RTD did it (13 episodes) and Moffatt did too.
Whoopsie. My dislike for Berman subconsciously made me forget his name altogether.
Series 13 not shooting until September
- Thread starter StCoop
- Start date
RTD did it (13 episodes) and Moffatt did too.
Whoopsie. My dislike for Berman subconsciously made me forget his name altogether.
...and, as has been repeatedly stated, it was a rough and stressful experience for both of them.
RTD almost 15 years ago... Do you think the situation with budgets and costs are the same?
I mean I'm a huge fan of Moffat but the difference between Who under RTD and under Moffat from a production perspective is obvious. I think RTD spoiled us, lord knows how he managed without killing himself/going nuts!
I think RTD realized that releasing thirteen episode seasons annually would be a nearly impossible, which is why he planned as early as 2006 to take 2009 off. Indeed, in The Writer's Tale he even says had he stayed in charge of Doctor Who indefinitely he would make gap years similar to 2009 a regular thing after every four years. I'll even go so far as to speculate the strain of doing thirteen episodes a year, plus Christmas special for four years straight is why he refused the dumptruck of cash backed onto his driveway that BBC allegedly offered him to stay on for a fifth season.
Indeed, looking at the spin-offs produced in that era, which had their own showrunners to handle the day to day affairs, we see Torchwood (which was run by Chibnall) operated similarly to how Doctor Who currently does. Season 1 was thirteen episodes airing from October 2006 to January 2007, season 2 another thirteen episodes airing from January to April 2008 and season 3/Children of Earth was five episodes airing in July 2009. SJA was run by Gareth Roberts and twelve episode seasons which did air annually at roughly the same time each year, though those were shorter episodes, so the total season works itself out to half the length of Doctor Who or Torchwood.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to compare things with Broadchurch since it's another Chibnall show, and was eight episodes every two years.
Indeed, looking at the spin-offs produced in that era, which had their own showrunners to handle the day to day affairs, we see Torchwood (which was run by Chibnall) operated similarly to how Doctor Who currently does. Season 1 was thirteen episodes airing from October 2006 to January 2007, season 2 another thirteen episodes airing from January to April 2008 and season 3/Children of Earth was five episodes airing in July 2009. SJA was run by Gareth Roberts and twelve episode seasons which did air annually at roughly the same time each year, though those were shorter episodes, so the total season works itself out to half the length of Doctor Who or Torchwood.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to compare things with Broadchurch since it's another Chibnall show, and was eight episodes every two years.
For those doomsayers who think Doctor Who is on its final ropes, the BBC drama chief, Piers Wenger, has a thing or two to say about that:
“I worked on Doctor Who myself and produced it for many years and I can honestly say I don’t think it’s been in better health editorially. The production values have never been better. It’s also not just funded by the BBC, it’s funded by lots of international partners.
“It’s an incredibly important show for young audiences, it’s still watched by families in a world where there are fewer shows that have the power to do that. It will always be an important show for us and we’re a very long way from wanting to rest it.”
“It’s an incredibly important show for young audiences, it’s still watched by families in a world where there are fewer shows that have the power to do that. It will always be an important show for us and we’re a very long way from wanting to rest it.”
I mean presumably there is a point where the BBC would pull the plug, but clearly we're some distance from it at the moment. The current ratings are around where Capaldi's last series was, but obviously may still go up somewhat, though they're unlikely to rise much further, irrespective of new ways of watching tv, the majority of views still hit within the first week. I do think they need to consider switching it back to a Saturday evening. Sunday is a school night and while I'm sure many kids are still up and about, I expect a lot of children might be off to bed/ or being got ready for bed, between 7 and 8.
I'm one of the few people I know (in RL) who still mostly watch it live, though most of the people I know who used to watch it still do, they're just usually seeing it Monday or Tuesday.
It is kinda annoying that of the last four or five series the ones I've enjoyed most (10 and 12) have been the ones with the lowest viewing figures.
I'm one of the few people I know (in RL) who still mostly watch it live, though most of the people I know who used to watch it still do, they're just usually seeing it Monday or Tuesday.
It is kinda annoying that of the last four or five series the ones I've enjoyed most (10 and 12) have been the ones with the lowest viewing figures.
And today's audiences have higher expectations for f/x, which sucks up more funding than what people realize. Chibnall proved this noting series 12's comparative lack of "the shiny" (as various critiques from some revealed, of which "Orphan 55" is a prime example of their expectations being shattered.) Chibnall knows where to spend the big f/x money as well and that counts the most. And since others play this card, can I have a turn too: To be a real fan of Doctor Who, one has to tolerate not-always-shiny f/x. Actually, I say that as sarcasm, because the show means different things to different people and after 55 years and producers and story formats, there are going to be huge differences and expectations.
Production values were complained about by some viewers, noting series 12's were less polished than series 11's. Right down to using different lenses. Some still maintain what's going on now is not unlike what was going on in 1989.
And he's right; many shows are not kid-friendly in the slightest. DW is definitely different and still in a good way regarding that.
The way things are going, seems to me it'll be the BBC itself that gets 'rested' before long.
I wondered how the coming changed to beeb might impact on Dr Who.
I can see a future where the BBC has been hollowed out to a state owned holding company, tendering out the national treasures like Dr Who to third party franchises.
Dr Who and associated brands and rights could go to Netflix for five years, then Amazon, or Dave. Whoever bids highest. It could work.
In the good ol' days, Doctor Who was releasing 30-40 15-20 minute episodes a season. Which is a lot. I recall a TNG special where the cast was talking about how stressful it was to shoot 20-24 episodes a year, in one week blocks - which could mean for an intense episode, 10-12 hour days.
Certainly producing fewer episodes a year means more time to polish scripts, being able to take longer to shoot a single episode - 2, or even 3 weeks of daily shoots per show would be a lot easier on the cast and crew. In an effects heavy show like DW it gives them more time to polish up in post (thinking of the Adipose episode, Doctor and Donna hanging on the scaffolding...).
It also allows fore more elaborate "on location" episodes, especially when the entire premise of the show is that you can travel anywhere in time and space. Even an expensive TV show can't afford the budget for major fx like a feature film, so you cut corners using every filmmakers tried and true techniques.
In The End Of Time, when the Master gets kidnapped by ninjas, and gets roped to a helicopter; the crew used a truck with a cherry picker, some floodlights and fans to sell the effect.
So yeah, 13 a year maybe a lot, but if it's only 10 a year I could live with that. But I kinda lost interest in DW over the past few years and it's hard to get back into it.
Certainly producing fewer episodes a year means more time to polish scripts, being able to take longer to shoot a single episode - 2, or even 3 weeks of daily shoots per show would be a lot easier on the cast and crew. In an effects heavy show like DW it gives them more time to polish up in post (thinking of the Adipose episode, Doctor and Donna hanging on the scaffolding...).
It also allows fore more elaborate "on location" episodes, especially when the entire premise of the show is that you can travel anywhere in time and space. Even an expensive TV show can't afford the budget for major fx like a feature film, so you cut corners using every filmmakers tried and true techniques.
In The End Of Time, when the Master gets kidnapped by ninjas, and gets roped to a helicopter; the crew used a truck with a cherry picker, some floodlights and fans to sell the effect.
So yeah, 13 a year maybe a lot, but if it's only 10 a year I could live with that. But I kinda lost interest in DW over the past few years and it's hard to get back into it.
There is a solution.
Instead of a single showrunner, make it an EP and a Head Writer. The EP and HW roughly plan the stories and an arc. Then the EP goes on to deal with all the heavy lifting, while the HW actually writes the scripts and works with writers. It really is too much for one person to do on any sustained level.
Instead of a single showrunner, make it an EP and a Head Writer. The EP and HW roughly plan the stories and an arc. Then the EP goes on to deal with all the heavy lifting, while the HW actually writes the scripts and works with writers. It really is too much for one person to do on any sustained level.
Isn't that how they've been doing it all along anyway? Currently Chibnall is the Head Writer with Matt Strevens as the EP?
Verity Lambert did make it a family drama, which was budgeted in part by the BBCs Children's department so kids were definitely part of the audience (just not the role audience as season 1 does a lot that is arguably more adult than a lot that followed!); later producers and showrunners did change the primary if not solely intended demographic, sometimes solely to young kids, sometimes to older ones. Or just adults on a couple rare occasions.
100% agreed! Ditto for plenty of adults as well. And for a program that has such popular, global draw.
100% true. It's amazing Classic WHO went to alien plants as often as they had. Kids thankfully had imaginations, allowing people in blue makeup and pasted-on paper horns into thinking something much different.
Similar threads
