Steven Moffat says that Peter Capaldi has saved Doctor Who.
Cast as the 12th incarnation of the Time Lord earlier this year, showrunner Steven says Peter's quirkiness has saved the sci-fi series from becoming predictable.
He explained to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "A show dies when it's reliable like a pair of old slippers - if any reviewer says that about a show, that show is gone within a year.
"Shows die when people say: 'Oh, it's quite good. I quite like it.' And the 'new show' is old now, so this had to be a reinvention.
"This has been different and designed to make you go, 'I don't trust him yet, I don't know what he's like - what's he going to do next?' It's exciting and makes the show new again."
The writer and producer now says he's not worried about whether or not people like his casting, as they still tune into the BBC One show.
"If people say: 'I'm appalled by the new Doctor!' I say, 'Yeah, yeah, and you're watching it every week.'"
Steven also insisted viewing figures can be misleading, explaining: "Indisputably, without doubt, exactly the same number of people watch Doctor Who now as they ever did.
"There is no drop off in the ratings but the way people watch it has changed.
"They watch it on catch-up to a far higher degree. In the time I have been doing 'Doctor Who' the number of people who watch it on iPlayer has trebled."
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