Two Pieces Of News From "Let's Kill Hitler" Screening [SPOILERS]

[StCoop]

(1) The Daleks appear in Series 6B or as Moffat put it, "It's almost like I lie sometimes!"

(2) The Doctor will be getting a "new" Companion sooner than people might think. From the hints being dropped by people that were there it looks like it's going to be Nina Toussaint-White's Mels.

 

[PorthosShadow]

(1) The Daleks appear in Series 6B or as Moffat put it, "It's almost like I lie sometimes!"

No kidding because it's like I've always said, never believe a writer or executive producer when they tell you something.

 

[Lonemagpie]

(1) The Daleks appear in Series 6B or as Moffat put it, "It's almost like I lie sometimes!"

No kidding because it's like I've always said, never believe a writer or executive producer when they tell you something.

*A* Dalek, AIUI. It's almost certainly just a cameo, like how there was one in Waters Of Mars, though...

 

[StCoop]

*A* Dalek, AIUI. It's almost certainly just a cameo, like how there was one in Waters Of Mars, though...

A dead White Dalek lying on its back (to hide the hump?), hopefully having just been killed by a proper RTD Dalek.

Oh, and while the movement of the Ponds to recurring character status in Series 7 will mean a new Companion, Moffat's comment tonight was apparently more of a joke than a fact.

 

[intrinsical]

(1) The Daleks appear in Series 6B or as Moffat put it, "It's almost like I lie sometimes!"

(2) The Doctor will be getting a "new" Companion sooner than people might think. From the hints being dropped by people that were there it looks like it's going to be Nina Toussaint-White's Mels.

We've already speculated that Mels is young Melody Pond/River Song. So I can't say I'm surprised that Mels could be the next companion. And we know Melody has Timelord genes and can regenerate.

 

[captcalhoun]

SFX has confirmed Rory's back in season 7 in some capacity.

 

[Turbo]

SFX has confirmed Rory's back in season 7 in some capacity.

Excellent! I could see Moffat concocting some reason for the Doctor to run off with Amy for a bit while leaving Rory as a recurring character, but I'd much rather have him as a full regular.

 

[Trubinator]

SFX has confirmed Rory's back in season 7 in some capacity.

Excellent! I could see Moffat concocting some reason for the Doctor to run off with Amy for a bit while leaving Rory as a recurring character, but I'd much rather have him as a full regular.

I would kind of prefer the opposite, actually ... was really hoping they would finally kill Rory. Oh well.

And what's this I hear about Karen Gillan only returning as a guest star? I haven't seen confirmation of that OR that the Doctor will be getting a new companion.

 

[Cutter John]

I could see them moving to 'guest star' status. We know the Doctors dropped them off home at least once (between seasons 5 and 6).

Going through all the crap that Amy went through would ruin anyones taste for time and space adventuring.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

And what's this I hear about Karen Gillan only returning as a guest star? I haven't seen confirmation of that OR that the Doctor will be getting a new companion.

I attended a BBC America sales presentation on Doctor Who earlier this week, and I thought it was quite interesting, especially in that some of the things that I'd suspected were spelled out in the literature that was handed out. (I'll give you a concrete example. The target audience in the United States is 18-35. I knew that intuitively, but to have that on paper...) The big thing I took away from the presentation is that the BBC Worldwide recognizes that they have a very marketable incarnation of the brand that is on the cusp of breaking through in North America and they don't want to lose that and jeopardize the revenue that brings in. The New York "Impossible Astronaut" screening and the appearance of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan at SDCC this year were cited in particular as being eye-opening for the BBC and outside their UK experience.

My takeaway from the presentation, quite honestly, was that the current Team TARDIS is in for the long haul.

 

[Trubinator]

And what's this I hear about Karen Gillan only returning as a guest star? I haven't seen confirmation of that OR that the Doctor will be getting a new companion.

I attended a BBC America sales presentation on Doctor Who earlier this week, and I thought it was quite interesting, especially in that some of the things that I'd suspected were spelled out in the literature that was handed out. (I'll give you a concrete example. The target audience in the United States is 18-35. I knew that intuitively, but to have that on paper...) The big thing I took away from the presentation is that the BBC Worldwide recognizes that they have a very marketable incarnation of the brand that is on the cusp of breaking through in North America and they don't want to lose that and jeopardize the revenue that brings in. The New York "Impossible Astronaut" screening and the appearance of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan at SDCC this year were cited in particular as being eye-opening for the BBC and outside their UK experience.

My takeaway from the presentation, quite honestly, was that the current Team TARDIS is in for the long haul.

That was a very interesting and insightful perspective. Thanks for sharing!

Oh, also, do you think this means they may shy away from the revolving door casting for a bit? I know the American audience is more accustomed to seeing the same regulars for long periods of time.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Oh, also, do you think this means they may shy away from the revolving door casting for a bit? I know the American audience is more accustomed to seeing the same regulars for long periods of time.

My impression from the presentation -- and mind you, this is only my impression -- was that Worldwide and America would prefer a stable, multiyear cast because it makes it easier to market (Worldwide) and easier to sell to the American audience (America).

My personal thinking for a while has been that if Gillan and Darvill leave, it has to be after this season, otherwise they won't leave until after the anniversary in 2013 for two reasons. First, what actor wouldn't want to be part of the 50th anniversary celebrations? Second, there will be so many other things going on with the anniversary that introducing a new cast will complicate things.

A lesser consideration is that the current group of actors simply likes working with each other.

 

[Thestral]

I for one would be thrilled if Gillan and Darvill stuck around that long. Four years(ish) with at least two of the same companions, and those two in particular? Works for me.

 

[Trubinator]

Oh, also, do you think this means they may shy away from the revolving door casting for a bit? I know the American audience is more accustomed to seeing the same regulars for long periods of time.

My impression from the presentation -- and mind you, this is only my impression -- was that Worldwide and America would prefer a stable, multiyear cast because it makes it easier to market (Worldwide) and easier to sell to the American audience (America).

My personal thinking for a while has been that if Gillan and Darvill leave, it has to be after this season, otherwise they won't leave until after the anniversary in 2013 for two reasons. First, what actor wouldn't want to be part of the 50th anniversary celebrations? Second, there will be so many other things going on with the anniversary that introducing a new cast will complicate things.

A lesser consideration is that the current group of actors simply likes working with each other.

Agreed. I think that's why all the rumors are flying of Gillan and Darville possibly leaving at the end of this season. I'm more optimistic now, but the series 6 finale episode title still has me a little worried. If the Doctor is likely to get married then it would be a logical point for them to have Amy and Rory settle down. Now, we do know they WILL return, but both actors have been coy as to what extent so far.

 

[StCoop]

It's none of BBC America's business who the cast is or when they change. Beyond contributing to the first two episodes of Series 6 they don't pay for it, so it's nothing to do with them.

Fucking Americans, think they own the world and get to tell everybody else what to do.

 

[Australis]

BBC America? Really?

 

[DimesDan]

It's none of BBC America's business who the cast is or when they change. Beyond contributing to the first two episodes of Series 6 they don't pay for it, so it's nothing to do with them.

Fucking Americans, think they own the world and get to tell everybody else what to do.

BBC America? Really?

Although I don't agree with StCoop fully, given that BBC "proper" and BBC America are actually two different companies and BBC "proper" does not have oversight over BBC America and vice versa, I do somewhat agree with his point.

From a purely marketing standpoint, what BBC Worldwide/America is proposing does make total and utter sense, but BBC "proper" should not be told what to do by BBC Worldwide/America given they are in fact two different companies. It would be similar to CBS being told how to market and move forward with something like CSI by Channel Five if they had funded a few episodes, they may make sense with moving the brand on, CBS though would be under no obligation to to actually listen to what Channel Five.

I suspect with the BBC "proper" wanting to penetrate the North American market and extend the global brand that is Who and with BBC budget reductions hitting the more marketable programmes in the future, greater co-operation and funding from other sources may become the norm as to retain the quality of such programmes like Nu Who.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

It's none of BBC America's business who the cast is or when they change. Beyond contributing to the first two episodes of Series 6 they don't pay for it, so it's nothing to do with them.

I think it's more important what Worldwide wants than what America wants; Worldwide are the ones directly making money from the series. A stable cast gives them a more marketable series.

(The downside to a stable cast, of course, is that it takes Doctor Who out of the news cycle; they lose out on the British press speculating about who's coming and who's going.)

As for BBC America, my expectation is that there will be a full co-production deal (a la Starz and Torchwood) in place by season eight.

 

[Bacl]

Fucking Americans, think they own the world and get to tell everybody else what to do.

If you have a problem with that, you know what you should do, you should sanction the United States, sanction us with your army. Oh! Wait a minute, you don't have an army! I guess that means you need to shut the fuck up! Thats what I'd do if I had no army, I'd SHUT-THE-FUCK-UP!

Go sell some medicine to Africa.

 

[Lonemagpie]

When I think of who owns the world, monetarily anyway, it's not the US or UK that springs to mind.

It's China...