Why was there no 2009 series?
Firegazer
Posts: 5,888 Forum Member
✭
I'm sure this question has cropped up a lot on here, so I'm sorry about that. 
If Russell T Davies' was due to leave anyway, then why did he suspend production on the fifth series? Isn't that a bit like stealing a piece of someone's cake but not eating it?
If Russell T Davies' was due to leave anyway, then why did he suspend production on the fifth series? Isn't that a bit like stealing a piece of someone's cake but not eating it?
0
Comments
RTD says he wanted the new production team to have the extra time to prepare Series 5 - and this was the plan from 2007 as he was ready to step down.
They wanted him to stay longer but in the end compromised with a year of Specials in place of a 5th Series.
This then allowed RTD to relax a bit
Gave Tennant time to do other stuff (he only got offered the role of Hamlet some months after the decision to do the Specials was made)
Gave Moffat and the new Production team extra time to pre-produce their first series (such as building a new TARDIS set that could be filmed in HD).
Tennant had always intended to leave the role at the same time that RTD stood down as showrunner but he almost changed his mind when he knew Moffat was taking over.
Moffat actually had a 10th Doctor Series 5 planned out which would have ended with Tennant regenerating into a new incarnation.
Ah. That's interesting to know.
I'm glad Tennant stayed with the RTD era. I hate to say it, but I think Moffat would've sent 10 downhill.
More so than smashing stuff up and chest beating "I could have done so much more!!!" and then tearfully saying "I don't want to go" after a long drawn-out farewell tour?
That was before a long drawn-out farewell tour.
I think it was nice. He didn't want to change, he got to know his own face. It's understandable.
He was only busy because he wasn't doing a series of Doctor Who. Him somehow being responsible for the break started because of initial media reports about the gap year.
Unless something comes to light that we are not aware of....yep, pretty certain that was the case with both David and Matt.
Well, that breaks in the filming schedule of Who lead to them being available for other projects, basically, rather than the production being put on hold due to the actor having other commitments. ie What you said. I know there was a break in filming after the usual 9 months for Series 7, but would guess that was due to gearing up for the 50th and getting the new Doctor into place rather than Matt b*ggering off to do a film. Like the gap between Series 4 and 5 being about the change in studios/showrunners rather than David saying "No! There shalt not be a full series in 2009! One must tread the boards and give the world my Hamlet! They are ready. Forsooth."
Or something.