Series 7 Returns on March 30

[Emh]

I'm not sure what I'm more surprised by, the earlier (than usual) Spring airdate or the fact that we know about it so "early."

Doctor Who: series 7 confirmed to return on Easter weekend

It's going to be another Doctor Who-themed Easter weekend in 2013, as the BBC confirms that Who's current series is to return on Saturday the 30th of March. That's a full week earlier than most of us were expecting, and you'll hear no complaints from this quarter.

[Allyn Gibson]

Emh wrote:

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I'm not sure what I'm more surprised by, the earlier (than usual) Spring airdate or the fact that we know about it so "early."

I've seen the suggestion today that this announcement -- a full two months in advance of airing -- is to settle a fandom riled up by yesterday's revelations from Toy Fair. However, I suspect the announcement has more to do with the needs of Doctor Who‘s foreign broadcasters than it does with fan discontent.

The ITV gamesmanship that was the moving target of the autumn premiere date made it difficult for broadcasters like BBC America and Space to advertise the show in anything more than a vague way. They would have preferred bus billboards and print ads with an actual date than the nebulous “Fall” that they had to use as the BBC broadcast date was finalized until after the marketing materials had to go to press.

After BBC America landed Doctor Who on the cover of TV Guide, the same moving target gamesmanship for the spring isn’t something they would be anxious to repeat.

[Lonemagpie]

Oddly, it's also...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Doctors%27_Day

[DalekJim]

Oh, it's so nice to have confirmation this early. I'm used to finding out 2 weeks before broadcast, having wasted weeks of anticipation for imminent Who.

[The Wormhole]

Didn't DWM say over it would have an "April premiere date?" I guess March 30 is close enough to April, and it is the traditional Easter premiere.

[DalekJim]

DWM got the wrong info? Does that mean Tom Spilsbury is in actual fact not Steven Moffat's bestest friend in the whole wild world?

I remember when Moffat told Spilsbury Series 5 would be called Series 1 .

[Lonemagpie]

It's not up to Moffat when the show airs - it's up to the BBC1 schedulers

Should make for a good weekend though, since Game Of Thrones is back on the Sunday (US) and Monday (UK) as well...

[The Wormhole]

DalekJim wrote:

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DWM got the wrong info? Does that mean Tom Spilsbury is in actual fact not Steven Moffat's bestest friend in the whole wild world?

I remember when Moffat told Spilsbury Series 5 would be called Series 1 .

My guess is at the time the article was written whoever wrote it said April not realizing Easter is actually in March this year. It's an honest mistake, Easter is in April more often than it is in March.

[Brendan Moody]

DWM has had a wrong premiere date in the past due to a late change of plans; that may have happened again.

[diankra]

With issues out on March 7 and April 4, 30 March is a dreadful date fromDWM's point of view!

[tomalak301]

Doctor Who, Easter, and Game of Thrones on the same weekend? That's awesome.

[Captaindemotion]

Lonemagpie wrote:

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It's not up to Moffat when the show airs - it's up to the BBC1 schedulers

Should make for a good weekend though, since Game Of Thrones is back on the Sunday (US) and Monday (UK) as well...

My thoughts precisely.

Isn't Liam Cunningham (GOT's Davos) in DW this season? (Or was that the first half of S7)

[DalekJim]

Thought the first season of Game of Thrones was an almost flawlessly perfect adaptation of the book. Season 2 seriously dropped the ball with all the main plots apart from Theon's so I'm a bit wary about next season considering the third book is my favourite.

[Lonemagpie]

Captaindemotion wrote:

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My thoughts precisely.

Isn't Liam Cunningham (GOT's Davos) in DW this season? (Or was that the first half of S7)

He's in episode 8, the submarine episode (he's the captain), along with David Warner.

Of course both shows get Diana Rigg in this year...

[diankra]

DalekJim wrote:

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Thought the first season of Game of Thrones was an almost flawlessly perfect adaptation of the book. Season 2 seriously dropped the ball with all the main plots apart from Theon's so I'm a bit wary about next season considering the third book is my favourite.

Was about to say that I think that's down to the books rather than the series, and then realised you've read the books. Still, there is an ongoing problem that they can never match the surprise of... ahh, episode nine, season one.