We caught up with Mathieson, onceMummy On The Orient ExpressandFlatline his first twoDoctor Whoadventures had screened.
First thing then: whats aDoctor Whopitch meeting actually like?
ADoctor Whopitch meeting is fairly banal really.
Needless to say I was the most wired in the room.
So whats happened to your other three episodes that werent taken up?
In 2004 I met with Julie Gardner before the Eccleston reboot.
She enthused about a sci-fi thriller spec script Id written.
This was before I didBeing Human.
Did you pitch again?
How did you get the invite to pitch in the first place?
All due credit to my agent, the wonderful Hugo Young at Independent.
Which Im sure are the only three names he ever mentions, in that order.
Youve talked about how notes from Steven Moffat improved your episodes.
But can you give a specific example of that?
But I remember that the hand grabbing Al inFlatlinewas totally him.
How conscious were you of the ending of Kill The Moon when you were writing your episodes?
Was it you or Steven Moffat who injected the underlying character work going on between Clara and the Doctor?
And how late in the process did that happen?
The hate is too strong a word stuff.
And the final scene with Clara lying to Danny in the TARDIS I had a wobble was all Steven.
Which is all absolutely as it should be.
A showrunner should ensure consistency of character throughout the series.
Can you take us through what it feels like in the week up to your first episode being broadcast?
When you saw the trailer forMummy On The Orient Expressat the end ofKill The Moon, through to transmission?
But it was there that I saw my first next time trailer for Mummy.
This happens with me all the time.
It can all become a little beige in my mind.
I read a couple of sniffy previews which didnt help.
Did you watch the episode live?
How did that go, and what was the hour afterwards like?
I watched it alone with my wife.
And I thought That worked, didnt it?
More than that, I think itreallyworked.
I celebrated by spending the next three hours doing on an AMA on Reddit.
Because thats how I get my kicks answering questions from strangers.
And that they dont necessarily read reviews at the time.
How keenly did you follow the feedback to your two episodes?
How much to heart can you take it?
I was braced for a kicking.
Once I realised bad reviews were the exception, I relaxed a bit and read more.
I think having been a stand-up helps.
Every stand up in the world has died on stage at least once.
I did a few times.
I think the mental armour you develop to process that had primed me well.
I know who I am at my core.
A bad script or review will not define me, any more than a silent or booing audience did.
Or a cheering one either, for that matter.
Do your future Who ideas all centre on monster ideas of your own?
Are there any of the classics you fancy a go at writing?
I love thinking of new ideas for monsters.
Usually with a good conceptual core.
But if I could think of a good spin on an old classic Id certainly pitch it.
Thats the rub though, isnt it?
The Daleks and Cybermen have been around forever.
Finding a new angle is the key.
One of the other running highlights for me this year has been the variation and quality of direction.
When it came to filming, did you spend much time with the directors yourself?
How much of the filming did you see?
I met both my directors a few times and chatted at various meetings.
Lovely guys who it goes without saying have massively elevated my words with their work.
It was also Frank Skinners last day, so I got to meet him.
The problem is that a writer on set has no role.
His job is over.
And watching the same scene filmed ten times from different angles is so dull.
So get in, coo at the sets and get out is always the way to go.
How far through the pitching process are you for series 9?
Theres going to be a series 9?
Do you have any plans for another feature film?
Im always working on new scripts.
I love writing spec scripts generally.
Hopefully the success of my work onWhowill open a few more doors.
The problem isnt writing the scripts, the problem is someone handing you the money to make them.
Your blog has been really interesting.
So: are you the coolest Uncle in the world now?
Hed even got the dragging foot right.
Can you recommend aDoctor Whostory that tends to fly under many peoples radar?
I havent watched a huge amount of originalWho.How the hell did I get this job?
And, because its tradition, whats your favourite Jason Statham movie?
Never, ever 3.
Jamie Mathieson, thank you very much!
