There's plenty of people who would consider Doctor Who under the same terms. Whether you like it or not, Coronation Street is probably the most important show in the history of British television.

In Australia they are showing The Sea Devils.

Would it have killed the BBC to show the Doctors Revisited programmes, and the Classic stories after that, once a week on BBC4 or something? They could have run them in reverse order as a countdown until the showing of An Unearthly Child, which I understand is going to be shown around the anniversary.

They could even have opened BBC4 every evening with a single episode, showing a full story for each Doctor. That would have been ace (the station comes on air, it's ident is shown, and then - no words - the DW title sequence starts!) and kept things bubbling away. God knows there are enough programmes repeated within the same week on BBC4, much as I love it.

So no Classic Who on terrestrial (and yes, I love the return of the 9 eps) coupled with the Comic-Con thing has left me feeling the BBC has let a lot of incredible fans down. Yes, they may be promoting it in the right way to the casual viewer. Yes, they may be enhancing the brand overseas (Worldwide are, anyway). But for minimal effort and investment they could make a lot of incredibly loyal, supportive, argumentative, passionate, loving fans very, very happy.

It brings to mind some football clubs who realise their core fans will still pay, whatever, so don't take their views into consideration when they change their historic colours or team name.

I agree with two things already mentioned: the BBC are uncomfortable, embarrassed even, about old Doctor Who (focusing on the strengths of story-telling and acting rather than on zips and cardboard sets would probably help, BBC), and it is no longer seen as the flagship programme by the current DG.

tl;dr: that's my rant, I'm in the 'the BBC could be doing more' gang.

I was at a show this past Thursday in Las Vegas (It was Meat Loaf by the way - a very good show) and I was sitting next to a couple from England. I asked them about Doctor Who and what they thought about it approaching its 50th year. They both looked at me and said they didn't know that it was around that long. Now both of them were in their 60's and from London.

So I guess the BBC does have a point that some people don't care about Doctor Who, so why advertise?

Needless to say, they were not Doctor Who fans.

I sort of agree with you there, even though I don't watch it.

(not aimed at you, here, sn_22) But that doesn't mean that ITV's way was the right way, just because they did it first.

I am well aware of the cultural and sociological importance of shows like Coronation Street. Especially in its heyday. But having been subjected to recent episodes I find it to be poorly written production line TV chewing gum with little merit that trades on its history. Sorry. Shall I pretend to love it and This Morning or am I allowed an opinion on it?

Poor or not I don't remember "the powers that be" stopping production of Coronation Street for a number of years.

The other thing is that Doctor Who might have started 50 years ago but Coronation Street has actually been running for over 50 years.

Of course you're allowed an opinion! But I think as DW fans we all need to remember that a large part of the population hold the exact same (negative) opinion about the show we love so much and don't want it rammed down their throats even if it is a 50th celebration!

I've been thinking too that what makes it difficult to schedule old DW episodes is that to repeat a story in full takes a huge chunk of that day's schedule. Just look at the EPG for Watch when Tomb of the Cybermen was shown today. You're talking about an average of 6 episodes per story, so I can understand why they've been pushed to a smaller, niche channel. It's actually better for us than just one 25 minute episode per Doctor on BBC4. I do hope we get some documentary stuff on BBC4 nearer the time though.

I realise that. And I accept that some people are as passionate about Corrie as we are about DW. But I don't see why people keep citing other shows as examples? Why should the BBC be influenced by how ITV managed the 25th anniversary of This Morning? Its irrelevant. They can do their own thing.

And it isn't being over hyped. Quite the opposite. Based on people I know who aren't 'Whovians' no one has much of a clue about the anniversary let alone that Tennant is back. Do you not think that with only weeks to go it would be helpful to start getting it out there properly?

The counter point to every argument I or anyone else makes about this subject is that over exposure is bad. I agree. But we haven't had that. I don't want that. I want something though. And for me and alot of others the BBC haven't done enough so far. People keep citing the attention given to the new Doctor and the missing episodes as evidence that DW has been getting alot of coverage. But both these things are unrelated to the main event. It is only through luck and circumstance that they happened at all i.e the decision of Matt Smith and a fans hard work. These were not part of the BBC plans. Of course they include them now and take the glory. But take those away and what have we had since Season 7 ended? A picture of a Dalek. And a hashtag. Not good enough.

I completely understand, but the simple point I'm trying to make by using comparisons to other TV milestones (which worked successfully) is that the hype doesn't NEED to start too soon. We will get something. We know it's coming.

Now if November is just as quiet, I'll be in complete agreement with you and will be very annoyed with the BBC. But as we're still over a month away I'm keeping positive that there's more than enough time for the anniversary to be publicised and celebrated properly,

Well I dont even understand the hashtag thing. But the point is quite a straightforward one. It is too early. Even if the BBC had made the most brilliant television programme in the world and was planning to show it as a special treat for Christmas Day, I would not want to hear about it on the 13 November.

I said before I will shut up about it as im boring myself let alone everyone else. I will try.

Once it does all kick in I will forget it all I don't doubt and get caught up in it. But I just want to say that my impatience comes from a good place. I just cannot wait to see more about this. I want to see Hurt and Tennant and Smith. I want some clips. Yes. i want i want i want. But its only because I love the show. On balance I stand by the fact a bit more or alot more could have been offered to make the waiting more fun. However we are now hopefully fast approaching the ultimate lead up to the episode and so I will try and bite my tongue/fingers until at least the end of the month. If it gets to the first of November and all we have had are hashtags I reserve the right to go full rant again.

Well you can't say fairer than that.

Since it hasn't been posted.


*ducks out*

If you can't wait for the anniversary episode my suggestion is to watch old doctor who episodes.

At that point, I may well join you!

Wow this has escalated.

I'm not suggesting that they play a full length trailer from not until TX - far from it. I think their current strategy of appetite-wetting teasers is a credible one - it's just that the teasers that they're currently using are completely unavailing. A second of david tennant's face as the doctor looking up would be 100x more effective as a teaser than the insipid hashtag rubbish we've been lumbered with and would likely placate fan indignation slightly more, whilst simultaneously reminding / informing casual fans that Moffat's Who may have lost that he's making a return to the show (Ideally this teaser should have premiered in the 12th doctor reveal special, you know when doctor who fans / casual viewers that may be interested may actually be watching)

As stated previously - coronation street's 50th is the only real analog we have for an event of this magnitude and I seem to remember that being subject to wall to wall coverage months before the event.

So the Moff agrees. That's good enough for me.

With regards to the bit about the quality of the teasers I agree with you. That's partly my point. I don't work in TV. I am an armchair critic. So shoot me down. But instead of silly hashtags imagine just a black screen or the logo with some classic dialogue from Smith and Tennant, some new words from Hurt and then a flash of their faces. Three simple teasers. 'They are returning'. Whatever. Something along those lines. Cue pandemonium. Cue people Googling. Cue Twitter. And something decent to rewatch. And to repost. We have an incredible current Doctor appearing in an episode with possibly the most popular doctor of modern times and then one of the finest British actors ever who alongside all his other work appeared in one of the most iconic sci fi scenes of all time- three acting geniuses!!!- and then Zygons and Daleks and Time war and the wonderful Rose Tyler! All of this waiting. I want to see something! The waiting is making me sick!

The thing is for anyone that thinks this year is bad, just wait until next year! We've got the 50th anniversary special, the Christmas special and then a NINE month wait for series 8 and I still don't think it's been confirmed how many episodes will be in it, and if it will be split etc.

I really hope all this cloak and dagger nonsense stops after the 50th anniversary. I felt much more at ease when there was a regular pattern to the broadcast.

I'm afraid a large part of it is that a sizeable percentage of viewers don't have an attention span capable of maintaining interest in a given programme for over a month, hence the use of stings and teasers. If the BBC aired a full Trailer now, it would be chip paper by Friday and all but forgotten come November. So far, the Publicity has been spot on.

Excellent, I haven't left - but then, Richard is gone

Sherlock recieved a one-time-only (unless I'm mistaken - I haven't seen it on screen since) teaser and was spliced in to a drama reel. At least our stings are on the screen more than once. If I can't base predictions off Atlantis, I'll hear nothing of using Sherlock as an example Series 2 of Sherlock was first trailed 3 weeks before broadcast! So it's not reliable.

Although two trailers have apparently been signed off (unique teaser & full clip trailer? - but it could be nonsense), anything released by this time is likely to run as a TV trailer. That is most likely to happen for the final month. I'll absolutely join you on November 1st. For now, more Moff!


Which happens to be, on average, one month before broadcast

Alas, that's one thing fanoraks don't have in their DNA...

I have two main problems with Doctor Who in 2013.

1: We did not get a full 13 episode series when it's the 50th Anniversary year and we were promised more Who then ever, In fact the only two Doctor Who episodes to be produced and filmed in 2013 are The Day of the Doctor and the 2013 Christmas Special.
2: Most of the episodes we got in Series 7 SUCKED in fact Series 7 is the weakest series of New Who in my eyes.

Overall I think Steven Moffat has one hell of a job on his hands because The Day of the Doctor and the 2013 Christmas Special need to be nothing less then spectacular in order to make up for this lackluster year.

As for promotion... well it is still over a month away but come November the BBC really need to get there arse in gear and start promoting this thing.

Wholeheartedly agree.