Officially no series 8 in 2013

Discussion in 'Doctor Who' started by Samurai8472, Jan 22, 2013.

  1. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

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    Though, OT, a shitty film. A gorgeous looking but shitty film.

    It's like that hot chick... who is awful human being. She's HOT, but she kicks dogs.

    Anyway... carry on with the pile up.
     
  2. Alidar Jarok

    Alidar Jarok Everything in moderation but moderation Moderator

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    Eh, it's a matter of opinion. The overall opinion has been positive (I would argue that it wasn't a great movie, but was certainly a good movie and a comparison between Rotten Tomatoes and MetaCritic would agree with me there).
     
  3. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

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    Oh, I know. I know I'm in the minority on this one. I just have NO idea why people love it so much. Other than it LOOKS fantastic... visually, it's great.

    That's why I go with the hot girl analogy... that's the only way I can understand why people seem to love Skyfall.
     
  4. Alidar Jarok

    Alidar Jarok Everything in moderation but moderation Moderator

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    That's certainly not my reason. In fact, it gets quite dark and dingy about half of the way through when they go to Scotland, so beauty isn't really the answer. But we're quite a bit off topic, so I'll leave this conversation there.
     
  5. Mr Awe

    Mr Awe Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I agree with this. Though, I want to add that I don't think there are any "bad guys" in this story. I think the BBC cares and Moffat definitely cares.

    It appears to be a combination of budgetary problems and mismanagement. They can at least fix the mismanagement and get a regular production going at whatever rate they can afford. Whether the BBC has the leadership to actually do this, I don't know!

    Mr Awe
     
  6. Snick27

    Snick27 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    They had years to plan for this and save up some money. So if this is something they really wanted to do, they could of made it happen.

    Doctor Who feels like a Stepchild to the BBC.
     
  7. Lance

    Lance Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The trouble is obviously that Steven Moffat is incompetent. Russell "hooray for me!" Davies would have had fifty double-length episodes written and sent off in the same amount of time that it seems to take Moffat to write a single Christmas special.

    Seriously, there have been rumblings about this for a while. Moffat has only managed to complete one full season in all the time he's been show-runner (Series Five, his first), and only then because he had the lead-in from Davies doing the Tennant specials. Ever since then Moffat has become notorious for missing his deadlines. The split of Series 6 into two halves was allegedly because he'd spread himself too thinly across both Doctor Who and Sherlock, but it seems like he just can't get it together now.

    To be honest, I think they'd be better off simply admitting that Doctor Who only has six episodes each series from now on. None of this 'Series "x" Part "x"!' business. :wtf:
     
  8. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    Well it must have done something right.

    1.>It's the most succesdul film ever at the British Box Office topping Avatar

    2.>It was one of last years most succesful film.


    As for DW, unless the Beeb is trying to keep things under wrap, a special and a docu-drama on the making of it seem a little light for such a milestone.
     
  9. diankra

    diankra Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    What would be amusing if the incoming director general (who's starting in the spring, to replace the one who had to resign after 57 days back in October) got hit by a left-field question about Doctor Who's 50th anniversary when the Commons Select Committee on Culture and Media talk to him as he takes up the job.
    Doubt they will though... though my MP is chair of that committee, so I do almost wonder if I ought to ask him to try. But compared with interrogating Murdoch about Hackgate, it'd seem a bit trivial.
     
  10. Konata Izumi

    Konata Izumi Commander Red Shirt

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    That is said sometimes, but wasn't Series 6 shot on normal schedule, and only aired later? So TD,T,WDAN,KL,FYAIF,Lp would have been the first Moffat Who episode made later than usual (cause that one was even if it aired on time).

    I don't think as little as half will become the norm but maybe eight like this year.

    They just want to save some money by (sort of) inconspicuously shortening the seasons a bit.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2013
  11. Nick Ryder

    Nick Ryder Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Y'know honestly I think Moffat could never hack doing an American TV series that's one thing that's for certain. I mean most of the hour long dramas run at least 15-23 episodes a SEASON - which is really like August/September until about May and then it starts up again. So the fact that in one year - one FULL year he only managed 6 episodes and a Christmas special. That's... kind of sad. While yes, there are SFX to worry about - it's still not THAT much of an effects driven show. Not like say, Star Trek or Stargate and even they still managed to put in 20-some odd episodes.

    I mean when you have a show that's getting some steady interest - you don't just put out seven episodes in one year and expect people to flock to it when it does return.

    Say what you will about Davies, at least you still got 13 episodes a year plus the specials.
     
  12. diankra

    diankra Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Nick, it's got nothing to do with the relative talents of Moffat and RTD... it's all about decisions higher up in the BBC. If he was still here, Russell would be coming out with the same BS about 'best year ever' while knowing no-one believed him.
     
  13. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Honestly, any show that does split seasons should just start referring to each block as its own season as opposed to season x part x. Especially with American shows that split twenty episode seasons into two blocks of ten. Each block of ten should just be its own season. Hell, there are quite a few shows which do only have ten episode seasons anyway.
     
  14. Nick Ryder

    Nick Ryder Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    But my point being - during the RTD era you had like 2 other series running - Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. So I could understand the necessity to have shorter seasons and maybe even split it up a bit.

    Now there's just Dr. Who and that's really it.

    I have this really bad feeling that BBC is going to let Who die again like they did in the 90s, they'll milk it for all the merchandising and such they can get but not produce anything new after Smith's run is over. Even though the series has run for 50 years which is amazing
     
  15. Lance

    Lance Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Absolutely. There is simply no excuse.

    Edit: I think what gets me the most is exactly what has bugged a few others: a 60 minute 'special' simply isn't special enough for a 50th anniversary. Any other show, yes. But a half century is a fucking milestone that deserves far more respect than an episode with an identical running time to your average end-of-year Christmas episode. Especially given we're getting fuck all in terms of other output in the same year. They can't stump up just that bit more cash for this monumental occasion? I call bullshit on that. :vulcan:
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2013
  16. Australis

    Australis Writer - Australis Admiral

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    I have to agree that the 50th Special being 1x 60min is a piss poor effort. The BBC, from Moffat to the very top, should have taken it a lot more seriously.

    And it is quite within their ability to spend more money on this show, it's just a matter of allocation.
     
  17. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I was surprised when the last DVD came out and it was called "Series Seven, Part One." The reason I was surprised was that BBC Worldwide had told merchandisers and marketers last summer (and I have the e-mails at work) that the Pond episodes were "Series 7" and the JLC episodes were "Series 8."

    But plans change. *shrug*

    Underground Toys uses wording like "the 2013 series" in their materials. DWM uses similar terminology. While it would be nice to have an approved style guide, the terminology used doesn't matter so much as the punters understand what they're buying and that it's what they want.
     
  18. Nick Ryder

    Nick Ryder Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Well really this next "series" is pretty different compared to the previous 6 episodes that it really shouldn't be referred to as anything but a series unto itself. I mean it'd be like during Tennant's run for him to lose Rose, and then change the Tardis and everything and expect people to consider everything After Rose to be a "new series"
     
  19. StalwartUK

    StalwartUK Captain Captain

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    Wouldn't surprise me if after the 50th shorter series become the norm.

    Speculation: What if the 50th Anniversary Special is the Christmas Special? Just moved forward a month or so.
     
  20. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I completely agree with you, which is why I was excited that Worldwide was going to call it "Series 8." Until they decided not to. :)