I personally loathed some of the RTD era, and so did many other people. But we still watched, still shed a tear, still bought the DVDs. He put in way too much homosexual agenda crap, he pushed soap opera and Doctor as Jesus stuff that is just inappropriate, but overall his seasons of Doctor Who were very pretty and exciting.
For me, when people say that Moffat's Who is lacking something, I think the lack is of that sort of glitter. The end of the David Tennant era hit some astonishing ratings, and it wasn't all freak of circumstance stuff. RTD went bigger and bigger for each end of season story. Not just with the ridiculous plots, many of which are insulting to the intelligence, but with the brilliantly inclusive bright and shiny staging. It was relatable, entertaining and it looked good.
So far Moffat's Who has not consistently looked good. And it isn't because it's all dark and spooky. Dark, as in ill lit, definitely. Dark as in evoking a sinister atmosphere, laughably not most of the time.
