[DiscoP]

So, now that it's been officially announced that Merlin is ending surely that means they can finally properly move Doctor Who into the autumn schedules and stop all this split season rubbish?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s53/m...ries-five.html

I'm intrigued by Danny Cohen's comments as well:

"...we have ambitious plans for new drama in the Saturday evening slot in 2013."

Isn't it about time that series 8 of Doctor Who was announced?

[Scorpio2]

I heard that some new show starring Martin Kemp will be taking the Autumn slot.

[TEDR]

I took Cohen's quote more to be about using that slot for family drama for more of the year. Even when Who and Robin Hood/Merlin/whatever were going full pelt they were still occupying only 26 weeks.

[Galadriel]

Pity they don't use the slot to start a re-run of the Classic Series...

[performingmonk]

Originally Posted by Galadriel

Pity they don't use the slot to start a re-run of the Classic Series...

That would go down like a lead balloon....

They need a brand new show. I hope they urge the Merlin team to develop something new, as the way their production is set up is far superior to anything the BBC alone could pull off (Who, included, which now feels smaller than Merlin).

[sovietusername]

I was hoping they'd have several Anniversarry specials throughout the year, but as nothings been heard about other Doctor's, the most it seems we can hope for would be series 8 and then the anniversarry proper in Novemeber which, hopefully, will be a multi-doctor story

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by performingmonk

That would go down like a lead balloon....

They need a brand new show. I hope they urge the Merlin team to develop something new, as the way their production is set up is far superior to anything the BBC alone could pull off (Who, included, which now feels smaller than Merlin).

They supposedly have a brand new show (based on The Three Musketeers) but that's not due till 2014 so they have to find something to fill the gap in 2013 but also something that will only be on for one year.

[sebbie3000]

Originally Posted by sovietusername

I was hoping they'd have several Anniversarry specials throughout the year, but as nothings been heard about other Doctor's, the most it seems we can hope for would be series 8 and then the anniversarry proper in Novemeber which, hopefully, will be a multi-doctor story

So far, we only know for definite about the Christmas special and series 7b (production series 7b). We don't yet know for definite what the anniversary brings, and there has been no definite news of series 8 yet.

[TEDR]

Originally Posted by Corwin

they have to find something to fill the gap in 2013 but also something that will only be on for one year.

Time to get back in touch with the Don't Scare the Hare people?

[Philip_Lamb]

Its not just a hole in the schedule that these dumb split seasons affect. How many people especially kids, get the season on dvd for Xmas.If it comes out in May I doubt sales will be as high.

[nebogipfel]

Originally Posted by Philip_Lamb

Its not just a hole in the schedule that these dumb split seasons affect. How many people especially kids, get the season on dvd for Xmas.If it comes out in May I doubt sales will be as high.

Insider gossip of disappointment from BBC Worldwide about the effect on sales of a reduced series in 2012 was reported in the press back in early 2011. It does seems realistic and likely that they aren't over the moon about having to push a dvd labelled "Series 7 Part 1" to the Xmas market.

I wonder if they'd have been happier with the original suggestion of four specials spread through the year rather than this fudge of five normal length episodes presented as "the first half of a single series, which just happens to have a tiny little six month gap between episodes"?

In terms of episode quality, I'm happy with what we've had. But the charade of "part 1" and "part 2" does seem a little comical.

[nebogipfel]

Originally Posted by TEDR

Time to get back in touch with the Don't Scare the Hare people?

Don't Badger the Badger?
Don't Pox the Fox?
Don't Fear the Deer?
Don't Force the Horse?

[korbany]

I will miss Merlin, though I doubt that means we will get more Who. Perhaps a full series of Sherlock, but then that's likely a bit too wishful.

I do hope at the very end of the Merlin finale, we see a mortally wounded Merlin staggering from the scene of battle, only to regenerate and go sauntering off as a new man. After all the 7th Doctor did find out that a future version of him went by the name of Merlin

[kyllerbuzcut]

Originally Posted by nebogipfel

Don't Badger the Badger?
Don't Pox the Fox?
Don't Fear the Deer?
Don't Force the Horse?

This needs its very own thread...........

Don't shoot the newt?
Don't chew the kangaroo?
Don't spear the deer?
Don't flash the fish?
Don't bludgeon the sturgeon?
Don't flog the dog?
Don't pour tar on the sontaran?
Don't smart-alec the dalek?
Don't finger the ginger? ( I didn't really say that, honest)
Don't spy on the cylon?

[GDK]

Originally Posted by nebogipfel

Insider gossip of disappointment from BBC Worldwide about the effect on sales of a reduced series in 2012 was reported in the press back in early 2011. It does seems realistic and likely that they aren't over the moon about having to push a dvd labelled "Series 7 Part 1" to the Xmas market.

I wonder if they'd have been happier with the original suggestion of four specials spread through the year rather than this fudge of five normal length episodes presented as "the first half of a single series, which just happens to have a tiny little six month gap between episodes"?

In terms of episode quality, I'm happy with what we've had. But the charade of "part 1" and "part 2" does seem a little comical.

I agree. For myself, I will be waiting for the full season box set to be released. I'm not having separate boxes or, worse still, double-dipping (I got caught out with A Christmas Carol the year before).

Also preferrably without any picture issues - and with all the so-called prequels. I'd also still like River's story from last season's Confidential, but maybe they'll do an extended version sometime after her story is really over and she's headed for the library.

[TEDR]

Originally Posted by kyllerbuzcut

This needs its very own thread...........

Don't shoot the newt?
Don't chew the kangaroo?
Don't spear the deer?
Don't flash the fish?
Don't bludgeon the sturgeon?
Don't flog the dog?
Don't pour tar on the sontaran?
Don't smart-alec the dalek?
Don't finger the ginger? ( I didn't really say that, honest)
Don't spy on the cylon?

I'll throw a few more into the mix, and then I think we're ready for our pitch meeting!

Don't be Rod's killer with Godzilla
Don't be a lonely sod with some cod
Don't incur the wrath of a giant sloth
Don't peck Ant & Dec
Don't watch Rentaghost during Pentecost

[DiscoP]

Originally Posted by kyllerbuzcut

This needs its very own thread...........

Don't shoot the newt?
Don't chew the kangaroo?
Don't spear the deer?
Don't flash the fish?
Don't bludgeon the sturgeon?
Don't flog the dog?
Don't pour tar on the sontaran?
Don't smart-alec the dalek?
Don't finger the ginger? ( I didn't really say that, honest)
Don't spy on the cylon?

Don't pamper the panda
Don't rile the crocodile

(sorry it was the best I could come up with right now)

[tiggerpooh]

Originally Posted by Scorpio2

I heard that some new show starring Martin Kemp will be taking the Autumn slot.

Oh, that's good. I like him. He was good in The Krays and as Steve Owen in EastEnders. I've got The Krays on DVD and I've seen the movie twice this year already. I've also got Spandau Ballet's Gold CD/DVD set too. Their music's great. I try to spot him in the videos! My favourite is Only When You Leave from 1984. That one's great to listen to on headphones.

I hope the drama, whatever it is to be called, is good and pulls in the viewers.

It seems Steven Moffat wants to keep Dr Who split up into two parts. That's very frustrating as I preffered it when we had series 1-5 shown in full until all 13 episodes were out the way.

The way he's doing it at the moment means that we don't get a full season DVD box set just before christmas. We have to wait until at least the Spring. Not good!

[kyllerbuzcut]

Don't shake the snake
Don't wake the snake

[nebogipfel]

Sorry, kyller, I've been too busy pouring tar on Sontarans to think of other replacement show ideas.

And careful where you shake your snake. You'll have someone's eye out.

erm.....Don't Cleaver the Beaver.

[kyllerbuzcut]

Don't explode the toad?

Surely the BBC must like ONE of these?

I'm surprised the director general hasn't already been on to digital spy to discuss a 5 year deal.

[davrosdodebird]

Don't steal the eel?
Don't boot the newt?
Don't nark the shark?
Don't diss the fish?
Don't grab at the rabbit?
Don't noose the goose?
don't cajole the vole?

[Corwin]

Don't Dunk the Skunk
Don't Slam the Lamb
Don't Gloat at the Goat
Don't Monkey with the Donkey

[davrosdodebird]

Don't Fail the Whale
Don't Squirm at the Worm
Don't Bake the Snake
Don't Geti the Yeti
Don't Jab the Crab

[Torry_Z]

Don't Let loose the Moose
Don't Spree the Bee
Don't Rasp the Wasp