We are watching a lot of the Netflix shows at the moment and one of the big draws is that the whole season is released at once, giving you (the viewer) absolute power as to when you watch it.

You can watch (as an example) all of Daredevil in one sitting, or two/three episodes at a time or one episode, once a week.

This could genuinely one day happen to Doctor Who and I just wondered how you would feel about this.

Would it suit you to have an entire season of Doctor Who delivered to your TV once a year, or would you feel stripped of some of the excitement of watching it with millions of other viewers every Saturday night?

The poll is really just a temperature check and so is very simple. But please vote. I think it will be interesting to see how we (as a forum) would feel about this option.

I don't bother with stuff like Netflix. I just get the dvd boxset so i can watch when i want to.

Well it would destroy the show, because it isn't on Netflix, this show is made by the BBC, and it needs to be done the way it is.

And i'd hate to watch the entire season of Doctor Who in 2 days basically, and you would be forced to watch it all quickly if you want to discuss it with anyone as well, without risk of major spoilers.

It takes 3 months for the show to air all of its episodes, which leaves more time to savour it, and less of a break between the new season. It would be a terrible idea to drop it at once.

I would hate it. Part of the joy of watching the show is being able to go on the internet afterwards, comparing opinions, expanding bits where you or someone else missed a key moment etc. And it gives you something to look forward to for 12 weeks!

It makes it more of a "communal" experience

Any standing the show has retained as being event tv would be completely lost by such a move.

I do enjoy when netflix puts their own shows all up at once, but at the same time, because the episodes are all there at once, and forever more (or a least a good while), there is no particular urgency to watch. As such, for me, they get pushed back in favour of shows that are on tv every week. Basically, what i'm trying to say is it's more convienient, but takes a certain amount of shine off a show, and depletes eagerness to watch. That is why I think it would be bad for who.

Besides, with a show like who, with every episode being so different, the next upcoming one should be anticipated for a week.

Think of all the hype that would be lost from having the whole series at once - no tv trailers for the next episode during the series run, no need for next time trailers, episode reviews etc.

Also, in relation to this forum in particular, all the in series activity that occurs on this forum, episode threads, speculation threads etc would also become redundant, and since most of the activity on this forum occurs during the time is on (and immediately before/after), then I think in time we would all lose interest in posting and this forum would gradually die out.

All the pro's of keeping it as it is, seem to outweigh the slight annoyance of having to have a weeks patience between episodes. The waiting builds further anticipation.

I think it'd be a very bad move, for many of the reasons already mentioned. It basically surrenders the claim that the show is 'event TV' if it can all be dropped in one go. It compromises the online community that talks about the show, of which Doctor Who has a massive one. People will be deterred from talking about a show at risk of spoilers, apart from those who binge it in rapid fashion. It diminishes cliffhangers which can be resolved instantaneously, and for more involved fans it means an intense battle of will power not to rush through the whole thing. Rushing a whole series will then mean a massive gap before you'll get more of the show again. The series can no longer build any hype, and its stand-out moments will be lost in a sea of discussion. If Series 9, as an example, had been released this way then the anti-war speech would likely have not been as notable as it was among mainstream viewers, the tense mourning feel of the final few episodes would have been wrapped up quickly rather than decidedly spread across several weeks. People unable to discuss, consider and explore the show piece by piece - for a show that prides itself in an anywhere/anywhen scenario almost weekly - are not going to remain interested.

Many of the biggest shows on Netflix also don't opt for this approach to broadcasting. Better Call Saul has just ten episodes a year and releases them all weekly. Others, like Once Upon A Time, are correlated with a TV broadcast and so are also only released weekly. I don't think there's anything wrong with an on-demand service, or a streaming service. I don't think the idea of moving BBC 3 online is inherently a bad move so long as such an idea is innovative, and invested in properly (rather than the cost-cutting measure that it actually is). But a show like Doctor Who, regardless of where it gets broadcast, will always benefit from a weekly format.

I have very mixed feelings about this and whether or not the prospects for the show would be damaged in such a (currently hypothetical) move.

On the one hand I've recently very much enjoyed binge watching some shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It's a great way to watch shows that have a multi-threaded, long-running narrative structure (shows like Ripper Street, Sens8, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, The Man in the High Castle, The Walking Dead). Where you can look at each series (or even multiple series) as a single, coherent story. When you watch the episodes close together, you pick up much more of the subtle developments and links between story threads.

On the other hand I don't currently see any great benefit in doing that for shows, like Doctor Who, that are more traditionally episodic and have strong ties to traditional linear broadcasters like the BBC. For shows like that most of the audience still watch via traditional methods, week by week, and have that expectation.

I don't think it would work for Doctor Who, but "bring it on" for any new shows. No problem with Doctor Who being available "all at once" on streaming and catchup services after the initial broadcast run is complete. Both types of service increase the show's availability and exposure and so are great ways to pick up new viewers and grow the audience.

In a few years though, when the popularity of linear broadcasting has faded more and streaming services have become dominant, availability on such platforms will become a necessity. Not necessarily "all at once", though.

The frustration and impatience of having to wait a week in between every episode is part of the show's charm.

It also gives the entire family something to watch together every Saturday evening for a good few months. "Doctor Who marathon" might sound appealing for my family but I don't think it'd be ideal for everyone.

It'll be interesting what Amazon Prime do with their new "Top Gear", as with the amount of money they've spent, they'll want to make it "event TV"

I totally agree about the shows you have mentioned and why they work as binge-watch TV.

And it is an interesting point; if the BBC ever did consider the 'all at once' option for Doctor Who (and who knows what will happen in four or five years' time) how would that impact on the narrative of each season?

I agree with a lot of posters, Doctor Who is episodic TV, it's something to look forward to at the weekends during it's run whether it's watching it live or in your own time a day or too later.

Having the show on in one bloc over a couple of days would mean it would be less in the public eye. The show needs to be three to seen for the 12/13 weeks it is on.

Look at what happened in the 80's. I love the Davison Era but it was on twice a week which meant it only lasted three months instead of six. Nice as it was to have two episodes a week, the run was over very quickly and some stories such as Black Orchid were done with in two days.

The cliffhangers to Parts 1 and 3 were therefore not as effective as you had only to wait until the next day. It was always Part 2 that were the big cliffhanger.

The cliffhangers in the series itself would seem pointless as well.

Take for example the Big Finish stories. I like the fact they put cliffhangers in their audios, it gives you the opportunity to have that experience of waiting for the next episode if you wish to do it that way.

I don't, I prefer to listen to them in one hit so nice as they are to listen to, they are in a sense pointless as I can listen to the resolution in less than a few minutes.

Having a whole Season in one bloc would be a similar experience.

I think there's currently still room for episodic TV drama shows, but I see that gradually changing.

I foresee a time when the weekly delivery of programming via old style broadcasting eventually becomes "ghettoised" as the mainstream audience switches to streaming services on their home TV and various mobile devices.

When that happens traditional, episodic shows will be seen as "old fashioned" and archaic. For any show to survive then it will firstly have to be available on streaming services and secondly adjust its narrative form to meet the demands of the new delivery methods and audience expectations.

The music industry serves as an example. Once upon a time, the single and the album release were "king" because they were the convenient ways of delivering the music that the technology allowed. Nowadays people can buy individual tracks online. The single has already virtually disappeared and, online, the album is just a hangover from the days of physical media. Even the idea of "owning" music is dwindling as pervasive, subscription-based streaming services like Spotify mean you can listen to any music (that they're licensed for) anytime, anywhere.

TV and film is heading in the same direction. It's all just a matter of bandwidth.

It's several years away yet, though.

(This is my guesswork)

I would say the question is more will DW still be around to be putting a whole series at once... how we view things is changing and when that goes full mainstream and causes the big shift away from the traditional model of TV, then if DW survives that then yes it will most likely put out a whole series at once....

The way we consume TV is changing, its moving faster in America but UK will follow, eventually the old models will dim and Netflix style services will be the norm.. there are main channels in America now that are experimenting with putting out seasons of show all at once in a way of trying to compete with Netflix like stuff...

There's a lot of question marks around the BBC, what will happen to it, I think the commercial channels like ITV and 4 have little chance, they will either evolve into a Netflix like service, or become very small channels with small budgets concentrating on lifestyle/reality type stuff that's cheap and easy to make, or they may just disappear all together... But the BBC is paid by the public.. does that continue to exist and ensure that TV content is created that's not just commercial stuff.. I would hope so but sadly I think the tide is against it, people don't appreciate what they have and don't stand up for it and we have powerful people/companies that want rid of it and a government that's easily swayed/corrupted to let it happen because Tories love Murdoch...

So what happens to DW is tied with the BBC... does the BBC just get smaller and so making DW becomes more difficult, maybe the show gets less money becomes more restricted and small scale/cheap, or its cancelled as the BBC can't afford to do expensive dramas like DW and instead the money has to go to programs that fall under its remit ( which is what people who like to bash the BBC say) so it has to do (and possibly only do) stuff that's all about local stuff or education factual stuff.. we are seeing now how BBC detractors and people with clear commercial/political agendas are saying the BBC shouldn't be making expensive drama or entertainment but should be concentrating on stuff like countryside or something... just look at the whole Voice situation... its a way of weakening the BBC which is why they call for it, and this could easily happen and within that it means DW wouldn't be on good grounds...

Or the BBC is stopped all together... So what happens to DW then... does is die with the BBC or can someone else take it over... if someone else does that's most likely going to be these strong emerging Netflix like streaming services which means we could easily and most likely see the show being made and put out in the way Daredevil and others is... and it fits in with that mould...

But I know there's moves going on in the BBC where it looks like they are trying to separate off dramas into some division or something, I don't know how that works I'm sure someone can explain, but that's seems like a clear sign that they are expecting the BBC to be picked a part.. I don't understand how DW and these dramas stand in that.. If it will allow that division to work if the rest of the BBC get cut right down to bare essentials or stopped completely... but if the BBC just ends up stopping you got to imagine that the streaming services would be looking to grab it, or buy it out from this split of division, whatever that is.. as that's unlikely to be a big fish and in steady ground if its breaking off from a doomed BBC, they might sell off DW for money..

Who knows just playing some things out but I think its Inedible that we will eventually see DW release a whole season in one go (if it survives) as the signs are this is the way all content will go...

I agree. Many of the BBC's detractors have their own vested commercial or political reasons for wanting to dismantle it. Their reasons have nothing to do with benefits for viewers or society as a whole. It's about gaining a commercial advantage (by destroying a competitor) or pushing their biased political views (by destroying the one media organisation that's obliged (by its founding charter) to be impartial).

Or, if not, they're just too cheap to see the benefits!

I don't much care for the license fee myself, but it remains the least worst solution for funding the BBC.

As for Doctor Who... well it could survive a major break up of the BBC as it is a global brand now in its own right.

I have mixed feelings about it. There are a few series that I've binge watched, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and The Knick. Certainly with the case of the Walking Dead and Game of Thrones it was a very useful way of watching several seasons worth of episodes to catch up with the current series.

I think I watched five seasons of the Walking Dead is something like six months to be up to date for series 6, but then I was forced into watching it once a week like everyone else and it was quite a different viewing experience. I think overal I found it easier to keep track of various storylines and characters when I was binge watching them and at times I struggled watching the latest series to remember certain plot points or characters but it meant that I appreciated each individual episode a little more and some of the more shocking episodes resinated deeper because they had a week to sink in.

And then there was Breaking Bad, which I enjoyed but I couldn't help feeling that the various characters journeys would have been more powerful if I'd been a bit more restrained and watched the show over several years as it was originally intended rather than binge watching the whole lot in the space of a few months.

In a separate but slightly related note I was surprised (disappointed) to read many fans anger about the cliffhanger at the end of the latest season of the Walking Dead. What's that all about? Don't people like cliffhangers anymore? I was raised on cliffhangers. I love em! I love being able to think it over, come up with theories, discuss other theories and wait to see how it will play out. I loved the endings to the latest seasons of Game of Thrones and The Knick for similar reasons. It just seems to me that we are living in a society where people are increasing expecting everything immediately and I'm not sure if that's a very healthy thing, or maybe I'm just getting old

So to summarise I guess I'm saying that box sets of previous series are great and a useful way for new viewers to catch up but I think I would still prefer the current series of Doctor Who and other shows to be aired weekly (mainly because I have no self control).

I like the hypothetical scenario.

Really the days of being dictated to as to when and what time you watch a TV programme are in the past. That model works for your couch potato who just sits in front of his television every hour of the day he doesn't spend working anyway and is happy to do so no matter what is on. Then at least they have something to look forward to: 'Wow, the TV is actually good tomorrow night!'.

But for people with interests perhaps a bit wider than television, On Demand viewing really is a lot better. Yes, I'd like a whole season available at once. That is how I invariably take in shows anyway in truth as television is very low down on my list of interests and so I rarely watch any shows as they are being broadcast, with Doctor Who being perhaps the only one, other than certain comedy programmes. Anything else I discover is typically a few years after the fact and is watched at my leisure, at the pace I want to watch it.

I suppose it would change the dynamic of the social aspect of watching a show: forums like this for example, reaction on social media, Youtube etc. I can imagine those who are big on that would prefer the once a week approach. But of course the culture would very quickly adapt anyway and would pretty quickly pace itself in order to maintain that element of shared experience. People CAN be autonomous without defaulting to instant gratification.

So yes, it would be great. The downsides would be very quickly melted away and adapted to.

Love it or hate it the way people watch tv these days has changed. The days of people sitting down to watch things live together are fading. I player and the likes of Netflix dropping series in 1 go have been bullets shot at the watching it at broadcast and that way of consuming tv. It's more about watching it at your time rather than making time for the program. I say bring it on. If I don't want it spoiled I will stay away from places that will spoil it. I still haven't seen daredevil season 2 or orange is the new black season 3 yet and I still haven't had any spoilers yet. People can say it's event tv and has to be watched live but I haven't Seen it live due to work commitments since about 2010 and I don't feel anything has been spoiled.

At the moment, in the poll, almost two thirds are against a whole-season release.

Out of interest, are their any countries in the world which have bought Doctor Who where the show is delivered as a whole season at a time? Or where viewers only has access to the show via the likes of Netflix, where they can pretty much watch the whole show from season 1 onwards.

I agree with your comments about people bitching about the series 6 finale of The Walking Dead and on the "I want it now" trend in society. But then I'm (possibly) getting old too.

It's could be a foretaste of an effect on narrative structure that the "all at once" scenario might have. If enough of the audience demands and gets its gratification instantly, what's the point in writing cliffhangers? Some people really do default to "I want it now".

Even in the "all at once" scenario (which seems to be inevitable), there are still breaks at the end of production runs which will remain fertile ground for cliffhangers.

It's not survival of the fittest - it's survival of those best able to adapt to change.

Not for me - I like watching week by week and then thinking/talking about it and the anticipation of what's to come.

If you watch it all at once, it's all done and dusted in a couple of days and then another year (or more!) to wait for the next batch.

It would be like Christmas afternoon when you're a child - you spend weeks getting excited about what you're going to have and so on, and then you have a mad splurge on Christmas morning and open it all, and then by the time your Mum and Dad are on their third Sherry watching the Queen's speech you're bored and have nothing to look forward to until next Christmas (or your Birthday).

I loved the cliffhanger too. The Walking Dead is littered with amazing cliffhangers episode after episode. I don't understand why this one has been singled out for a negative response.

I haven't kept up with The Walking Dead since halfway through Season 4, I often get thrown off by how wildly it fluctuates between really good and mediocre, but I know of the cliffhanger in question because of my brother complaining about it (I don't always care for spoilers, mostly because I find I can appreciate a story more without the hype manipulating it for me... it's different for cliffhangers though because they're inbetween stories) and I don't understand the problem really. Like others said, people these days are a bit more demanding in wanting everything now and having stories closed off instead of being open-ended, and ambiguity is a quality not as often apprecoated anymore. I think that's a shame, because some of my favourite authors thrive on ambiguity, and though, admittedly, their storytelling methods are a good two hundred years old I feel the effectiveness of it all would be lost on many people now.

It was the same with Game of Thrones. Many plot points were intentionally left open-ended to give the next season something to pick up on and keep us all in suspense, and yet people complained about it and said it was some of the worst television they'd ever watched.

It is a massive problem with the generation right now, they are all so needy for a lack of a better term, they can't think for themselves, they are impatient and if the writer doesn't spoonfeed them with a resolution they complain like a child.

I am guessing the issue with this cliffhanger is that it duplicates very closely what happened in the comic in which

so viewers wanted to know for sure whether that happens or not. Personally I think

But then I love a good cliffhanger!

I don't think it's changed that much though

Taking Doctor Who S9 for example, while the number of live viewers is clearly down, the majority of "catching up" was done within a couple of days, so even people watching on their PVR or iPlayer would be watching it on roughly a weekly cycle.

A lot of the shows mentioned in this thread are minority shows in the UK, not ones on major TV channels, hence you are unlikely to be spoiled. The number of UK viewers for something like GoT is still much smaller than the headline drama series on BBC/ITV such as Happy Valley or Broadchurch, and far less likely to be commented on/spoilt in the mainstream media