So when can we get new episodes of the Dr. in the US? It seems we're not getting anything until 2011. Season 4 is done here.
New Episodes in the US
- Thread starter bismarck_1892
- Start date
I think you mean 2010. If it was 2011, I think I'd have to just pack up my things and move to the UK. lol
Yeah 2010. There maybe some specials in 2009, but no new season in 2009, either on BBC America or Sci Fi. How can a TV series operate that way? I guess things are different in the US. A season, for example, is 23 or 24 episodes not 16. Too bad.
What about R1 DVD releases of the 2009 specials? Are they going to put them each out separately or wait until the last special at the end of the year and then package them all together in a box set?
^There's no way to know, but I imagine they'll wait for whatever R2 box set includes the specials and release an R1 version of that, as they have in the past. (Barring the odd after-the-fact release of the series one vanilla DVDs, but since they haven't repeated that for subsequent series I doubt it did good business for them.) In any case, the specials won't be released on R1 DVD until after they've aired on whatever network buys/has bought them.
I don't mind waiting a few weeks for Doctor Who, but with no Sci-Fi air date in site I acquired the Christmas special through other means, as I will for all the other specials. I would recommend going the same route Bismark.
British TV is indeed quite different. For one thing, TV shows are only ever commissioned season by season -- they don't tend to do multi-season contracts so much the way we do in America. And because the seasons are shorter -- Doctor Who's 13-episode season is actually on the longer end of the scale for British TV -- they tend to organize a programming by, well, season. A certain slate of new shows to air their seasons during the spring, a certain slate for the fall, etc. Whereas US TV tends to basically copy the public school calender.
Plus, Doctor Who is in the unique position of being "un-axeable" at the moment. We all know of it's phenomenal success and position as a flagship show for the BBC since the relaunch.
So, even though we fans may grumble at the lack of a proper season, the show can sit snug and warm in it's Pocket Of Success And Critical Acclaim knowing that it won't be thrown into the Dustbin Of Dead-End Shows like a used hanky as it goes through a transitional period.
Well that's true, but it's not really unique that this happened, I mean just look at Hustle, off the air for 18 months, had a shit series, but came back and before this series even ended it was commissioned for another one. Or Foyles War, been off the air for a while now, they've even got to the end of the war, but it's still been commissioned for a new series.
Yeah, it's not really a stretch to say it's the most popular show in the country (after the soaps, for some reason).True, but Doctor Who sits above even those, I'd say. If those shows can keep going after a layoff or drop in quality, then it's a no-brainer that Doctor Who can.
It's...umm...more unique than they are. Umm...yeah.
Yeah 13 episodes is long by British standards, but there are precedents (Blakes 7 had 13 episode seasons for example) With some shows it isn't even consistent. take Spooks (MI5 in the US) which has had seasons of 6 episodes, 8 episodes, 10 episodes etc...Budget does come into it I guess, but also availability of the cast etc. Eg we can afford to bring Spooks back but only for six episodes, or let's do another season of Coupling but Jack Davenport can only commit to five eps etc etc.
Personally I think 10/13 episodes is an optimum length for a season, too often when I'm watching US shows I notice padding episodes and sometimes much as I love a show you can have too much of a good thing.
At the other end of the spectrum 6 episode shows are annoying cos they end just as you're getting into them!
I like 10-14 episodes too. But as I said in the Hustle thread, I'd rather the length of the series fit what the writers/producers think they can handle, and end up with a good quality show, than one that's stretched to fit an arbitrary number.
^^ I agree, too, actually.
Interestingly, I suppose I would compare the British TV model, actually, to the production model used for dramas by US premium channels. Shows like HBO's The Sopranos tend to be commissioned season-by-season, and usually for much smaller numbers of episodes per season, than a network show.
Interestingly, I suppose I would compare the British TV model, actually, to the production model used for dramas by US premium channels. Shows like HBO's The Sopranos tend to be commissioned season-by-season, and usually for much smaller numbers of episodes per season, than a network show.
Of course back then Dr Who was 26 episodes a year, but only 25 minutes long. 13 episodes a year is a bit more common place since Dr Who's revival of the idea - Robin Hood, Merlin, Torchwood also launched with it.
I really don't think Doctor Who would have suceeded again with just 6 episodes a year, it was a gamble, that paid off big time.
I think it's since they started co-producing with other broadcasters, CBC/CTV in Canada, BBC America and BBC Worldwide as well, means they have bigger budgets and the risk is spread across 2 broadcasters instead of one.
Well, for me 13 episodes is just too short. I'm not sure how a show can have 6 episodes a season, unless its a mini-series. With such a world wide demand for the show one would think that they would bump up the number of episodes.
Oh well, I can survive without it, but the short run risks that new fans, younger fans, forget about the show and move on. At least here in the US.
Oh well, I can survive without it, but the short run risks that new fans, younger fans, forget about the show and move on. At least here in the US.
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