David Bianculli

You're expected to bring your own version of it. You just have to find yourself in it, I suppose. You just have to kind of chuck yourself at it and see what you get. And, of course, it was written by Russell T Davies, who's one of the great television writers of our time, and wrote it with sort of a bit like himself. I mean, Russell has a wonderful...

gift of the gab about him he can he can talk and he's funny and he's quick and he's probably the cleverest person in most rooms and that's kind of how he writes the doctor so you if you you just kind of look to plug into that energy filter it through yourself and hope that that produces something that's kind of endearing and not smug and annoying

gift of the gab about him he can he can talk and he's funny and he's quick and he's probably the cleverest person in most rooms and that's kind of how he writes the doctor so you if you you just kind of look to plug into that energy filter it through yourself and hope that that produces something that's kind of endearing and not smug and annoying

gift of the gab about him he can he can talk and he's funny and he's quick and he's probably the cleverest person in most rooms and that's kind of how he writes the doctor so you if you you just kind of look to plug into that energy filter it through yourself and hope that that produces something that's kind of endearing and not smug and annoying

Probably some people did find it smug and annoying, but hopefully most people found it charming and funny. I think it's important that the Doctor is funny because he uses wit to undermine some of the worst creatures that the universe can throw at him. That's part of what's glorious about that character, is that he can be funny in times of crisis. And that's his cool.

Probably some people did find it smug and annoying, but hopefully most people found it charming and funny. I think it's important that the Doctor is funny because he uses wit to undermine some of the worst creatures that the universe can throw at him. That's part of what's glorious about that character, is that he can be funny in times of crisis. And that's his cool.

Probably some people did find it smug and annoying, but hopefully most people found it charming and funny. I think it's important that the Doctor is funny because he uses wit to undermine some of the worst creatures that the universe can throw at him. That's part of what's glorious about that character, is that he can be funny in times of crisis. And that's his cool.

He's very uncool in many ways, but he's got that... That ability to undermine everything with a gag or with a twinkle. So I didn't ponder all that. It's quite interesting listening back to that through headphones now. It feels quite green and quite squeaky to me.

He's very uncool in many ways, but he's got that... That ability to undermine everything with a gag or with a twinkle. So I didn't ponder all that. It's quite interesting listening back to that through headphones now. It feels quite green and quite squeaky to me.

He's very uncool in many ways, but he's got that... That ability to undermine everything with a gag or with a twinkle. So I didn't ponder all that. It's quite interesting listening back to that through headphones now. It feels quite green and quite squeaky to me.

Yes, but listen, time is very relative when you're a time lord. And she's a little bit younger than me. She's not that much younger than me. She's an adult character in the show.

Yes, but listen, time is very relative when you're a time lord. And she's a little bit younger than me. She's not that much younger than me. She's an adult character in the show.

Yes, but listen, time is very relative when you're a time lord. And she's a little bit younger than me. She's not that much younger than me. She's an adult character in the show.

That's right, yeah. He was number five. I mean, I watched him as a kid. He became the Doctor when I was about 11. So he was absolutely someone that I drew pictures of in sketchbooks, yeah. That has just added to how odd the whole thing is that I've ended up being part of the show that I grew up obsessed with.

That's right, yeah. He was number five. I mean, I watched him as a kid. He became the Doctor when I was about 11. So he was absolutely someone that I drew pictures of in sketchbooks, yeah. That has just added to how odd the whole thing is that I've ended up being part of the show that I grew up obsessed with.

That's right, yeah. He was number five. I mean, I watched him as a kid. He became the Doctor when I was about 11. So he was absolutely someone that I drew pictures of in sketchbooks, yeah. That has just added to how odd the whole thing is that I've ended up being part of the show that I grew up obsessed with.

Thanks for having me. It's been an absolute delight.

Thanks for having me. It's been an absolute delight.

Thanks for having me. It's been an absolute delight.

This is Fresh Air. I'm TV critic David Bean Cooley. Hacks, the very funny TV series about an older Vegas-style stand-up comic and the generational differences between her and her younger comedy writer, returned to HBO Max last night for its fourth season.