Er, did you not read my post, especially the final line:


BTW, DWM does not constitute an official BBC mouthpiece as far a I am concerned.

And for me, what matters is what the BBC call it, how the BBC allocate the budgets for it rather than what SM wishes to call it.

Or two...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N77GAsv8X-Q

I'm aware of that, my previous posts reiterated it! The post you were replying to is a speculative fantasy.

Sorry.....

I don't normally do "speculative fantasy"

It does seem geared to up the price of the box sets.. I can't see a valid reasont to split the season, as it's always finished before the summer holidays begin. Turn it into 2 seasons by all means, but make it 13 episodes a season! More Who, woo hoo!

So the reason that SM gave was incorrect (that the series had a natural mid-way cliffhanger point)?


Sounds, fantastic for the fans, but they would need to film 26 episodes in a year, when they already take 9 months (I think) to film 13 eps - at best they would need to work all year to do that, at worst it would mean no DW for a year whilst they got the series filmed (assuming actors & crew did not flake out and that they were all (and wanted to be) available all year round.

In the seventies, you would more often have a block of stories early in the year (carrying over from the previous winter) then a new season starting in the autumn (carrying on into the next year). So: two (partial) seasons in one year.

You get midseason cliffhangers already in 2 parters, so that argument doesn't really seem to fit. Maybe it's a BBC requirement/request, so they have DW in their new season September launch as well.

My suggestion was mainly wishful thinking. While I think the actors could cope with it, the CGI implications & production would not. Nice idea though

Well, it was SM's own argument, so he is wrong then, he did not request that the series be split, and is misleading us all by his own statements in Edinburgh?


http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/do...it-in-two.html

Or have I missed something and there was a subsequent announcement stating that it was at the BBC's own request? If so then I apologise.


From previous comments, the actors are fully-stretched over the 9 months, and are exhausted at the end. I doubt if many would want any longer (and then be faced with a virtual merry-go-round of filming as one filming season merges with the next. Very much wishful thinking.

Good question. Maybe a request from SM, maybe not. sometimes people turn it round to make it sound like their idea.... Either way, I don't like it! A nice solid 13 episode run suits me. Just my preference.

Makes you wonder how US tv shows can film at least 22 episodes per year then. No less action or running around.

No apology needed, friendly discussion

Well, I'm going to be in a tiny minority here, but I think DW has to be careful it doesn't overdo things. I know the devoted fans will love as much DW as they can get, and I understand that, but I think it's possible to overpromote things. I don't think the year of specials worked - jmo - which was spreading DW through the year, loads of hype, and enjoyable but not that great 'big' stories with lots of foreshadowing, and I think they overpromoted Tennant last Christmas. I think there is a danger this will be a bit like the specials year, with lots of hype and pressure on the stories to be 'event TV' and I'd rather a simple series of solid stories.

I'm biased because I don't find cliffhangers satisfying and because by splitting itself across the year DW might mean the end of other drama shows I really like, so maybe that's all this is. But I think there is a slight danger - only slight - in a bitty split series. I suppose it really depends on how good Moffat's cliffhanger is. But I have complete sympathy with people who don't agree and just think more is good!

More money means: bigger cast, more writers, second unit crews etc. Furthermore, there aren't many american shows that have more action/epic scope per episode than doctor who. I love shows like the wire and the sopranos, but a lot of the drama unfolds in simple, dialogue heavy set ups that bear little relation to doctor who's sci-fi backdrop. And watching the various yank sci-fi shows (Star Trek in all its forms, BSG, Babylon 5, Heroes) it quickly becomes apparant how much more of an ensemble piece they are.

Having said that, with a bigger production budget and a tighter schedule it probably would be possible to knock out a 26 episode series, but it might need to draw focus away from the Doctor and companion and include more ancillary characters.

EDIT: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...BritishBrevity

For me, it will still be one season, just with a largish break inbetween episodes. So next year will be just Season 6 - not 6 and 7, just Season 6.

Does that sound too obstinate?

This is majorly to do with there being no X Factor next year, no matter what anyone says. For years it's been rumoured the BBC wanted to move Who to the autumn but they couldn't because there would be too many schedule clashes.

Has anyone seen, heard or read anything OFFICIAL from the BBC that states that next year there will be two series of DW or is it just as has been reported that the next series (single) will have a break halfway through it.

That's pretty much my view as well re: over promotion, cliff hangers, simple series of solid stories.

Is it likely something else being cancelled? I don't watch Robin Hood or Merlin so I wouldn't personally notice (assuming you're meaning another Saturday teatime thing), but it would be a shame if a simple shuffling of the same quantity of Who meant the cancellation of something that lots of people like. Way to not make yourself popular.

I like the thought of Doctor Who on darker evenings, though.

There have been similar questions/ideas in the past on this forum, all that I seem to remember is that in the US their approach to filming and post-production generally is very different (but I cannot remember how and why).

The Americans work 18-hour days so they can film each episode in 6 and a half days, and because they film a season over 9 months just like we do over here, it gives them the opportunity to fit in holidays for the actors & crew during the season. And that's in addition to the 3 month break between seasons, of course.

In Britain the actors & crew work 10-hour days and one episode takes around 3 weeks to film, so there's no opportunity for any breaks within the season.

In other words the Americans do a series of sprints while Brits do a killer 9 month long marathon.

Thanks for that - I knew that somebody would chip in with the explanation.

Guess I'm on your ignore list then mossy?

Sorry - I did not read your contribution.

Apologies for not crediting you.

No worries! I think you might find the link in my post interesting though.

It will still just be series 6 for me next year, with a break between episodes. That's how I've done the Christmas specials anyway. The Christmas Invasion was part of season 2, The Runaway Bride - Season 3...etc...

So just one season next year folks, not two. For me anyway.

Is that so obstinate?