Lola Red wrote:

Let’s just hope that he will pop back every now and than with another masterpiece as guest writer. 

Oh yes. In my opinion he wrote the best episodes while he wasn't the showrunner anyway, like "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" or "Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead".
And I also agree about the companions, Donna was so great... I never really connected with any companions that followed.