No my point was that this is supposed to be a thread about the internal politics and production of the show. Not another excuse for the usual suspects to trot out the same old criticisms about his writing that have been written on plenty of other threads. This isn't about Moffats relative abilities as a writer or a chance to critique his work. So you seem to have missed my entire point. Well done.

THIS

Well said.

There is a big difference between Doctor Who (a flagship, Saturday night, family aimed TV show about a man who travels in time and space) and Sherlock (a gripping crime drama more aimed at an older audience, designed to basically be the odd mini movie trilogy every couple of years). Yes, Who fans can get a bit testy... but to be fair, the last few years have been pretty shambolic.

I mean, are we really about to have this again? Really, BBC? Have you learned nothing from last time??? We STILL have no clear idea what happened then, and now here we go again. Really??

Look. This situation, and the one in 2011/12/13 is nothing like 2009. 2009 saw a MASSIVE change behind the scenes. Russell T Davies and his team had produced 4 consistent series of Doctor Who, as well as 4 Christmas specials and two spin offs, all in the space of 4 years - and all of it had been a massive hit for the BBC. A huge, colossal success. But, they were bowing out, and a new team were coming in. A new team, and a new Doctor. I don't know about you guys, but I was happy to let them have a year off. Let the new team settle in, let them get everything ready, and come back with a fresh and new version of the show in 2010. The fact that we got the 2009 specials was just the icing on the cake, and I think we were very fortunate to get them.

2011/12/13 was done for... I have absolutely no idea. And now, here we go again. First there are the rumours. Then the BBC deny it, or twist the truth. And then, in 2016, it turns out to all be true.

I seriously thought they wouldn't let this crap happen again, especially with the BBC being in a bit of a pickle. But... nope. Ah well.

We definitely need some goddamn details here. It's impossible to say what's going on or to lay the blame on somebodies doorstep at this point.

For all we know, the BBC have no choice but to do this as Steven Moffat may not want to part ways with the show as of yet. There's nothing they can really do if he's swamped, but wants to continue his duties as showrunner.

Or maybe he wants to piss off and the BBC are incapable of finding someone new, so are putting Doctor Who on the shelf for a little bit until a suitable replacement comes forward.

It's just... ****ing hell. Some confirmation of what's happening would be nice. Be honest right from the start while you have the chance, BBC.

Yep, pretty much agree with all of this. Four continuos years of production and a year of specials was fine by me, and what's more is the BBC made it clear up front that there would be four specials and a full series to follow after. Now we can't seem to go more than two years without having breaks for whatever reasons.

It was all seeming too good to be true, after the shambles in the lead up to the 50th things seemed to be running smoothly. The new Doctor was settling in, there hadn't been any of the usual reports of behind the scenes budget problems and other production issues that seem to plague the show. I was looking forward to series 9, and expecting more to follow then all of a sudden it all unravels again and we're back to the usual chaos and fudged PR statements.

Personally I think that it is time for Mr. Moffat to move on. Most people admit that JNT stayed too long. It used to be said that people can get Whoed out. The thought of Mr. Moffat staying on until 2020 is too much. He will now have overseen more episodes than RTD and that should be sufficient. I don't think the issue is Sherlock. I feel that what Dr. Who needs is continual change - that is part of its DNA. Perhaps they need to go back to what it used to be like with a producer and script editor. Failing that perhaps they could have a Doctor Who spinoff series for 2016. I personally would like to see one with Paul McGann but perhaps they could have a series of specials using some of the characters from the Who universe?

A McGann series may step on Capaldi's toes too much. Maybe there could be a spin-off series with Captain Jack, River Song and others investigating the Doctor's disappearance from the timestream?

Here we go again I despise series getting messed around.

If there is one thing you can be sure of its that the BBC will mess this up somehow. Don't get me wrong. I love the BBC dearly and will always fight for it whatever happens but they are always notoriously useless when it comes to stuff like this as the past has proven. It's a shame as the anti-BBC idiots will happily grab any stick to beat them with.

Best thing? If the stories true then damage limitation and honesty are the best plan. A quick press release confirming the facts- they know them better than anyone- might annoy or upset some people in the short term but it's better than a messy fudge of half truth and spin which they've done before. Alas their only comment so far being that 2016 is too far away to comment on is just an insult to fans collective intelligence and more proof that the rumours are true. I mean come on. As if they have no idea what 2016 is to bring with it only being months away! They know. We know they know. So tell us.

So do I!

It seems the show is going to be put on hold for a year after Series 9, with a split series to follow after that.

It's like 2009 all over again.

I've read into this a bit more, browsing around certain sites, and apparently the reason there is not going to be a full series next year, is that SM is going to be fully committed to his other show, Sherlock.

A new series of Sherlock is due sometime next year. Before that, later this year, a one-off special set in Victorian London, is due to hit both the big screen and BBC One.

Yes, that's the situation in a nutshell. Currently, both Moffat and the BBC are having to react to events rather than control them seeing as the availabilities of the two main Sherlock leads have changed. They cannot replace either Cumberbatch or Freeman, so are having to make the best of what they are presented with. And in that respect, it's quite understandable that other things remain fluid too. It's far from ideal, but those are the cards that they have been dealt, and they (the BBC and Moffat) are having to make the best of the situation that they are presented with.

And on top of that, it has been said many times before that DW filming is very intense, and over a prolonged period. So it might be an ideal opportunity to allow both crew and cast to take a bit of a breather now that an opportunity has arisen.

And do we see many Sherlock fans complaining or saying that Moffat should go? Of course not.

Tim for them to sell it to someone else who will respect it and sell it back to them a la Amazon and Ripper Street. Let a new writer take over, one that is fully commited.

Of that I have no doubt, but the principle is still the same. Sherlock fans have a much, much longer wait for far less output.

Thanks Theophile - and you're quite right. Its a shame that someone who has so little respect for other points of view should choose to belong to a discussion forum the whole purpose of which is for other points of view to be shared.

The point I am making is that the relationship between Steven Moffat and Doctor Who is not one of dependency. Moffat's success as a writer is not dependent on Doctor Who, and the the show's ongoing success is not dependent on Moffat.

There are plenty of excellent TV writers out there right now (many of whom have previously worked on the show) and so I don't personally feel Moffat is irreplaceable or that the quality of writing on the show would deteriorate should he leave. My personal view, again, is that although I felt season 8 was an improvement on 5-7, it does all still feel a bit stale and a new exec producer would likely breathe some new life into Doctor Who.

Certainly, if it gets to the stage where we have to skip yet another season of Doctor Who because of Moffat's other commitments - as we did just two years ago - then it is time for Moffat to move on.

This from today's Digital Spy story:

That was actually stated in the opening post.

I totally agree with you. Should there be no full series, but a couple of specials wouldn't be a bad thing. If this rumour was true, then it may possibly be a transition from one showrunner to another. The same with the 2009-2010 specials. I don't believe that Moffat has been signed up for Series 10, which would be 2017 (if the above rumour was true). Also, if the above rumour was true then a film could be made to fill the gap as well. I've said before that even if the film was crap, I'd still watch it. After all we fans had to stomach The Wedding of River Song (imo the worst episode of NuWho). But I still watched it because I love the show.

And yes. it is the non-fan viewers who have kept the show on air, particularly the Christmas specials to make the BBC think that they should keep going with the show. And is to them I show my thanks.

To be fair, GDK, we had four solid years of Doctor Who before we had the 2009 specials. And even then it was supposed to be a one-off, leading into a new era of Who.

I think this is a very different kettle of fish. We've now had five years of stop-start production with 12-month gaps between seasons and mid-season breaks. In 2013, all the BBC produced was two episodes of Doctor Who. And that was the 50th anniversary year!

I really don't agree that this creates 'event telly'. I think it just creates an environment where its as easy for the BBC not to make the show as it is for them to make it. As a fan, I would rather they made it.

Surely it's Moffat's ultimate responsibility to make sure the stars are under contract to shoot a certain series at a certain time? Television programmes aren't made on some sort of informal "gentleman's agreement". If shooting of Sherlock has been pushed back, it is because Moffat failed to secure the talent.

You're talking absolute rubbish. All I have done on this thread is discuss the subject if you actually bothered to read my posts. And my comments to that forum member were relevant. Is this a thread about Moffats abilities as a writer or if the shows quality has gone downhill since he took over? No (there are about three of those on the front page btw). So is this really the place for people to be dragging the thread off topic with the usual digs about Moffats writing when we are supposed to be discussing a possible break in production? Nope. I notice you have nothing to offer on the thread subject instead resorting to personal attacks on me. So instead of that try contributing or at least explain what's wrong with me suggesting the thread stay on topic. Go on. Give it a try.

And yet you're always the first to get personal, saladfingers81. And that's what is being noted. Again. Your comments aren't relevant they are simply rude.

And he failed to secure the talent because it was difficult to get both lead actors available at the same time and for the time needed ....... meanwhile, time carries on, Who is still there to be produced, and both he and the BBC have a rapidly-disappearing window of opportunity to get Sherlock's schedule agreed. And when it does turn out that they both have some free time, Who's schedule is now in the way. Now, after the efforts to get both leads together, both the BBC and Moffat are hardly likely to want to delay Sherlock again even further into the future, so Who gets delayed.

I can quite easily see and appreciate the difficulties involved.

As I said, it's not ideal, but it's probably the best way, as even Moffat giving up Who would surely result in a similar delay whilst a new showrunner is sounded out & recruited (remembering that the person might not be available right away anyway), whilst the new person decides on his approach and no doubt looks at the planned storylines and dispenses with some etc.). An interim caretaker? Maybe, but maybe far from ideal

I completely agree. If they have to take a year off, that's fine by me, but I'd much rather the BBC explained clearly the reasons for this and let us know what was going to happen like they did back in 2009.
2012 and 2013 were a bloody shambles. We were constantly spun lies and propaganda and to this day we still don't have a clear picture for the causes of the production chaos; in fact the BBC won't even admit that there was anything wrong.

I do think it's a real shame that there can't be a full series after only two years of the show airing in a reasonably consistent slot and I think it's even more of a shame if the reason for that is due to the showrunner's commitments to another show, but if the situation is unavoidable, then I'd much prefer it if the BBC would just come out and give us the details rather than the denials, lies and spin we'll probably end up getting if 2012-2013 are anything to go by.