Newest ‘Doctor Who’ Score Pushes Boundaries and Honours the Show’s Legacy
Tomorrow, the long awaited ‘Doctor Who’ return is finally happening, with Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Russell T Davies back at the helm of the show. Today, we talk about the new season’s music.
It’s no secret that sound design and music are a huge part of the ‘Doctor Who’ experience with some evergreen scores through the years and an overall extremely recognisable sound-scape. This time, Theodore Music has taken on the mammoth task of supervising the show’s new season’s music entirely, led by music supervisor Ollie White.
Ollie is best known for his work on the HBO/BBC TV series 'Industry' and the hit SKY trilogy, 'A Discovery of Witches'. With a background in songwriting, music production, editing and as a resident DJ at Glastonbury, Ollie specialises in building unique and original sound-worlds that bring to life stories and their characters.
Most importantly though, he is a total ‘Doctor Who’ nerd and comes from a family that has always been part of the show’s cult following. Working with the incredible BBC team, Ollie’s approach was aimed at going in line with the series’ revamp, while staying true to the unforgettable lore and history behind the Doctor. LBB’s Zoe Antonov spoke to Ollie about his experience working on the music for the series and what we should expect.
LBB> What were your first thoughts and feelings when you found out you might have the chance to work on the music for ‘Doctor Who’?
Ollie> I was born and raised in an avid ‘Doctor Who’ family, so when the opportunity to be involved arose, it was a mixture of tremendous excitement and nerves! It's been a dream come true, but there's also this added personal pressure to get it right.
LBB> What was the brief? How did you first think you'd approach it?
Ollie> ‘Doctor Who’ was undergoing a revamp, with a fresh new face taking on the role of the Doctor, and Ncuti bringing his own unique style and energy to the series. With more swagger and bounce in the air, it was clear that the music needed to step up and rise to the occasion.
There was also a deep respect for the show's iconic legacy. We wanted to stay true to ‘Doctor Who’, it certainly wasn’t requiring a re-writing of the rule book, but the new team involved were very much up for giving us the freedom to explore a bigger role for music across the show. With Russell T Davies returning as lead writer and Murray Gold back as the composer, both renowned for crafting some of the series' most memorable moments, the intention was clear: to honour the past while pushing the boundaries with a fresh musical perspective.
This meant striking a delicate balance between innovation and tradition. While we aimed to inject new energy and excitement into the music, we were mindful not to completely rewrite the rulebook. After all, Doctor Who's timeless appeal lies in its ability to evolve while retaining its core essence.
One notable example of this balance is the episode dedicated to popular music, where we had the opportunity to showcase a diverse array of songs and artists, adding a contemporary flair to the Doctor Who universe while staying true to its adventurous spirit..
LBB> What was the process that you took to get to the final results? And what were the big decisions along the way to find the right music for the series in 2024?
Ollie> As music supervisors, we are involved from the script stage. With numerous on-camera performances and choreographed scenes requiring specific music throughout the season, it was essential to lock in the songs well in advance of filming.
The decisions made at these early stages were critical, as changing them later in the production process, once filming was wrapped, would be near impossible. Each song selection needed to align perfectly with the tone, emotion, and choreography of the scenes, enhancing the overall storytelling experience for both the cast and audience.
It was a collaborative process that required careful consideration and attention to detail every step of the way.
LBB> How did it compare to other TV work you've done such as ‘Industry’ and ‘A Discovery of Witches’?
Ollie> Every production is different; different workflows, processes, styles, etc., but ‘Doctor Who’ is its own beast all together. The scale of it is immediately striking, with a massive and incredibly talented crew all working on their niche areas of expertise, tiny cogs in a giant machine, all pushing to make their nuts and bolts the tightest and best. The attention to detail is remarkable, including in the music. Often music doesn’t really join the conversation until the edit stages but in ‘Doctor Who’ it’s thought about in early script drafts.
There’s obviously a lot of jumping around across space and time in the show, and it was important to us to be accurate with all the music that we used across the different eras. Wherever we travel, we want to make sure we are representing that time period with some of the best music of that era.
LBB> Let's talk about your new film and TV division at Theodore. What sort of specialism does it need? And what are the core principles that differentiate it from other music supervision companies?
Ollie> We’ve been growing the film and TV division at Theodore Music for the last four years and worked across shows and films for HBO, Paramount, SKY and BBC and are now making it official. The very talented Estera Dabrowska has joined the team as a music supervisor following working across shows like ‘The Crown’ and films like ‘Back To Black’. Marnie Davidge is our in-house music editor/composer and worked across ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Industry’ season 3.
We are a young hungry team with a hands-on approach to music supervision. Our focus is building unique sound worlds that breathe life into the stories and the characters that live within them. We believe every TV show and film should possess a distinctive sonic identity, easily recognizable through its music styles, types, and execution.
This involves a comprehensive approach to music production, encompassing everything from curating character and scene playlists to providing temporary scores for early edits. We collaborate closely with composers, ensuring their understanding of the creative vision and translating it into musical language. Additionally, we meticulously select needle drops and oversee the licensing and clearance process, ensuring that each musical element aligns seamlessly with the narrative.
Throughout this process, our compass always points towards creativity. By prioritising the creative vision, we lay the foundation for a cohesive and impactful musical journey that resonates with audiences and enhances the storytelling experience.
LBB> What show or film's music supervision that you weren't involved in do you admire most?
Ollie> ‘Pulp Fiction’. Anything Tarantino to be honest, his soundtracks are exhilarating and add so many more layers to his storytelling.
‘The Matrix’ trilogy and ‘The Beach’ soundtrack made the biggest impression on me growing up and kick started my ever growing obsession with the craft of song selection.
More recently ‘Beef’ (Netflix) – everything about the music in that show is genius. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a perfectly curated collection of songs from different times and spaces, married together on a single soundtrack album for the purpose of telling a story on film. The combination of them all becomes narrative in its own right, guiding us through a journey of discovery and emotion.
LBB> What would be your dream brief to get a call about next week?
Ollie> I heard there might be an ‘Avengers’ remake on the cards…
