Now. A rant on the differences between Russel T Davies and Steven Moffat. What I like about each of them, and what I don't like. And ultimately, which one I like better.

If I do actually one better than the other.

I've watched both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors' series, a and I can see some startling differences in the way each story is told.

Just looking at the series in general, I think Russel T Davies' series (1-4) are more rugged and scifi-like. More grown up as well. For Steven Moffat's series (5-7), I think the show is more meant for little kids (like Doctor Who is supposed to be) because it focuses more on fantasy and fairytales instead of science and aliens.

Although Steven Moffat's aliens are more unique and, to some extent, more frightening.
Although Russel T Davies' aliens are cool, too. They're more conventional, but what's wrong with that?  无可厚非, I always say. (He came up with the Face of Boe so he wins.)

Steven Moffat concentrates more on the style of the show. The props and settings. For example, for the Winston Churchill/new Daleks episode, he was obsessed with adding all the details and conventionalities of a World War II bunker. The same goes for the Pirate episode (The Curse of the Black Spot) and the Vincent van Gogh episode.

Russel T Davies, on the other hand, leaves those kinds of details to the people who're paid to do that - the Props and Art people. He focuses more on the conversation: the words each character uses, what each character would say to another, how each character would behave differently in the same circumstances. In other words I think Russel is very good with character development. He knows his characters inside out, and I wholly respect him for that, because I think that is quite important. He also likes to explore his characters: their past, heir personality, what stressful situations would cause them to behave differently than usual, or how much they have changed fro the past because of some traumatic or sad event they've experienced.

Steven just goes with what is given to him, or what he's come up with on the spot. If you look carefully, you realise that the 11th Doctor, Amy and Rory all have very distinct and clear-cut personalities. In some sense they're actually quite 2-D. I mean, Doctor Who's a children's show - so none of the loyal viewers really care about that. Truthfully, it doesn't matter, but I just noticed the difference anyway.

Russel's characters often have a flip-side to them, like real human beings, and his shows re more down-to-earth as well. More like real-life situations. Which is why I (clearly) like him better.

Russel's Doctor Who episodes occur in blocks, with each story arc lasting one or two (or on one occasion three) episodes. Each episode has sort of no relation to the others, which shows the random travels of the Doctor quite aptly. Kind of reminds me of a video game - the Dotor defeats small enemies with his companion(s), and then at the end of each season he faces the Boss, which lasts 2 episodes at least.

For Steven Moffat, each season has a running theme. Like for example Season 4's theme was 'cracks in time', and in each episode in that season, you can see some sort of crack like the crack in Amelia's wall. And then for the season finale they link up all the cracks to relate to one thing. Steven Moffat is very good at continuity of plot lines, and he pays attention to the fine details of each episode to end with a flourish each season. That's why he's so good at writing BBC Sherlock - because of this attention to detail.

(he's also perfect (better than Russel would be) for writing Sherlock because Sherlock is just, well, Sherlock, and does not need much characterisation since he's such a popular and well-understood character already, so that's covered. Also, Sherlock concentrates on the details of each case that add together to form the ending, which is what Moffat is extremely good at, along with Mark Gatiss, therefore yeah Steven Moffat is cool in that sense, but I digress)

But in my own humble opinion, for scifi shows likeDoctor Who and Torchwood, Russel T Davies is the best bet, because he is an adventurous writer, who thinks of the fans and how they would react and what they would like, as he is writing the episode. Well, he also thinks of what the fans would NOT like, like Ianto Jones dying. But.

I think Ianto Jones' death is quite significant. Not only in the sense that it helps Jack haden his heart to be able to sacrifice his grandson Steven. Not about him supporting the plot line, but in terms of the fans. I read one fanfiction where the writer expertly followed canon, but added more parts to it (still making sure it was canon compliant) to allow Ianto a second lease at life. After I read it, I realised that if this was included in the actual canon story, Ianto wouldn't be as appreciated as he is now, in the Torchwood fandom.

Russel realised (maybe it was unintentional, but I think) that in order for Jack and Ianto's relationship to scale greater heights in terms of appreciation by fans, one of them had to die. But Jack can't die. Also their male-male relationship made them even more poignant and significant and popular as well.

In conclusion (finally!), I prefer Russel T Davies for scifi shows. Like John Barrowman said in his autobiography I Am What I Am, when Russel T Davies ('God actually') works with Julie Gardner, 'only great things can happen from that'.