Find a time machine.

You are entitled to your opinion of course. But I just feel that if there really was an issue, the BBC wouldn't have allowed Peter to do a third year, let alone offer him a fourth. They do keep track of these things,

I can't see any cause for concern myself, not unless Series 1-7 are supposed to be the bare minimum for what constitutes success (which seems the only logical conclusion if the current show is supposed to be unsuccessful). Peter Capaldi seems to have done well for the show from where I'm standing, and he's certainly earned it a lot of critical acclaim. A couple of years ago people were always talking about what a failure Matt Smith was as the Doctor, until his time came to leave. I expect we'll see it with Doctor Number Thirteen too.

Mullett is spot on there.

.. and also Thamwet.

Personally I agree with Mullett and he's put it in a very neutral way - it would be a good time for a change and 3 seasons seems pretty respectable by todays standards.

I think that Peter Capaldis tenure has been a bit of a misstep and there are a few 'course corrections' happening - but it is too late I fear to get those lost viewers back. The show should never be JUST for us die-hard 50 year history old-school fans (I am one of them and the past references are enjoyed by me) as it needs that broad appeal and not to be bogged down in its own history to get the views back.

Interestingly they have made some significant changes over Peter's time - his personality is distinctly more lighthearted in season 9 than 8.

Stephen Moffat has said that season 10 is like a new show. I think that the inclusion of Nardole is significant. It would seem that the tone of the Christmas Special was more accessible and so they have gone right back to what 'worked' even if that mean glossing over the fact that the character was decaptiated....(look forward to seeing how they get out of that one) . They have distinctly added some 'comic relief' to the mix.

However... one thing is for sure - A regeneration is always a crowd-puller. Doing this will give series 11 a significant boost in interest levels - far more than a new show runner who most casual viewers wouldnt really care about. Will they risk series 11 by not doing so?

Time will tell!

Very good post, and I think your last paragraph is particularly significant, and especially the highlighted line. It's basically what me, Mullet and others having been saying in various ways for some time now, that it actually seems the bigger risk to not have a new face. Series 11 will be a completely clean slate in terms of tone, style and the handling of the show in general. Any of the people who have switched off during the Moffat era may love the Chibnall style, but never give it a chance if they see Capaldi and think 'same old, same old'. To a lot of people, the face of the show represents the show. If your not aware of showrunners, which I think we tend to forget the majority of the audience aren't, then it's your only indicator of change.

If Capaldi went after series 10 he could hold his head up knowing that he'd had a respectable length run and he'd done the absolute best with the material he'd been given. Then Someone with no connection to the Moffat era can come in, and be given a fair and unbiased chance by new viewers and anyone who's ever liked who, Moffat fans and non Moffat fans alike.

Tbh this is why I think he should go. It does the show no favours if there isn't a proper refresh. I'm involved in a lot of conventions and fan events and the like and the attitude towards DW at the moment can generally be described as 'meh'. There's really no other way of putting it. There's not much active dislike but certainly a massive indifference.

I know of a lot of people who have drifted away from it after series 8 (which was pretty awful), a lot who haven't even bothered to watch the Christmas special yet, and a lot who are still interested in the show but it's more through habit than pure enjoyment. Whether people here liked her or not, Jenna Coleman/Clara had a large and dedicated fanbase (especially among young women) and now she's gone too.

There's just so little excitement around the show now - so little buzz - and this big break really won't help. Then you've got the likes of Star Wars on the rise again and people are simply taking their interest elsewhere.

DW isn't on it's last legs but it's chugging along in a land of 'it's okay' and that really won't change until there's the boost a new Doctor brings.

This is just going to be said every year. It was said last year about Moffat leaving. Prior it was Smith leaving. We flip flop between needing more of the show on screen and it needing a break. Now it's Capaldi's turn and it will be his successor & Chibnall's before too long.

A regeneration episode is a draw - especially so that the last two have also been at Christmas / New Year - but there's no guarantee of that one episode boost carrying over. From Name of The Doctor to Into the Dalek was business as usual.

The grass isn't always greener. The next era isn't going to be a greater success just because it isn't the current one. Careful what you wish for.

Doctor Who needs to be saved more often than the NHS.

A regeneration is definitely a sure way of attracting lots of viewers... but not of keeping them. I certainly don't think we'd want it becoming a "comic book character death" sort of gimmick done for the sake of feeding a hunger for sales, or in this case viewers. Nor do I want to see change for the sake of change, myself.

There have only been two total reboots in the show's history, if you don't count the start of the second run: Jon Pertwee's introduction as the Doctor, and Moffat taking over the show. The former didn't do much to save lower ratings, and the fact that the latter worked at all after the success of Tennant and RTD is a miracle and could have easily crashed completely. Is it really a good idea to risk another total reboot, especially so soon? Because I can't see it magically bringing back viewers in the 10m range, what with the current run being 13 years old by then and TV still evolving.

As long as the show's still successful enough to keep going, that's fine by me. I'll just keep myself concerned with quality, which it's delivered plenty of lately in my opinion, because I can't care for the ratings if I'm not actually enjoying the show and they certainly don't always go hand in hand for me. And sometimes I think people would be happy to see 13 episodes of Davros wiggling his tongue as long as it brought in more than 10m viewers. It's almost like there's more love for comparing ratings than for actually enjoying television itself.

All I'd say is that whilst it was a shame that IMO a strong series saw the ratings drop, I personally don't buy the idea that Who has suddenly ceased to be 'mainstream'. An average of 6.7m (Just short of 8m for Xmas) is still very decent for a Drama series in 2016. Who doesn't exist in a bubble (Universe) and considering the length of time it's been on, I really cannot see the BBC worrying too much at present. (Now if there's *another* drop in 2017....maybe. Ah, a trend. We'll see.)

I mean, the Soaps regularly get figures ranging from 5-7m these days compared to, say, 5 years ago, and I assume they're still considered mainstream!

I know it's a different set of circs and long long time ago (So long ago I wasn't alive/very young!) , but if you look at the first 10 years of C20 Who, the fluctuation in viewers is significant. Steady start, then a real spike during Dalek-mania, then a steady dip during the later Hartnells, then a spike with Patrick, then a dip, then a spike (from Pertwee's Second series on, really. Inferno dropped to about 5m...yeah, that Classic!) then.....etc. These things happen with most TV Shows over time...why should C21 Who be any different?

Having said all that, I stated months ago on another thread that I think we'll see a regeneration at the end of 2017. I'll be happy if I'm wrong, but if I'm right....well, we'll see what the next Doctor's like and how he (? ) goes under Mr Chibbers. Although the assumption that a new Doctor/Showrunner automatically making the show buck the trend of TV ratings in general/be immediately popular and keep the initial curious casual viewers etc is just that, really. An assumption. Or hope!

A hope I share, mind. Quality is the most important thing, though, and obviously that's a purely subjective thing. But any Drama that averages over 6m these days (never mind taking into account viewers/sales worldwide in Who's case) ain't going anywhere any time soon.

Unlike most of the previous posters I seem to be in the minority. I don't think Peter should go. I think he should stay and do at least one season under the new show runner. Some people are saying that a regeneration always gets the viewers in, perhaps it does, but it's more likely to attract more speculative publicity from the press than anything else. I think we have to accept that the huge overnight viewing figures of say 5 - 8 years ago are gone for good. It's all about catch up now. I honestly don't believe that just changing the lead actor will make much difference other than a short blip. Why change Peter ? He's doing a great job as The Doctor, what needs to happen is far better written scripts, no stupid stories like the moon and the forest one's Don't over use established baddies like the Daleks and Missie (in fact get rid of her) don't have season arcs just well written stand alone stories and please please stop casting celebrities in important roles.

I don't really think the show has ever been 'totally rebooted' - sure there have been significant shifts in production design and creative direction etc but at its core it has remained the same as it always was. Arguably when Moffatt took over in series 5 everything changed but it was still a continuation of the story and show from the previous 40-odd years.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that Peter Capaldi must go as he is terrible and has dragged the show down!! - its just that in this particular set of very unique circumstances, its an opportunity for another fresh creative direction (as opposed to 'reboots') - the likes of which we haven't seen since series 5. We wont get a new TARDIS set again - these must be very expensive to build and each time we've had one theres been a specific behind the scenes reason for it to be done. A new doctor is pretty significant to the change.

With regards to ratings, the world is changing of course... and rapidly at that. However, for the time being ratings are still seen as important however they are calculated. I think the understanding now is that the overnights are very insignificant in the grand scheme of things but that still doesnt stop newspaper headlines the next day... You only have to look at the 'reboot' of top gear to see a truly spectacular ratings tumble and that its still a very large stick that is used to beat the programme.

Just to say, whilst I'm definitely in the camp of thinking a new doctor will be better going forward, I certainly don't want one purely just because of the one episode hype of a regeneration episode. Those are always exciting sure, but the main reason I wan't a new doctor for series 11, as I've said countess times, is that I really do think that Chibnall's fresh start will benefit from as many people as possible seeing and acknowledging it's a fresh new start that they could try and might like, by having a new leading face.

Exactly! Couldn't agree more! If Peter stays on for S11, there will only be small mentions of the face there's a new head writer, it's not the main thing. Peter is the face of the show and if he continues into a supposed 'new era' under Chibnall, it just wouldn't come across as a new one. It'll be the same one because of Peter, meaning people might not tune in.

There's always intrigue in this show when its lead changes.

To me, the whole fresh new start has far more benefits to it...

You are not in the minority.

Hooray, also, do people really think that the general public know or care who the head writer, producer is ? They are only really interested in one thing. Who is The Doctor.

Which is exactly the point most of us who think he should go have been making.

No new Doctor, no new era as far as most are concerned, and no reason to suddenly try it, or re-try it (for those who Might have stopped watching since Capaldi took the role.)

Yes

I think that what he means by "rebooted" is a new Doctor, a new Companion and a new Showrunner all at the same time.

Other than on this forum, has the feedback from the general public regarding Peter's portrayal been positive or negative.? I get the impression that generally he is well liked as The Doctor so would a change of actor really make a huge difference ?
According to a poll on this very forum 64% of pollers think he should stay after S.M. leaves.

Nobody is bashing Peter here.

Regardless of this particular forum's representation of a small sub-set of the population..(who are by default fans of the show anyway), the fact is that since Peter took over the viewing has dipped. Yes, Peter is a good actor, and his portrayal of the Doctor is for some people spot on and harks back to the classic era. There is nothing wrong with this.

My theory is that not every 10 year old that got enthralled in 2006 will have grown up continuing to want to watch the show. Unless the show can continue to attract the latest generation of kids then it will lose viewers.

All we are saying is that a new Doctor is a guaranteed way to, at the very least, boost the show's profile again and get people tuning back in to see if they like it.

Starting series 11 with Peter - there will be nothing to entice lost viewers back.

Agree 100%.

In my own personal experience, the only people who have stopped watching are teenage girls who only watched the show in the first place because they fancied the Doctor and are irritated by the new guy being old, but I've come across loads of children and adults who adore him in the role, and known a few people get into the show with him in. Apparently some people see a very different atmosphere and, while I don't doubt them, all these foreboding messages of a show that's lost interest are so very different from what I'm seeing.

Can you post this occasionally in the ratings thread next year?

Hopefully we're not locked in to this three-series-and-out pattern forever. Instead of investing in our lead character, we're looking to throw them out after nine months of screen time. You would start to question how other shows manage.

Moffat can get panned all he likes for changing music/visuals/format/sets regularly, "because we can" - but we demand nothing less, do we not? Chibnall will need to do more than make the show look different. He needs to produce and write a show capable of keeping the audience interested for reasons more than what it and its cast looks like.

Hope he can. Personally I thought Dinosaurs on a Spaceship was a lot of fun. The rest of his Who, perhaps not so much. Still, it would take some work to write something as uninteresting and anticlimactic as the Hybrid arc.

For me personally Ive been watching since the 1970s and Ive enjoyed every Doctor but for some reason I havent enjoyed the last series of Doctor Who at all. There were times I couldnt be bothered to watch a episode and when I did watch it on iplayer I felt why I actually bothered.

I mean I wanted a older Doctor for years and then finally we get one and im less than impressed. Nothing against Peter but I dont think he has suited the role well.

I did try to enjoy the show last year, the xmas one with santa was pants, why we really needed to see a half mutilated Davros graphically ive no idea and as for the sleep no more melting sand face I did feel was a bit strong for a family show. Normally id look forward to a Dalek story but I couldnt, Id probably say episode 1 was the best of the series but it seemed to go downhill after that.

We've got a guaranteed fourteen episodes left with Capaldi. By the end of those, he'll have done 40 episodes (42 if you count his cameos in both TDOTD and TTOTD). Essentially three series and more episodes than Doctors 6-9 onscreen as well. The more I think on it, the more it really does seem more likely that he will leave with Moffat.