A lot of comparisons are being made between 2009 and 2012/2013 which have each seen the least Doctor Who since the revival.
The crucial difference between the two is that 2009 managed to survive from the fact that there were two spin-offs that aired that year (giving us the brilliant Children of Earth in particular). In addition to that, the BBC were upfront about the fewer episodes we'd be getting, and as a saving grace Series 5 was ready to roll out just a few months into 2010. It was a bump, but one that the show recovered from even despite The Specials being mostly regarded as quite poor episodes by many.
With 2012/2013 there have been broken promises, unexplained changes and a general lack of regard towards British television content around the show. Some people try to justify this by saying that the anniversary itself isn't until November, but they seem to forget that in this anniversary year all we got otherwise was the fragmented back half of the seventh series which was largely written or filmed last year. As a general viewer my opinion might not be that important, but all the same my opinion stands that there has been pitiful output in a year that should have been truly special - ordinary years in the past have gone by without hiccups or faults but frustratingly not this one.
I'm not interested in the blame game...as far as I'm concerned the BBC, Moffat and everyone else are part of a team. The product is a joint responsibility they all enjoy the praise and wages for, so they should accept a joint criticism as well. If Moffat is stretched for time with scripts then he needs to choose between Who and Sherlock, rather than trying to sustain his little empire. If the BBC can't schedule for toffee, then get new people in that could do a better job - there's plenty of people waiting for jobs these days after all. If BBC Worldwide can secure DW Revisited for US viewers then they should bloody well secure it, or an alternative for British audiences too - the show can hardly take over television for twelve months but an 11-part documentary series aired over as many months on BBC Three would hardly be over the top.
This year has been a pure misery - nothing to discuss, or get excited over. No chance to hear the craziest theories of fans with too much free time, no content to over-analyse to the point of hilarious ridicule. There are more bitter people than ever, and that is truly a reflection of the state of things. Hopefully Capaldi will bring a fresh, more stable era to the show...it's a shame Smith's era has been so boggled down with production chaos.
This year has been a pure misery - nothing to discuss, or get excited over. No chance to hear the craziest theories of fans with too much free time, no content to over-analyse to the point of hilarious ridicule. There are more bitter people than ever, and that is truly a reflection of the state of things. Hopefully Capaldi will bring a fresh, more stable era to the show...it's a shame Smith's era has been so boggled down with production chaos.
If it's crazy fan theories that you're after then you can always go and check out the missing episodes thread
If BBC Worldwide can secure DW Revisited for US viewers then they should bloody well secure it, or an alternative for British audiences too - the show can hardly take over television for twelve months but an 11-part documentary series aired over as many months on BBC Three would hardly be over the top.
This year has been a pure misery - nothing to discuss, or get excited over. No chance to hear the craziest theories of fans with too much free time, no content to over-analyse to the point of hilarious ridicule. There are more bitter people than ever, and that is truly a reflection of the state of things. Hopefully Capaldi will bring a fresh, more stable era to the show...it's a shame Smith's era has been so boggled down with production chaos.
I can't disagree with that. Although sometimes the crazy fan theories (is that "crazy fan" theories or crazy "fan theories" though ) can be a bit too extreme.
The lack of a DW Revisited (or similar) here in the UK is mystifying.
A lot of comparisons are being made between 2009 and 2012/2013 which have each seen the least Doctor Who since the revival.
The crucial difference between the two is that 2009 managed to survive from the fact that there were two spin-offs that aired that year (giving us the brilliant Children of Earth in particular). In addition to that, the BBC were upfront about the fewer episodes we'd be getting, and as a saving grace Series 5 was ready to roll out just a few months into 2010. It was a bump, but one that the show recovered from even despite The Specials being mostly regarded as quite poor episodes by many.
With 2012/2013 there have been broken promises, unexplained changes and a general lack of regard towards British television content around the show. Some people try to justify this by saying that the anniversary itself isn't until November, but they seem to forget that in this anniversary year all we got otherwise was the fragmented back half of the seventh series which was largely written or filmed last year. As a general viewer my opinion might not be that important, but all the same my opinion stands that there has been pitiful output in a year that should have been truly special - ordinary years in the past have gone by without hiccups or faults but frustratingly not this one.
I'm not interested in the blame game...as far as I'm concerned the BBC, Moffat and everyone else are part of a team. The product is a joint responsibility they all enjoy the praise and wages for, so they should accept a joint criticism as well. If Moffat is stretched for time with scripts then he needs to choose between Who and Sherlock, rather than trying to sustain his little empire. If the BBC can't schedule for toffee, then get new people in that could do a better job - there's plenty of people waiting for jobs these days after all. If BBC Worldwide can secure DW Revisited for US viewers then they should bloody well secure it, or an alternative for British audiences too - the show can hardly take over television for twelve months but an 11-part documentary series aired over as many months on BBC Three would hardly be over the top.
This year has been a pure misery - nothing to discuss, or get excited over. No chance to hear the craziest theories of fans with too much free time, no content to over-analyse to the point of hilarious ridicule. There are more bitter people than ever, and that is truly a reflection of the state of things. Hopefully Capaldi will bring a fresh, more stable era to the show...it's a shame Smith's era has been so boggled down with production chaos.
Agree with everything in that but the crappy 50th anniversary year has been known about since 2011. It seems the original plan was to have a 50th anniversary two-parter but that was dropped in favour of a single episode. It beggars belief that in the 50th anniversary year we've not only not had a full series but they haven't dove-tailed the end of series 8 (or 7b whatever) into the anniversary episode. There's no lead-up to it, nothing.
The only thing that can save it for me is the alleged announcement at the ExCel event in November of missing episodes being returned, and there's no evidence at the moment that it'll even happen. If it doesn't then the 50th anniversary year has been a massive damp squib, and so much for Moffat's claims of 'taking over the TV' or whatever drivel he came out with.
I can't disagree with that. Although sometimes the crazy fan theories (is that "crazy fan" theories or crazy "fan theories" though ) can be a bit too extreme.
The lack of a DW Revisited (or similar) here in the UK is mystifying.
The BBC said (at least twice) that they wanted the anniversary celebrations to be similar to their Jubilee and Olympic coverage. As we get nearer to the date itself with little else being announced it seems harder to imagine how they are going to achieve that
This Year we have had the rest of series 7, a fantastic BBC prom, a bbc 3 show coming later in the year, a bbc 2 drama about how doctor who was filmed a 50th aniversuary episode that will be hyped up and a christmas episode with a new doctor.
To me that is very good name me any other program that is getting all that
In the past few years we have had loads of episodes of Doctor who. Just be greatful that Doctor Who is still on are screens. The BBC do have other dramas to show other then Doctor who so it can't take over television
I'll second that sentiment the series split nether bothered me and I'll be reasonably happy enough if the next series is again spread other the Autumn and Easter period.
This Year we have had the rest of series 7, a fantastic BBC prom, a bbc 3 show coming later in the year, a bbc 2 drama about how doctor who was filmed a 50th aniversuary episode that will be hyped up and a christmas episode with a new doctor.
To me that is very good name me any other program that is getting all that
This Year we have had the rest of series 7, a fantastic BBC prom, a bbc 3 show coming later in the year, a bbc 2 drama about how doctor who was filmed a 50th aniversuary episode that will be hyped up and a christmas episode with a new doctor.
To me that is very good name me any other program that is getting all that
You mean the tail-end of a series that was already in the can, a concert that is already a semi-regular event, a Christmas Special that is already an annual event and a BBC3 show with z-elebrities talking about why they like Doctor Who.
The only thing remotely 'special' is the Gatiss drama and, I suspect, it might well prove to be the highlight.
The BBC said (at least twice) that they wanted the anniversary celebrations to be similar to their Jubilee and Olympic coverage. As we get nearer to the date itself with little else being announced it seems harder to imagine how they are going to achieve that
For accuracy:
BBC Drama boss Ben Stephenson has compared Doctor Who's 50th anniversary to last year's London Olympics and Queen's Jubilee celebrations.
Stephenson said that he hoped the sci-fi show's birthday would be a "landmark event" for 2013.
"Last year we have the wonderful Jubilee and wonderful Olympics. This year we have the opportunity to make drama the landmark event for the BBC," he said.
"Everyone has a connection to Doctor Who and we can do something really spectacular with it."
Commenting on the news that Doctor Who will be filmed in 3D for its 50th anniversary, Stephenson described it as "absolutely right" and the perfect example of the "bold innovation" that epitomises the series.
BBC exec Ben Stephenson has compared the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who to the celebrations which marked London 2012 and the Diamond Jubilee – suggesting it could be as big as both.
Stephenson, who is the corporation’s head of drama, made his remarks following the news that the anniversary episode, due to be screened in November, would take the Time Lord into 3D for the first time in series history.
And he promised the anniversary would be an ‘absolutely enormous, very very ambitious event’.
‘Last year we had the wonderful Jubilee and the wonderful Olympics,’ he said. ‘This year we have the opportunity to make drama the landmark event for the BBC.
‘Everyone has a connection to Doctor Who and we can do something really spectacular with it,’ Stephenson added.
BBC exec Ben Stephenson has compared the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who to the celebrations which marked London 2012 and the Diamond Jubilee – suggesting it could be as big as both.
Merlin was never messed about with in its years of transmission! OK - they switched the times, but that's the norm for BBC on Saturday night anyway!
Previous to that - Robin Hood was always on for an entire series. Why decide to split Doctor Who (the most popular - up to then - series for Saturdays?).
I think it's going to lose viewers if they keep this up. I hardly watched the last series - short as it was. I just got interested and it was over!!
Hope the 50th starts a new revitalization of the programme - it certainly needs it!
And I don't care if the new series starts next Autumn....if it's on for a FULL season it'll be worth the wait. :) Rock on Peter!!
I hate to be negative but IMO the 3D version is an utter waste of money.
I'm no supporter of 3D (in fact, I believe that the whole concept is flawed), but I would wager that there would be a significant number who would disagree with that. Plus, the 3D budget is not taken from the normal programme budget.
However, perceived waste of money or not, it's something additional
Was he ill-advised to even suggest that? Quite possibly. However, did he actually say that at all? Well, this seems to be the only direct quote
"Last year we have the wonderful Jubilee and wonderful Olympics. This year we have the opportunity to make drama the landmark event for the BBC," he said.
So was it a very liberal interpretation by media hacks? Did he suggest something which was not directly reported?
I'm no supporter of 3D (in fact, I believe that the whole concept is flawed), but I would wager that there would be a significant number who would disagree with that. Plus, the 3D budget is not taken from the normal programme budget.
However, perceived waste of money or not, it's something additional
The BBC agrees with me:
3D TV? It’s a turn off – BBC ends pilot as viewers fail to switch on
Take a look at some of the 3D threads to see that there are some who DO disagree (notably those who have 3D TVs and are fired up by the technology and use it).
Was he ill-advised to even suggest that? Quite possibly. However, did he actually say that at all? Well, this seems to be the only direct quote
So was it a very liberal interpretation by media hacks? Did he suggest something which was not directly reported?
Semantics! If the head the BBC drama suggests that the event could be as big as the Olympics then it would be rather foolish of them to make such a statement if they have no intention of backing it up.
They make statements like that. It gets people like me excited and inevitably disappointed when things don't turn out as they suggested and then you get a load of other people who say you are acting with a sense of entitlement if you dare to bring the BBC up on what they "suggested".
Did I ever imagine that the BBC celebration would be as big as the Olympics coverage? Not in my wildest dreams! Did I think that it would after the head of drama "suggested it could be?" Of course! If not they he shouldn't have f***ing suggested it in the first place.
Comments
The crucial difference between the two is that 2009 managed to survive from the fact that there were two spin-offs that aired that year (giving us the brilliant Children of Earth in particular). In addition to that, the BBC were upfront about the fewer episodes we'd be getting, and as a saving grace Series 5 was ready to roll out just a few months into 2010. It was a bump, but one that the show recovered from even despite The Specials being mostly regarded as quite poor episodes by many.
With 2012/2013 there have been broken promises, unexplained changes and a general lack of regard towards British television content around the show. Some people try to justify this by saying that the anniversary itself isn't until November, but they seem to forget that in this anniversary year all we got otherwise was the fragmented back half of the seventh series which was largely written or filmed last year. As a general viewer my opinion might not be that important, but all the same my opinion stands that there has been pitiful output in a year that should have been truly special - ordinary years in the past have gone by without hiccups or faults but frustratingly not this one.
I'm not interested in the blame game...as far as I'm concerned the BBC, Moffat and everyone else are part of a team. The product is a joint responsibility they all enjoy the praise and wages for, so they should accept a joint criticism as well. If Moffat is stretched for time with scripts then he needs to choose between Who and Sherlock, rather than trying to sustain his little empire. If the BBC can't schedule for toffee, then get new people in that could do a better job - there's plenty of people waiting for jobs these days after all. If BBC Worldwide can secure DW Revisited for US viewers then they should bloody well secure it, or an alternative for British audiences too - the show can hardly take over television for twelve months but an 11-part documentary series aired over as many months on BBC Three would hardly be over the top.
This year has been a pure misery - nothing to discuss, or get excited over. No chance to hear the craziest theories of fans with too much free time, no content to over-analyse to the point of hilarious ridicule. There are more bitter people than ever, and that is truly a reflection of the state of things. Hopefully Capaldi will bring a fresh, more stable era to the show...it's a shame Smith's era has been so boggled down with production chaos.
If it's crazy fan theories that you're after then you can always go and check out the missing episodes thread
The lack of a DW Revisited (or similar) here in the UK is mystifying.
Agree with everything in that but the crappy 50th anniversary year has been known about since 2011. It seems the original plan was to have a 50th anniversary two-parter but that was dropped in favour of a single episode. It beggars belief that in the 50th anniversary year we've not only not had a full series but they haven't dove-tailed the end of series 8 (or 7b whatever) into the anniversary episode. There's no lead-up to it, nothing.
The only thing that can save it for me is the alleged announcement at the ExCel event in November of missing episodes being returned, and there's no evidence at the moment that it'll even happen. If it doesn't then the 50th anniversary year has been a massive damp squib, and so much for Moffat's claims of 'taking over the TV' or whatever drivel he came out with.
The BBC said (at least twice) that they wanted the anniversary celebrations to be similar to their Jubilee and Olympic coverage. As we get nearer to the date itself with little else being announced it seems harder to imagine how they are going to achieve that
Thematically, yes, six months previously.
I have a feeling those theories wouldn't turn out to be quite so crazy...
To me that is very good name me any other program that is getting all that
I'll second that sentiment the series split nether bothered me and I'll be reasonably happy enough if the next series is again spread other the Autumn and Easter period.
You mean the tail-end of a series that was already in the can, a concert that is already a semi-regular event, a Christmas Special that is already an annual event and a BBC3 show with z-elebrities talking about why they like Doctor Who.
The only thing remotely 'special' is the Gatiss drama and, I suspect, it might well prove to be the highlight.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a458244/doctor-who-50th-can-replace-olympics-and-jubilee-says-bbc-boss.html
and another report:
http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/13/doctor-who-50th-will-be-as-big-as-olympics-and-jubilee-says-bbc-boss-3474952/
I hate to be negative but IMO the 3D version is an utter waste of money.
How embarrassing
Previous to that - Robin Hood was always on for an entire series. Why decide to split Doctor Who (the most popular - up to then - series for Saturdays?).
I think it's going to lose viewers if they keep this up. I hardly watched the last series - short as it was. I just got interested and it was over!!
Hope the 50th starts a new revitalization of the programme - it certainly needs it!
And I don't care if the new series starts next Autumn....if it's on for a FULL season it'll be worth the wait.
I'm no supporter of 3D (in fact, I believe that the whole concept is flawed), but I would wager that there would be a significant number who would disagree with that. Plus, the 3D budget is not taken from the normal programme budget.
However, perceived waste of money or not, it's something additional
"suggesting"
"it could be"
Nowt definite, just suggestive.
Was he ill-advised to even suggest that? Quite possibly. However, did he actually say that at all? Well, this seems to be the only direct quote
So was it a very liberal interpretation by media hacks? Did he suggest something which was not directly reported?
The BBC agrees with me:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/3d-tv-its-a-turn-off--bbc-ends-pilot-as-viewers-fail-to-switch-on-8691230.html
I wonder what gave him the impression it could even be remotely comparable to the Olympics?! :eek:
The problem is that we've had some much hyperbole about Dr Who that it's usually more sensible just to ignore it all.
Take a look at some of the 3D threads to see that there are some who DO disagree (notably those who have 3D TVs and are fired up by the technology and use it).
I have added a late edit to my post which might address that.
Possibly quoted out of context, or just made up quotes. Either way, this year is still a damp squib
Semantics! If the head the BBC drama suggests that the event could be as big as the Olympics then it would be rather foolish of them to make such a statement if they have no intention of backing it up.
They make statements like that. It gets people like me excited and inevitably disappointed when things don't turn out as they suggested and then you get a load of other people who say you are acting with a sense of entitlement if you dare to bring the BBC up on what they "suggested".
Did I ever imagine that the BBC celebration would be as big as the Olympics coverage? Not in my wildest dreams! Did I think that it would after the head of drama "suggested it could be?" Of course! If not they he shouldn't have f***ing suggested it in the first place.