Doctor Who writer and former showrunner Steven Moffat has responded to fans who were "upset" recently.
Moffat, who was in charge of the BBC show during the Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi years (2009-2017), returned to the science-fiction franchise for the 2024 episode 'Boom' and the upcoming Christmas special 'Joy to the World'.
Over the weekend, Moffat took part in a live watch and post-along for 'Boom', sharing some of his thoughts about the polarised reception to the episode's themes of faith.
Related: Best streaming services in 2024
In the episode, The Doctor chides soldiers who fight based on religion, stating that they weren't thinking for themselves and blindly following what they were told, something viewers took umbrage with.
On social media, Moffat explained that The Doctor's words weren't an attack on faith, but a manifestation of his frustration at his situation (in this case, standing on a landmine and being unable to move).
What to Read Next
"Ah. The faith issue," he wrote. "I know some people of faith were upset, but keep in mind: the Doctor is scared and heartbroken and so, so angry – this isn't all he thinks on the subject – it's just what's spilling out his mouth as he rages."
Related: Doctor Who merchandise and biggest autumn deals
"That's why I included the later line about needing faith. The Doctor has faith that the universe makes sense and that kindness can work: but there's no objective proof of that. How different is that from believing in a God?" he added.
We've got a month to go until this year's Christmas special, and a brief clip of the episode was recently released, teasing The Doctor and Nicola Coughlan's temporary new companion in the jaws of danger.
Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Interested in talking about Doctor Who? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
Read more Doctor Who news on our dedicated homepage
You Might Like...
Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he's covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small. A big fan of TV and movies both mainstream and obscure, Joe also enjoys video games and in particular PlayStation. Joe currently does not use Twitter, but he only ever used it to tell people to watch the film Help! I'm a Fish.
