Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner

[jaime]

“2023” is not actually hazy: if the BBC intended to broadcast what Tennant and Tate are filming now at Christmas 2022, they would have had to say that year when announcing it. It’s at least possible that when Davies says November 2023 he means for the series, not the specials, though I don’t think it’s likely. “Special” is short for “special episode,” after all, and I really doubt he’d written multiple full episodes for the new Doctor months before Gatwa was cast, or that they plan to do all the past Doctor(s) stuff ahead of the actual anniversary.

I have never known the bbc to ever state ‘we are filming this for x year’ not least because no one really pays attention when they are filming unless it’s something like who.
Aside from which… it’s Bad Wolf now, not the Beeb in-house (or even Studios)
I mostly remember the BBC tending towards saying things like ‘later in the year’ or ‘early next year’ whenever they talk about dates for *anything* unless pressed.

So what I am saying is… I don’t think it is a Christmas special for this year, but at the same time, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if it turned out to be one, for a bunch of logical reasons.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Christmas Special makes sense. There’s no reason they’d be filming a special now if it wasn’t going to air until Nov 2023. Doctor Who to my knowledge never gets things in the can that early.

 

[Starkers]

Christmas Special makes sense. There’s no reason they’d be filming a special now if it wasn’t going to air until Nov 2023. Doctor Who to my knowledge never gets things in the can that early.

Well the explanation is that Tennant (and possibly Tate) are so busy that this was literally the only time they had free in their schedules. Of course maybe that's just misdirection?

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Well the explanation is that Tennant (and possibly Tate) are so busy that this was literally the only time they had free in their schedules. Of course maybe that's just misdirection?

We are in RTD land. Misdirection is certainly a possibility.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I have never known the bbc to ever state ‘we are filming this for x year’ not least because no one really pays attention when they are filming unless it’s something like who.
Aside from which… it’s Bad Wolf now, not the Beeb in-house (or even Studios)
I mostly remember the BBC tending towards saying things like ‘later in the year’ or ‘early next year’ whenever they talk about dates for *anything* unless pressed.

The BBC news releases about the casting of Tennant, Tate, and Finney all say 2023 specifically. RTD’s press quotes are all along the lines of “2023 is going to be amazing” or “talk to me in 2023 for more details.” This special (which as has been pointed out isn’t even confirmed to have Christmas set dressing) is not airing in 2022. Maybe early 2023, if RTD was engaging in misdirection when he suggested his new era would start in November 2023.

 

[jaime]

The BBC news releases about the casting of Tennant, Tate, and Finney all say 2023 specifically. RTD’s press quotes are all along the lines of “2023 is going to be amazing” or “talk to me in 2023 for more details.” This special (which as has been pointed out isn’t even confirmed to have Christmas set dressing) is not airing in 2022. Maybe early 2023, if RTD was engaging in misdirection when he suggested his new era would start in November 2023.

BBC or Radio Times? News, or Management? Calendar year? Or Television year/seasons?
All I am saying is, there’s wiggle room to drive a bus through, including location dressing.

 

[Starkers]

Let's be honest, if something is going to air around Christmas it would make sense for it to be a New Year special again, because at least that way it would be in the actually anniversary year.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Honestly, I think things are going to get a lot clearer after the Centenary Special. If not news by August/September, certainly after that episode's broadcast we'll know more.

Speaking of which, we really have no news regarding the most immediate special coming up, do we? Not even a title?

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Speaking of which, we really have no news regarding the most immediate special coming up, do we? Not even a title?

Ace and Tegan... a Regeneration and presumably the departure of Bishop/Mandip... Daleks, Cybermen, but yeah, no news. But then that's typical of the present regime and in fairness we are about half a year away from it being aired.

 

[StCoop]

Keeping things secret is a good idea... in theory.

In practice, you end up in the situation where people are more excited by what's happening in eighteen months than what's happening in five.

 

[DigificWriter]

When RTD's return was announced, it was explicitly stated that he was returning "to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who in 2023, and series beyond" (emphasis mine).

Regardless of why filming for the 60th is already happening, Doctor Who's broadcast schedule for the future looks like this:
* October 2022: BBC Centenary Special (Jodie's last episode)
* November 2023: Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special

This is not up for debate, as it's been consistently and specifically confirmed and reconfirmed by the BBC and RTD.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Ace and Tegan... a Regeneration and presumably the departure of Bishop/Mandip... Daleks, Cybermen, but yeah, no news. But then that's typical of the present regime and in fairness we are about half a year away from it being aired.

Its nuts that we know more about the 60th anniversary celebrations than we do of Jodie's finale. Not necessarily in a bad way, but come on. Its 5 months away, and all the current regime does is occassionally post Flux promotional pics that say "Here's Jodie and the gang" or whatever. Top marketing, that.

 

[jaime]

When RTD's return was announced, it was explicitly stated that he was returning "to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who in 2023, and series beyond" (emphasis mine).

Regardless of why filming for the 60th is already happening, Doctor Who's broadcast schedule for the future looks like this:
* October 2022: BBC Centenary Special (Jodie's last episode)
* November 2023: Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special

This is not up for debate, as it's been consistently and specifically confirmed and reconfirmed by the BBC and RTD.

Nothing quite like getting shots in the can a year and a half before broadcast, and the buzz thereof…

Last time I remember anything close to that, Michael Palin was off around the world.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

When RTD's return was announced, it was explicitly stated that he was returning "to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who in 2023, and series beyond" (emphasis mine).

Regardless of why filming for the 60th is already happening, Doctor Who's broadcast schedule for the future looks like this:
* October 2022: BBC Centenary Special (Jodie's last episode)
* November 2023: Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special

This is not up for debate, as it's been consistently and specifically confirmed and reconfirmed by the BBC and RTD.

Congratulations on ignoring my and others' request on a source on the release date.

What, you thought we would forget?

Ace and Tegan... a Regeneration and presumably the departure of Bishop/Mandip... Daleks, Cybermen, but yeah, no news. But then that's typical of the present regime and in fairness we are about half a year away from it being aired.

I think you're confused. Everything you just listed are in the Centenary Special that comes out this October/November.

The 60th anniversary special is what presumably has Tennant, Tate, Chibbins, etc.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I think you're confused. Everything you just listed are in the Centenary Special that comes out this October/November.

Not confused. The post I quoted was in reference to the most immediate special coming up? Ie: The Centenary.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Not confused. The post I quoted was in reference to the most immediate special coming up? Ie: The Centenary.

Yeah, you're right. I misread your post post because then you immediately made reference to the special not airing for another year plus (but you meant the 60th but that wasn't clear).

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Yeah, you're right. I misread your post post because then you immediately made reference to the special not airing for another year plus (but you meant the 60th but that wasn't clear).

Well… who’s confused?

I said we are about half a year out from the centenary (5-6 months?, I’m not sure how long TBH). I didn’t say anything about a year plus…

Someone needs to go to Specsavers.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Damn. Apparently I can't read today.

(I thought it said a year and a half)

 

[Richard S. Ta]

@The Nth Doctor

Well in the end I was confused… anyway I think we are all back on track now…

No worries!

 

[DigificWriter]

Congratulations on ignoring my and others' request on a source on the release date.

What, you thought we would forget?

If you want a source of confirmation other than RTD's comments from last year stating that he had already written four episodes (including the 60th Special) and also stating that the first of said episodes - which we know to be the aforementioned 60th Special - would air in November 2023, I can't give you one.

However, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, I have no reason to believe that his aforementioned comments mean anything other than what I have been saying they mean, which is that the broadcast of Series 14 will immediately follow the broadcast of the 60th Special.