I think theres nothing wrong with a more serious tone / differences in doctors - thats what makes the show go round.

One of the positives of Peter's doctor, is that he was very different to Matts and Davids before him. I think that was brave, and necessary. Matt and David were too close in characterisation in my opinion - closer than any other two 'adjacent' doctors in the past.

I do think they overdid the grouchiness and inaccessibility of Peters doctor, and have taken noticeable steps to course-correct from season 9 onwards and as a previous poster has said, the Husbands of River Song was far more enjoyable from that perspective.

Is it too late though?.... Yes, 2017 is just the same Peters doctor written mainly by Steven Moffatt - but lets hope theres a combination of a decent advertising campaign, and demonstrably different tone to draw back those who were lost, and those who have been lost due to the Hiatus.

I'm thinking earlier time slot, Spring, new companion and decent promotion might well do the trick. Then again, am probably a tad more optimistic than some as thought after two fair to middling series, with some great stuff and some less great stuff, Series 9 was a bit of a stormer. I honestly don't think this series is anywhere near dying on the vine, personally. Artistically. And the ratings are hardly disastrous in the grand scheme of things....

It largely depends on what your perception of fun is when it comes to fiction. I like my stories a little dark and fearful when it comes to non-comedies, and a bit of morbid humour doesn't hurt. For me, RTD's era often pushed too far with trying to be fun and humorous and didn't fluctuate naturally between the lighter elements and the more serious, and it often bothered me when Smith's Doctor got a bit too silly too (not to hate on Smith's Doctor, he was good).

My least favourite episode of S9 was The Girl Who Died, because simply put it was just too silly to keep my interest. There wasn't even any subtlety to it, it was very out there about it.

Very much agreed. I think there are some great stories amongst series 8 and 9. Both will come to be fondly regarded by most fans. Some of the best are also some of the more serious in tone. I just think for the mainstream a little more fun is needed. And I don't mean "funny" necessarily or even "silly". Just have the Doctor and his companion enjoy themselves a bit more.

The issue with the advertising was one, i know plenty of people who didn't even know the show had aired, and if i wasn't so invested in the show i would have heard absolutely nothing about season 9.

The Same Old Same Old as you mentioned, and quite simply there was no hype about the series whatsoever. The people who make up the majority of the ratings are casual viewers, they are the ones you need to target more so than anyone.

And why did the Christmas episode have more views than any other episode by a long way? If people stoppe dwtahcing the show, whether it be Capaldi or Moffat why would they watch the christmas special? The answer because it always has brilliant advertising, every person on the street knows when its on.

Of all series 8 and 9, the episode that is the best example of the tone I'm looking for is probably Mummy on the Orient Express (aside from the "Clara: Is she or isn't she leaving the Doctor?" storyline). I don't want every story to have that tone, but the show needs more episodes like that. The Doctor enjoying solving the problem.

There needs to be a lot more of that, and by that i mean The Doctor actually solving the problems, without using the Sonic or extremely contrived resolutions. This season was slightly better in that regard, but it was always fascinating watching The Doctor outwit everyone and come up with clever and unique resolutions.

To be fair, Christmas Night BBC1 - you have a pretty captured audience compared with any other night of the year.

What's reassuring about those particular ratings, for me, is that there is very little difference in the viewing figures across the whole of BBC1 every Christmas Night - people aren't switching on for Strictly, and then off for Who, and then back on for Eastenders.

They stick with BBC1 for the whole evening, and the viewing figures go up and down for the BBC1 Christmas line-up as a whole rather than for individual shows.

I see the Christmas Night episode, itself, as a great advert for the show - capturing people who perhaps don't usually watch/have stopped watching. And it's especially effective when the new season follows just a few months later, as it will again in 2017.

Hopefully the 'Coming Soon' new season trailer will be reinstated too!

The Christmas Special always gets more viewers, it's that sort of day when families do things together, and hence people watch programmes they only occasionally look at (this applies just as much to the other shows as Doctor Who)

Due to this more casual audience, it's often less arcy as well. I loved Heaven Sent AND Hell Bent, but that level of angst wouldn't have worked on Christmas Day.

A good story doesn't always need the Doctor to be super clever and resolve the problem. It's usually better if he and the companion and the guest characters work together. Most stories are like that. The Doctor doesn't solve things single-handedly.

I just watched Midnight again. A great story but it's noticeable that although he contributes early on in the story, in the end, it's not the Doctor that solves the problem. In fact he's seen as part of the problem by the others aboard the vehicle. He isn't able to manage their fear and it's the sacrifice of the hostess that saves the day.

I also just watched The Unicorn and the Wasp. There it's Donna that provides a lot of the clues, though the Doctor draws together and presents the conclusion to the assembled suspects, and it's Donna and Agatha Christie who deal with the vespiform.

Agreed doesn't just need to be The Doctor, if anyone could do that would be nice, but that used to be a great charm for the show, the clever solutions.

Now it is Sonic, enemy defeated.

That's overstating it a bit, but I agree the sonic screwdriver has been over-used somewhat.

Do you not think he was super clever and actively solving the problem in The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar and Heaven Sent and Hell Bound?

I think your judgement there is a bit harsh.

I would add the Zygon story where the Doctor basically uses psychology and words. Brilliantly. But yeah, the Sonic has been rather overused in C21 Who on occasions, certainly.

The sonic is supposed to ensure the pace of the story doesn't stall because of something minor, such as a locked door or the need to locate the source a signal etc. It was never meant to be used as the resolution of the main story.

Well series 9 had no sonic at all... pretty much so anyway. Im not counting the sonic sunglasses as i hope they will be relegated into history very quickly.

Although it may have turned into somewhat of a magic wand in the matt smith era, i think they have reigned it back in.

Also, we got a shiny new one to look forward to - so hopefully a positive effect of the hiatus will be that we are all a bit more forgiving when he starts to wave it about again

So here we are, a couple of weeks to the first new episode in 12 months.

A few thoughts on the effect so far.. and bear in mind that some of these are subjective!!

1. Little to no merchandise. Dr Who no longer a Christmas Toy of choice... and very little available on the shelves.

2. The 2017 Calendar is generic, as no 2016 series for photos.

3. Interest seems to be at a low at the moment. Even for the forthcoming Christmas episode. Lots of bickering on here

4. The Spin Off 'Class' seems to have had appalling 'ratings' though this is also down to almost no advertising, and being an online only thing. Would it have been more successful with a tie-in with a current series of Dr Who - maybe a crossover episode.


Of course, the Christmas BBC1 and Radio times and TV guides in general seem to always feature Dr Who heavily, and this year seems no exception.

Let hope the there is a big push for the 2017 series, and with the appropriate scheduling and promotion that people come back to it.

I do wonder if the Xmas episode is going to suffer ratings wise due to the lack of a series this year.

Or maybe it will have really good ratings as people are hungry for a new episode as it hasn't been on for so long.

Interesting.

I would have thought that it will either;
a) do rather well - lots of people have missed the programme and will tune in Christmas Day....
or b) Be a spectacular ratings flop - interest is at an all time low and most people have forgotten its on or worse still assumed its been cancelled as there wasnt a series in 2016.

Time will tell!

Or in other words so Moffatt can direct Sherlock.

And the new lord and master as decreed by the beeb (aka Chibbers. I'm sticking with 'Chibbers'!) could complete the final series of that programme on ITV co-starring a previous Doctor and a future Doctor.

(Runs)

You didn't just go there lol...

Personally, I think the Christmas episode will do fine and probably get viewing figures in line with BBC1's other Christmas Day evening shows (Strictly, Eastenders, Midwife etc).

I think its going to be the new season in 2017 that will really show whether people are excited about the show finally returning/have missed it.

Apart from the end of a long wait for a new season, we also have (i) a return to the spring and (ii) a new companion. So there could be plenty of buzz.

I suppose my concern is that Capaldi's Doctor may actually be the reason a million+ people turned off for season 9 - and they may not be coming back while he's still in the role.

Mmhmm I think pretty much most people just leaves the TV Running in the background on BBC One or ITV on Christmas Day.

This is the main issue.... season 10 just doesn't do anything to entice back the lost viewers. Same Doctor. Same Showrunner.

Like them, or not... the only resurgence of interest will be as a result of a significant shakeup.

I havent watched much of the Peter Capaldi era. Not because of him, because I think he could be a great Doctor, but the stories and writting has become childish and silly (IMO)

I think with better writing and stories Peter could be a great alternate Doctor to the main stream in the newer series.