BBC3 have just finished a rerun of series 5 (which I loved even more on a second viewing!) and they're now starting again from The Christmas Invasion and series 2. IIRC, they've done this several times....but they nearly always leave out Series 1, which seems bizarre. Any idea why this might be? Surely it would make sense to start from the beginning of the new era with CE.

I'd think it is because Watch or G.O.L.D have the rights to season 1.

Usually they have timed it to lead into the next episode on BBC1. It normally starts repeating with a set pattern.

I guess they will show Series 2-5 until the Christmas special and then begin again in 2011.

However I agree that its pretty odd they don't show the 2005 series every time. There also maybe a maximum number of times they can show each one.

I was sure it was Season 1 on BBC3 tonight. I must have misread the info on Sky, I only skimmed it whilst I was cooking.

I did read somewehere that someone 'influential' at the beeb was peeved that CE only did the one series, perhaps by not showing repeats CE doesn't get monies (or whatever), dunno, but I really like series 1 nuwho and have copied it to the harddrive on my PS3 and can watch it on TV whenever I like.

This occurred to me, too, cathrin.

I've always said series 1 was my least favourite of new Who, but I'd like the opportunity of double checking, to see if it's as I remember it. But it's never repeated.

I wondered if there was some contractual reason, as koantemplation suggests?

Watch has series 3 showing as well. Haven't seen season 1 in a while. Seems very odd, it can't be contractual.

Could it be based on a ratings decision? Does series one rate considerably lower when rerun than the Tennant series do? Apart from that, most of the suggestions above seem plausible, though I imagine if it's the result of a personal vendetta against eccleston you will never get anybody to admit it.

On a related note, surely with the multi-channel options offered by the BBC, there must be space somewhere for reruns of the classic series, either on bbc three or four. Does anybody know if it has ever been considered?

UKTV Drama (now Watch)used to do it

With all due respect to the OP, but does it really matter? It's not as if it's unavailable to buy on DVD, then you can watch it to your heart's content then!!!!!

I don't buy DW DVDs, though, I just watch what's on TV. And I don't have Watch, so I can only watch what's on BBC.

That sentence was a bit odd, I hope you know what I mean.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I know I can buy the DVDs if I want to, I just don't want to.

Fair play, but it's nice to know the option is there if you want to watch it that way, and you watch at your own leisure rather than wait every for the next episode.

I get your point, but I like to be taken by surprise, it's more fun.

(That's not a cue for you to be naughty, davey)

Granny! The thought never crossed my mind.....

It's always great to be taken be by surprise, thing is, when you're watching it once a week, it's not such a surprise is it.....???

The series 2 repeats were a lovely surprise for me, as I didn't know about them until a few days before they started. I'm chuffed that they are on, but I do agree with the OP that it would be nice to watch the whole of new Who.

As I've said before, series 1 was my least favourite, but I thought there were some good episodes, and in the interest of fairness, I think it should be shown as often as DT's series.

And it would be great if they showed the Classic series on BBC3.

I'm not sure if so many people would watch if they showed classic who on BBC3. Lots of people have the stories on DVDS and ones that aren't they wouldn't want to harm sales by showing them.

I suppose you're right, if you're going to show DT's you should show CE's as well. I thought they had done over the years, maybe they will again.

I would definitely watch and it would definitely hurt their sales!

Oh definitely, I'm just saying that's why they probably wouldn't show the repeats!!!!

they should show the classic series on BBC Four. It would give them an excuse to animate the missing episodes.

I don;t think CE was very happy while doing it, and I think that shows ........... Dt had a "much lighter touch".

I don't agree with that. I think he just had a different personality, he was a slightly darker, even more traumatised than the tenth doctor. He had just killed his own people, I think that showed in his performance.

With regards to the thread topic, I completely agree. I have the first series on DVD, so I'm not too bothered, but they seem to not repeat it. I don't think it's contractual. Don't know what they are playing at.

They don't need an excuse so much as loads of money.

My impression was, CE was delighted to get the part, but unhappy while playing it due to lack of direction and guidance on how to interpret the role ............maybe that's wrong?

Oh I'm sure that is not wrong, sorry I got you wrong there. I just disagreed that this unhappiness showed in his performance.

C Eccleston = airbrushed