I'm no fan of Moffat but I don't think he's to blame for this one. I think he would have happily left by now and has only stayed on due to the fact that Chibnall cannot start until 2017.
That's right. He cannot start this year because of David Tennant, Olivia Coleman and co. filming Series 3 of Broadchurch, due to be shown in the Autumn.
Why? If the fans are enjoying the show and the BBC makes money out of it every year, it makes perfect logical sense to put it on every year. We've already had 2009 and 2012 where the episode count hasn't hit double digits - 2016 to add to that list with the lowest episode count to date (just one).
In relevance to the thread topic though, frankly, even as a Beeb employee this 'explanation' rings as nothing but convoluted nonsense. One of the main points that is stressed with BBC broadcasting is diversity, and the promise of something for everyone. Whether they live up to that promise is open to interpretation, but excusing the lack of Doctor Who through the increase in sporting output flies in the face of that promise altogether.
So that the crew can have a deserved break from filming.
So that the crew can have a deserved break from filming.
Given that in my original comment I was questioning whole-year breaks, do you think a "deserved break" constitutes taking a year off every five years for the small number of people who are even involved for that long?
The vast majority of people don't even get a sabatical half that length every five years if they even get one at all. And the vast majority of people also don't get paid what many of these people will get paid for their time either.
So sorry, a whole year off is not justified as a 'deserved break'. If you need that long you're frankly in the wrong profession. If you find yourself in want of a whole year off, you need to quit rather than grind everyone else to a halt.
So sorry, a whole year off is not justified as a 'deserved break'.
Indeed.
The crew, however, isn't getting a year's break. Instead of starting filming in January, they're scheduled to start in May. Moffat will still be juggling Doctor Who with Sherlock, again.
As for where the season 10 is going, there's the prophecy introduced in season 9 with the Doctor facing off against the hybrid and his/her army in the ruins of Gallifrey with 'everyone coming together' to almost quote the controller of BBC1.
Scheduling is never (or at least, rarely) decided by one thing. The BBC probably saw delays in production/management of Doctor Who as an opportunity to do something new in the Autumn schedule, particularly in light of falling Who ratings. The Euros/Olympics double header may mean that they're quite happy to have some entertainment slots free later in the year, to schedule programming that might otherwise have aired June-August.
The lie is not that the presence of these (which will take up prime-time BBC 1 scheduling from 10th June-10th July and 5th-21st August) has had an effect on the decision, it's that it's the only reason. If Who was ready to go and ratings were on the up, it wouldn't have moved. However, if it suits Who to move to spring, then it does also create some free space in a busy year for the channel.
I don't believe for a minute that the break is for any reason other than Moffat's busy schedule and the fact he's had to stay longer due to the BBC struggling to find a replacement.
I'm sure that's all quite true, but the fact that they surely want to get the show back to the beginning of the year where sensible scheduling is easier, must have been a factor too. There's no way they could have had even part of a series ready for the early part of this year, so 2017 it had to be.
I liked the fact that it went back to the autumn as I'm one of those who still consider autumn to be the show's spiritual home, but things have changed from the last century, and I now fully agree that it was a failed experiment. I do hope that it's shown earlier rather than later in 2017 though, starting after the New Year rather than at Easter as many earlier series since 2005 did. I really don't like watching Doctor Who when it's still broad daylight at 10 pm, it just doesn't seem right!
I'm sure that's all quite true, but the fact that they surely want to get the show back to the beginning of the year where sensible scheduling is easier, must have been a factor too. There's no way they could have had even part of a series ready for the early part of this year, so 2017 it had to be.
I liked the fact that it went back to the autumn as I'm one of those who still consider autumn to be the show's spiritual home, but things have changed from the last century, and I now fully agree that it was a failed experiment. I do hope that it's shown earlier rather than later in 2017 though, starting after the New Year rather than at Easter as many earlier series since 2005 did. I really don't like watching Doctor Who when it's still broad daylight at 10 pm, it just doesn't seem right!
They could have started December this year, with the Christmas Special forming a part of the series and then continue in January going through to February.
I strongly suspect that they could have gotten Chris Chibnall's first series out in autumn 2017 if they had wanted to, and maybe tided things over with a few 'Specials' in 2016 under Moffat, if they had wanted to.
But the pressing need to reschedule the show was, well, pressing. That Chibnall series could not feasibly be brought any further forward than autumn 2017 so the only option was to push it back to 2018... where they could pursue a spring broadcast. Then presented with the issue of a two year gap between now and then, they manage to get Moffat on board for one more series, which they can deliver by spring 2017. Chibnall is basically missing the first day (or rather, year) of term, and Moffat is the substitute teacher filling in now.
The only problem left is that there's no series in 2016, but that sounds far worse than it is... Series 9 broadcasts right up to the end of 2015, Series 10 broadcasts early on in 2017... the gap isn't too much bigger than it would usually have been and if anything is actually a whole lot smoother and less disruptive than the RTD-Moffat transition which saw a genuine near-two-year gap between Series 4 and Series 5...filled only by a handful of Specials.
They could have started December this year, with the Christmas Special forming a part of the series and then continue in January going through to February.
Yes they could have done that, especially as Christmas is at the weekend this year, but to get it clear of Strictly Come Dancing the Christmas episode would have had to be the second episode probably, so actually starting the series on Christmas Day would probably be more sensible.
Who knows (pun intended!) they might even do that!
I still think it will start at Easter again though, wrong though I think that is.
I'm sure that's all quite true, but the fact that they surely want to get the show back to the beginning of the year where sensible scheduling is easier, must have been a factor too. There's no way they could have had even part of a series ready for the early part of this year, so 2017 it had to be.
I liked the fact that it went back to the autumn as I'm one of those who still consider autumn to be the show's spiritual home, but things have changed from the last century, and I now fully agree that it was a failed experiment. I do hope that it's shown earlier rather than later in 2017 though, starting after the New Year rather than at Easter as many earlier series since 2005 did. I really don't like watching Doctor Who when it's still broad daylight at 10 pm, it just doesn't seem right!
Same, I'm just not much in the mood for TV in the spring, because the weather starts picking up and all. I prefer watching TV after a cold and dark day.
I found it a little difficult to be terrified by Blink when the sun was shining through the window and the smell of barbeque was still roaming around.
Holding back Doctor Who for a year because we are spoilt for TV this year?? OK then. So because it's Olympics year, shall we not bother with the Voice either? Take EastEnders off for the 12 months? Reduce Holby to a few specials? We are just so spoilt by the BBC all the time, aren't we guys?
They really should have come up with something better to say than this. I can kind of understand it's obviously going through some sort of Production hell at the moment... but they could at least own it. Trying to spin that they're not doing a series this year because there's so much "good" stuff already... I mean, it's really pretty awful.
Ah well. We knew they'd spin a lot of crap. But this really does take the cake. In fact, I didn't even think it was serious at first.
Same, I'm just not much in the mood for TV in the spring, because the weather starts picking up and all. I prefer watching TV after a cold and dark day.
I found it a little difficult to be terrified by Blink when the sun was shining through the window and the smell of barbeque was still roaming around.
Agreed.
Early January broadcast, during the darker winter days is best.
That's right. He cannot start this year because of David Tennant, Olivia Coleman and co. filming Series 3 of Broadchurch, due to be shown in the Autumn.
Broadchurch 3 was supposed to be filmed last summer, but filming had to be delayed due to Colman's pregnancy. Now it's being filmed this summer for broadcast in 2017.
Broadchurch 3 was supposed to be filmed last summer, but filming had to be delayed due to Colman's pregnancy. Now it's being filmed this summer for broadcast in 2017.
Bl**dy Olivia Coleman - causing Doctor Who to be taken off air for a year!
Pretty sure there's another thread to this that hasn't been explored.
I suspect a lot of the hiatus is down to budget cuts and by splitting the next season and Christmas special over 2 budget years, the Beeb can effectively claim to be reducing costs (which they are) whilst still claiming to be producing the requisite level of programming that the public expects thus providing value for money on the licence fee. It's a cheap play with the numbers me thinks and evidently it doesn't stack up.
I'd like to propose the counter out-there lunatic reason for the delay being that finally one day around May we'll all wake up to the news that the Omni-rumour was true and in fact what we were about to receive over the course of 2016 was somewhere in the region of 80+ episodes of Hartnell and Troughton that have been missing for 40 years and that the Beeb chose not to pollute what is probably the most significant moment in the show's catalogue history by putting out a new series. I know, I know, I know I'm dreaming but let me at least have that dream. Wouldn't it just be a beautiful scenario?
Broadchurch 3 was supposed to be filmed last summer, but filming had to be delayed due to Colman's pregnancy. Now it's being filmed this summer for broadcast in 2017.
I found it a little difficult to be terrified by Blink when the sun was shining through the window and the smell of barbeque was still roaming around.
But surely this, like everything else, is Moffat's fault? If he had written an episode called "Sniff", the aroma of burnt flesh would have enhanced your terror. Yet another reason to be glad he's going . . .
Comments
That's right. He cannot start this year because of David Tennant, Olivia Coleman and co. filming Series 3 of Broadchurch, due to be shown in the Autumn.
What absolute *******s!
So that the crew can have a deserved break from filming.
Given that in my original comment I was questioning whole-year breaks, do you think a "deserved break" constitutes taking a year off every five years for the small number of people who are even involved for that long?
The vast majority of people don't even get a sabatical half that length every five years if they even get one at all. And the vast majority of people also don't get paid what many of these people will get paid for their time either.
So sorry, a whole year off is not justified as a 'deserved break'. If you need that long you're frankly in the wrong profession. If you find yourself in want of a whole year off, you need to quit rather than grind everyone else to a halt.
The crew, however, isn't getting a year's break. Instead of starting filming in January, they're scheduled to start in May. Moffat will still be juggling Doctor Who with Sherlock, again.
As for where the season 10 is going, there's the prophecy introduced in season 9 with the Doctor facing off against the hybrid and his/her army in the ruins of Gallifrey with 'everyone coming together' to almost quote the controller of BBC1.
The lie is not that the presence of these (which will take up prime-time BBC 1 scheduling from 10th June-10th July and 5th-21st August) has had an effect on the decision, it's that it's the only reason. If Who was ready to go and ratings were on the up, it wouldn't have moved. However, if it suits Who to move to spring, then it does also create some free space in a busy year for the channel.
I liked the fact that it went back to the autumn as I'm one of those who still consider autumn to be the show's spiritual home, but things have changed from the last century, and I now fully agree that it was a failed experiment. I do hope that it's shown earlier rather than later in 2017 though, starting after the New Year rather than at Easter as many earlier series since 2005 did. I really don't like watching Doctor Who when it's still broad daylight at 10 pm, it just doesn't seem right!
They could have started December this year, with the Christmas Special forming a part of the series and then continue in January going through to February.
But the pressing need to reschedule the show was, well, pressing. That Chibnall series could not feasibly be brought any further forward than autumn 2017 so the only option was to push it back to 2018... where they could pursue a spring broadcast. Then presented with the issue of a two year gap between now and then, they manage to get Moffat on board for one more series, which they can deliver by spring 2017. Chibnall is basically missing the first day (or rather, year) of term, and Moffat is the substitute teacher filling in now.
The only problem left is that there's no series in 2016, but that sounds far worse than it is... Series 9 broadcasts right up to the end of 2015, Series 10 broadcasts early on in 2017... the gap isn't too much bigger than it would usually have been and if anything is actually a whole lot smoother and less disruptive than the RTD-Moffat transition which saw a genuine near-two-year gap between Series 4 and Series 5...filled only by a handful of Specials.
Who knows (pun intended!) they might even do that!
I still think it will start at Easter again though, wrong though I think that is.
Same, I'm just not much in the mood for TV in the spring, because the weather starts picking up and all. I prefer watching TV after a cold and dark day.
I found it a little difficult to be terrified by Blink when the sun was shining through the window and the smell of barbeque was still roaming around.
Everything else. BOO.
Well about 13 months to go now. Surely they could of put on a few mini episodes or a half season or a easter special.
But NOTHING for 12 months. !
Poor
Holding back Doctor Who for a year because we are spoilt for TV this year?? OK then. So because it's Olympics year, shall we not bother with the Voice either? Take EastEnders off for the 12 months? Reduce Holby to a few specials? We are just so spoilt by the BBC all the time, aren't we guys?
They really should have come up with something better to say than this. I can kind of understand it's obviously going through some sort of Production hell at the moment... but they could at least own it. Trying to spin that they're not doing a series this year because there's so much "good" stuff already... I mean, it's really pretty awful.
Ah well. We knew they'd spin a lot of crap. But this really does take the cake. In fact, I didn't even think it was serious at first.
Agreed.
Early January broadcast, during the darker winter days is best.
Bl**dy Olivia Coleman - causing Doctor Who to be taken off air for a year!
**waves fist** COLEMAN!!!!
I suspect a lot of the hiatus is down to budget cuts and by splitting the next season and Christmas special over 2 budget years, the Beeb can effectively claim to be reducing costs (which they are) whilst still claiming to be producing the requisite level of programming that the public expects thus providing value for money on the licence fee. It's a cheap play with the numbers me thinks and evidently it doesn't stack up.
I'd like to propose the counter out-there lunatic reason for the delay being that finally one day around May we'll all wake up to the news that the Omni-rumour was true and in fact what we were about to receive over the course of 2016 was somewhere in the region of 80+ episodes of Hartnell and Troughton that have been missing for 40 years and that the Beeb chose not to pollute what is probably the most significant moment in the show's catalogue history by putting out a new series. I know, I know, I know I'm dreaming but let me at least have that dream. Wouldn't it just be a beautiful scenario?
How inconsiderate of her!
I'm sure Private Eye will eventually print the real version of events.
This won't be shown in January, March at the earliest.
But surely this, like everything else, is Moffat's fault? If he had written an episode called "Sniff", the aroma of burnt flesh would have enhanced your terror. Yet another reason to be glad he's going . . .