Classic Who on BBC America

[OmahaStar]

Next Sunday night, from 8p-10p (Central), BBC America will be showing the First Doctor story The Aztecs.

As I understand it, they will be doing this once a month, a two-hour block with one Doctor's story, leading up to the anniversary in November.

[sidious618]

I wish they'd do this more often instead of showing 50 episodes of Top Gear a day.

[Peacemaker]

Sweet!!! Yeah, hopefully, this will take up more and more room on their schedule each month to replace endless Top Gear episodes.

[Mr Light]

That's great! They should show Doctor Who all the time! ST: TNG and BSG are not British productions!

[Robert D. Robot]

^ Yeah-- I do not understand why BBCA plays BSG and ST:TNG. Also, while I know that Top Gear and that Ramsay Kitchen Guy must be popular, I find it hard to believe that there are not other British programmes (both currently being made AND older out-of-production shows) that Americans would enjoy with which the BBCA could fill out their schedule.

[Alidar Jarok]

I'll make a note to check it out.

[Tom]

Wish Netflix would get some more classic Doctor Who beyond the 10 or so stories they have had for the past 2 years.

[Redfern]

The Aztecs? Cool! I haven't seen that one!

At first I wondered, why not "An Unearthy Child"? But then I assumed maybe that one is being reserved for the anniversary date itself, Nov. 23 (or the weekend closest to it).

Thanks for the "heads up"!

Sincerely,

Bill

[Allyn Gibson]

Robert D. Robot wrote:

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I do not understand why BBCA plays BSG and ST:TNG. Also, while I know that Top Gear and that Ramsay Kitchen Guy must be popular, I find it hard to believe that there are not other British programmes (both currently being made AND older out-of-production shows) that Americans would enjoy with which the BBCA could fill out their schedule.

BBC America is a commercial network, and they have to show things that they know will get eyeballs for advertisers and will justify what they pay to show it.

[Mr. Adventure]

Interesting, and a surprising choice. I'd think they'd play it safe with some Tom Baker initially. It's what they used to play when they had classic Who back in the day.

[Allyn Gibson]

Mr. Adventure wrote:

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Interesting, and a surprising choice. I'd think they'd play it safe with some Tom Baker initially. It's what they used to play when they had classic Who back in the day.

No, the BBC and its partners are doing a one Doctor per month thing for the anniversary:

January: First Doctor
February: Second Doctor
March: Third Doctor
April: Well, you get the idea.

That's why Destiny of the Doctors is structured the way it is. That's why Prisoners of Time is structured the way it is. That's why the eBook series is structured the way it is.

So, we can expect a Troughton on BBC America in February, a Pertwee in March, and so on.

[Sindatur]

Plus, The Aztecs is a good commercial for the Special Edition coming out with Galaxy 4 new episode. And The Aztecs is actually one of my favorite Hartnells

[Mr. Adventure]

I had missed the one-and-done part of this. I think for BBCA and many who only know Who from its current incarnation that T Baker would probably draw more sustainable interest than Hartnell.

[Enterprise is Great]

I'll check this out. I've never seen anything with the first Doctor.

[Robert D. Robot]

Allyn Gibson wrote:

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BBC America is a commercial network, and they have to show things that they know will get eyeballs for advertisers and will justify what they pay to show it.

I guess I should have been a bit better on how I phrased my comment-

I do understand the needs of a commercial network. It just seems sad that the only British programmes that Americans are interested in (or networks think Americans are interested in) are Who, Top Gear & Ramsay on BBCA and the same handful of 20-30 year old repeats of British comedies that are shown on PBS on Saturday nights.

BSG and Trek on BBCA? Sort of like flying to Paris so you can eat at McDonalds.