The reputable journalist Lizo Mzimba has reported the following:
There will not be a full series of Dr Who in 2012! BBC confirms that BBC One Controller said this earlier today.
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| Danny Cohen. Get him. |
Note the wording. There will not be "a full series", but this doesn't rule out a year of specials à la Russell T Davies in 2009.
Now, during the event at which Danny Cohen made these remarks, he seemed to imply that Moffat wanted to put more emphasis on Sherlock, his fabulous co-production with Mark Gatiss. Lizo Mzimba says otherwise, because, as it turns out, Sherlock isn't being put first.
BBC also says Danny Cohen's remark that short series was because Steven Moffat needed time to write Sherlock was meant to be light hearted.
Let's take look at this: "short series". This suggests, along with "full series", that the BBC will have Doctor Who in 2012. Just not a full series. Perhaps a shortened Series 7? Lizo strikes again:
The BBC has, of course, commissioned 14 new episodes of Dr Who (hurrah) so looks like some will go in 2012 and remainder in 2013.
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| Team TARDIS absent for a year? |
This sounds as though the BBC will split Series 7 as they've done with Series 6, only Part 1 would be in late 2012, while 2013 would see two installments of Doctor Who—perhaps Part 2 in early 2013 and a full 13 episodes to mark the series' fiftieth anniversary.
UPDATE: Lizo Mzimba has addressed some confusion resulting from this frenzied reporting.
More news as it happens.
Bit of confusion, to summarise: no FULL 13 episode series of Dr Who in 2012. So some episodes will still go out in 2012. Remainder in 2013.
48 comments :
WHAT are they playing at? Way to kill a series.
Wow, I am PISSED. Hate how the BBC is treating Doctor Who and its fans. The least they could do is give us a solid reason.
Now imagine 20 episodes of Doctor Who in 2013...
Doesn't sound good. I will wait until Steven Moffat makes his Twitter comment. I don't think the split series is working for me. but then a long run of 13 didn't work either. maybe 10 and 10? (wishful thinking).
Maybe Amy and Rory aren't leaving, and this gap in filming is needed for Gillan and Darvill to do other projects a la Tennant/Hamlet in 2008/09.
That's a good point, Impossible . . .
Wow, what a bummer. Hopefully we'll at least get a couple of specials in between Series 6 and Series 7, but I doubt it...
I hate to say it but if this ends up getting rid of Moffat and/or Smith then it won't be a good thing. I don't like what Moffat has done to Doctor Who and I've never rated Smith as the Doctor anyway!
woops...meant to say that it wont be a bad thing!
Impossible, I doubt it's to let Gillan and Darvill do other things. They wouldn't put the show on hold for them - they didn't for Tennant, either. The specials were planned to allow a smooth handover to Moffat's new team (repeatedly confirmed by the BBC, RTD &co). Tennant happened to do Hamlet in that time, but the specials were decided first.
This is all very weird, though. Not just the messing around, but what a terrible way to announce it!
@ImpossibleAstronoaut - It could also be to give more time for the Doctor/River story to happen. We can't watch it all, right?
The Daleks are behind this, aren't they?
Fweeewwww... I can breath again! And thank you guys for your spectacular reporting!
why can't we just have a full series each year. so annoying separating series into two. fair enough having a year of specials every now and again but it's such a mess at the minute.
Well, the BBC can't seem to find really quality writer/producers to helm the series, so I guess it's no surprise that they give it further short shrift.
All the same, Moffat has been a big improvement over the contemptible Davies, as Smith has been a major leap in quality from the likes of Dick Van Dyke doing an exaggerated cockey accent and telegraphing every line in a Disney movie that was David Tennant.
I, for one, will be camping outside Danny Cohen's house tonight with a pitchfork and some lighter fluid. Not really, though...
Awkward.....
oh for crying out loud.
how is it that the dummies that run american tv can find away to keep trash like Two and a Half Men going without a blip when its "star" goes nova yet the BBC can't keep the best show on television on track.
so. annoyed.
i expect a pretty damn good excuse.
I hate it, but, they’re splitting series 7 for Matt Smith. Doctor-Who gets to keep him for another series—while he looks into other things—and Steven Moffat has time to set up for a regeneration.
Hmm, 3 Series and potentially a specials year? Matt is on par with David in terms of years in the job at this rate - and rightly so :)
I don't understand. I really don't. I'm American, and my favorite American shows crank out 24 episodes a year every year. The really good series, like Lost was or House M.D. used to be in its first seasons, managed to make about 18-20 of those episodes memorably good. I know Doctor Who is a very involved show to produce, but I just don't get this at all. I really hope the anniversary year justifies this on some level.
One thing to add: The one way I can see this working is if the season starts in autumn 2012 and goes into 2013, which is how American shows work. Maybe they're trying to switch the Who schedule over to that permanently since we're already getting episodes later this year. We won't have as long to wait in between, even if the series doesn't start until autumn 2012.
Pickwick, if we have a Christmas special and then no new episodes until autumn 2012, that's a pretty long wait . . .
Here's how I see it:
On September 3rd, 2011 the final six episodes of Series 6 start, ending October 8th, and then we'll get a Christmas Special.
Then, hopefully, we'll get an Easter special before the series returns with a 7th series in Early September 2012 for 6 episodes ending Mid-October.
Then, of course, we'll get the Christmas Special 2012, perhaps concluding the mid-series finale followed by 7 further episodes starting anywhere between January and April 2013.
Then (and this is being VERY optimistic) the 8th series of Doctor Who will start on September 7th, 2013 and will be on every week for 13 episodes, ending on November 23rd (which would mean Episodes 12&13 back-to-back for the 50th Anniversary special) plus a Christmas 2013 Special.
However, realistically, I'd have to agree with Pickwick12. This does all seem like a reason to start the series in the Autumn and end the following Spring like most American shows, and expecting 21 episodes in 2013 is more than a little bit optimistic.
Who knows, maybe we'll get a few specials in 2012 and the series will return in September. I would be okay with that.
However, if they were to just air specials next year and bring it back 2013, then that is the final nail in the coffin for DW.
Dr. Who fans are the strongest fan base in the world! We pushed through the drought of 2009, and who could forget the terrible Famine of '97 to 2004!?
We cried through fear her, we teared up in '89! And we just walk passed The Twin Dilemma! But do we forget the terrible times?
NO!
Because we are strong! We dwell on their mistakes to make sure they never do it again!
There's one thing that keeps us together in this battle! And thats one fictional character! We don't know his name, but we call him the doctor.
He's been healing the wounds of lonely nerd for nearly half a decade!
We must keep the name alive! He'll never stop taking us away to forget about our crappy days, as long as you keep DVD sales up!
LONG LIVE THE DOCTOR!
LONG LIVE DOCTOR WHO!
(Not endorsed by the BBC or 2 Entertainment)
#LongLiveDoctorWho
@10thPlanet, it's not much longer than we usually wait, since we usually have a series that ends in the spring/early summer and doesn't come back until the following spring (excepting the Christmas special).
This year, we have a series that is ending in late fall and probably coming back the next fall (excepting the Christmas special).
..... awkward...
You haven't mentioned the fact that this is being done so that they can have a "special" series in 2013 for the anniversary.
Presumably so the BBC can lean their way slightly more than usual because it the 50th anniversary of one of their shows and it may add more to the budget of the 50th anniversary special or special series or whatever they do to celebrate it.
Pretty key component to this news I'd say.
The BBC haven't said this is for a "special" series. It's just that there is no "full series".
I am a new Doctor Who fan, and the show has quickly become my favorite on the air. I had few doubts about investing myself in the series after learning of the longevity of the show, and then I learned of this odd turn of events. Hopefully the Doctor Who crew gets everything together and does what is best for the series.
@captinfranko, finally a kindred spirit, I agree with you completely. Although I do like some of the episodes for the most part I agree with you, I don’t like what Moffat has done to the series either and regarding Matt Smith perhaps it’s the scripts he gets but something is missing.
I temporarily became a fan of Matt Smith’s portrayal of the Doctor after watching 503 “Victory of the Daleks” which some people didn’t like but I thoroughly enjoyed it as I thought Matt Smith was excellent at playing a very old man in a young person’s body, and for the first time he exuded real gravitas in the role and I really enjoyed that version of the Doctor but then it went away and Matt has been a young, uninteresting Doctor ever since.
Everyone here thinks I only liked Tennant’s Doctor but that’s untrue. I actually don’t like the 10th Doctor because of the way he treated Martha Jones but I respect Tennant’s performance as the Doctor, the same way I respect Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor because they took on the mantel of THE DOCTOR, there was never any question whom you were dealing with so you’d better watch your ass, but with Matt Smith, other than his great performance in Victory of the Daleks, not so much.
@Sean, I liked your rant, but you I’m sure you meant the show has been “healing nerds” for half a century not half a decade (I know, just a typo :).
Regarding limited Doctor Who in 2012 well be careful what you ask for, as I wanted more Sherlock and I guess I’m going to get it at the expense of Doctor Who, however, it would be nice if Moffat turned over Doctor Who permanently to someone else and instead concentrated on Sherlock full-time, which I have to admit is an EXCELLENT (did I say EXCELLENT) show.
This came from a man who said he was pouring more into the budget of big shows like Who. Probably then means that we will get 20 episodes in 2012 and all of them will be high budget where everything blows up (the rumour is that they are paying to have Matt Smith's head re crafted so they can blow the original up) Still, I think most of this decision was down to the Moff, I wouldn't trust him with my life, let alone Doctor Who.
Thanks to team Combom for the reporting - fast and thorough.
I am a bit freaked out by the "Get Cohen" stuff, though. Don't like the lynching tone, but also we don't know that this is Cohen's fault. If Private Eye are right (and they got wind of this first) this was caused by budget chaos in Cardiff, and the BBC overlords aren't any happier than we are. For all we know, Cohen is wishing he could head to Cardiff with his own pitchfork.
@10thPlanet That's because the BBC haven't officially said anything yet, other than at whatever event or talk it was mentioned at last night.
Besides, Lizo Mzimba was there and yes he said they DID give a "special series" in 2013 as a reason.
Dear Beeb (as the Brits call it),
13 episodes is only half a season compared to US shows that easily have 26+ per season.
Are we to believe the Brits just can't handle doing in half a show???
Steven Moffat just tweeted
Dr Who: misquotes and misunderstandings. But I'm not being bounced into announcing the cool stuff before we're ready. Hush, and patience.
Hang tight, we probably know less than we think.
As much as I liked Tennant, when he wanted to do something else, he should have quit to do it instead of hanging on for a few specials and then quitting. The same applies to Moffat and everyone else. Doctor Who is a show where everyone is expendable, even the lead actor, as we've seen many times since 1963. If someone needs to go do something else and it conflicts with the show, the show should come first. They can always get a replacement. Maybe that person could come back in some capacity later, such as a companion returning to the TARDIS or a multi-Doctor episode, but they should get out of the way if their schedule conflicts with the show.
If a 2012 series would be more Moffat-produced silliness, then I am not too bothered.
There just messing the show About now. When rtd was here we knew where we stood- 14 episodes a year. Now it's all screwed. Keep it normal!!
@Square Eyes Not to be a jerk, but RTD was the one who did the year of specials...
instead of having years without full series or years of specials, if one actor playing the doctor cant do a series that year,then get one that can!get tennant or Mcgann back to shoot a series or part of one! to fill the gap
BRING BACK MEL!
@pertwee3d Why on earth would they do that?! That would only undermine Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor and it would just feel a bit messy or strange when he then came back after the one year off. It would also very much confuse casual viewers/fans so I guarantee it'll never happen :P
@thedoctorwho07
You make a good point but surely the way they are messing about with the series is confusing for casual viewers? I think you are right about it never happening though!
@pertwee3d
I really like the idea of a flashback season. Maybe they could show some of the Time War. McGann wants to come back. He even designed a new costume so he won't look so silly fighting the Daleks.
@ robert grimm
This is abit of a long shot I know but maybe McGann knows something we don't!
@pertwee3d @RobertGrimm
Don't get me wrong, although I would love to see a Tennant or McGann series to fill a gap year (preferably McGann with Sheridan Smith alongside as Lucie Miller - she ROCKS!), I just don't think it'll happen :)
@thedoctorwho07 @robert grimm
I know what you mean!thinking on though, that McGann thing where he was showcasing a new outfit & sonic screwdriver for the 8th doctor that was'nt for big finish was it? Coz you would'nt notice the sonic on a cd cover, could we dream & hope its for the 50th anniversary?
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