleston’s season, so we’ve been there for 12 years now! So there’s definitely a sense of the ‘end of an era.’ But I love the show and I never say ‘Never.’ I’d be very happy to do some more Doctor Who. But I have to see where Chris Chibnall is going to take it. I’m actually excited about seeing it without knowing anything about it.”

Over the show’s 10 seasons, Gatiss has written episodes for all four of the newer Doctors — Christopher Eccleston’s Nine, David Tennant’s Ten, Matt Smith’s Eleven, and now Peter Capaldi’s Twelve. His latest outing on the show saw the Doctor, plus new companions Bill (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas), head to Mars for the return of Gatiss’ favorite villains: the Ice Warriors.

“Peter’s been magnificent. His love for the show is palpable in every frame of it. It’s his dream job, which I assume he never thought would come his way. Especially because the new Doctors were so much younger,” said Gatiss of Capaldi’s performance the past three seasons. “But when the role came his way, he just grabbed it with both hands and loved it… He’s brought amazing grace and also intelligence. He’s really thought, ‘How can I make my Doctor different? And how can I make him feel like part of a great lineage, but also distinctively me?'”

Adds Gatiss of Capaldi off-screen, “He’s just so generous with his time as an actor and as a person. He signs autographs for everybody who wants one. It’s a really charming thing… I’m very sad to see him go, but at the same time, that’s always been one of the great excitements about Doctor Who. Embracing the change.”

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America.