Considering the massive interest in seeing a female Doctor from fans as well as seeing a positive female lead in a science-fiction show for non-fans, I'm willing to bet that interest will be much more than a counterbalance against any portion of fans who don't watch because there aren't any Daleks, Cybermen, Master, male Doctor, etc.
If the next season 'failed' the BBC would be pretty much locked into a second Chibnall/Whitaker season by then. Who would then go to take the blame is an interesting question.
^^Poor Langford got a lot of stick and it was really nothing to do with her, the BBC were totally to blame because TPTB at the top wanted it stopped period, so they were sabotaging it at budget level every year and even then the fans would still not leave it, so in the end they just cancelled it because they could.
Based on what metric? Media stories, and YouTube fanboys aren't a metric of the level of,fan interest. The media said the same about Star Wars a Solo Story, female Ghost Busters, Star Trek Discovery, Star wars the last Jedi, and yet sales of merchandise and fan interest is down, and how is this the first time seeing a female lead? There's been tons of them since the mid 80s. This is the first female Doctor, but as far as female leads, I would hardly say modern Who is all about one character. If you really think about it, Rose, Clara, Martha, and Donna had a ton of exposure. I would go so far as to say modern Doctor Who was as much a co-star scenario, as aposed to single actor focused. Also, this new direction seems to be a return to ensemble casting. So we'll see. But I'm interested to know HOW you can say There's a majority of fan interest..when there aren't any numbers or metrics that can give an accurate view of fan interest. Like I say, it all comes down to the viewing figures, mid season. Those curious would fall off by the middle if not interested. The fact a female is the lead, is a shallow argument and akin to only taking an interest based on her Gender, which is what everyone was defending as NOT the focus of her casting, that she simply was the best., and oh..wait.,yea, that was later disproved and shown to be a lie, that Chibnall picked her because he wanted a female all along.,so really, when it comes to news about Doctor Who, and all the explanations, touting, hype and such. I tend to take it all,with a grain of salt. Proof of success will be in the viewing figures. Either Doctor who is on the rise to its glory days. Given the rework of everything from logo, to set, characters, monsters, filming and episode count, to include debut day and time. Or this will not get above Capaldi's ratings, and if below, then that is the fandom the BBC is left with after Moffat's tenure, and trying to grow from there is tough. Especially if the traditional fans have had it with the series long before Chibnall and Whittaker were announced. Most of my Friends left after Season 7 and never looked back. I stuck in until season 9..then I was forcing myself to watch until I am up to date. At which point. I could see why it's ratings suffered. Bottom line, if we want to gauge excitement for the fan interest in Jodie Whittaker and Chibnall's 13th Doctor, then it will come in with mid season ratings. The initial bump from debut could also be telling. The debut has to be around tenant numbers to be a complete success. But if they can't achieve that level of interest, and the ratings are at, or around Capaldi's era..then a decline soon follows..then the show is not gonna be as successful and so many try to hype, with no basis in fact to back that up. Except personal enthusiasm. Character Options toy sales, Titan books sales, and merchandise will also be tell tell signs of the new series success. Will the classic stuff be a bigger seller? Will the new series merchandise be bigger sellers? Or is there a sales bump overall or a decline overall between classic and NuWho. That would indicate interest in the brand all together has waned. I don't want to see that, I prefer the series continue. But those will be the numbers that will tell ultimately how well this new iteration of Doctor Who does, and if it's sustainable for the future.
Oh, lordy. Anyway... I do think you're right, how can you say there's a "majority of fan interest"... that's like some one saying, "I've heard from many people." It begs the question, do you have to define "fan" or "many people." But, there are metrics to determine interest. YouTube views of the trailer, on the official Doctor Who channel, it's over 900,000 in three days. Maybe that's a lot, maybe that isn't. Seems like a lot. Also, when is it trending on Twitter, that's an important metric to look at. And, actually, the number of media stories... because media wouldn't be doing those stories if they didn't think people would be interested. So, yeah, there are actual ways of determining interest. Actual metrics. Your way of measuring fan interest--waiting until midseason ratings--wouldn't determine fan interest in SEEING the show, but, fan interesting in CONTINUING to see the show. Very different things being measured.
I think the continuing interest is a very important thing. People tune in to see the novel new thing. I think this new doctor will have a blockbuster first episode. It’s had enough press. It better be bloody amazing though, because all the signs for the last few years have been pointing to another wilderness era. Which might be a good thing...even when borrowing from it, the new series hasn’t hit any of the different kind of highs that can be had in the novels we got last time out. It’s good news the signs have been pointing that way, because otherwise *if* (the most powerful word in the English language) the show goes on hiatus again, it will be laid at the door of this change, rather than other things happening (bbc budgets, losing the family time slot and audiences under Capaldi, Brexit economy, losing the girl fan base that fancied tennant and smith, losing the boy fan base that fancied rose/Martha/Amy/Clara, losing the middle aged dad contingent that quite fancied Donna, losing anyone who fancied any of the companions, this time including Jack and Bill, losing the US audiences in some states by going too hard on progressiveness for their parochial taste, losing the kids years ago because it was on too late or they just grew out of it with no replacements coming up in the playground, catering too much to fans one week, not enough the next, then going batshit and hoping to appeal to fans so long in the tooth they still thought Capaldi was a young chap...etc etc unlimited rice pudding) In short, it better grab a new fan base and a big one, and they better not be fickle and actually stick with the show...because yes, as superior says, they have been whittling away at what they started with for a while now. And it doesn’t matter two figs how much the show is loved by the international hipster geek crowd atm, because (a) they are fickle soda and (b) it’s primarily made for the great British public...particularly the young ones, and with a general aim of those that like that sort of thing. That sort of thing being SF and Adventure. There are plenty of people declaring their great love for the new Doctor after a trailer...let’s hope that’s not a little infatuation and trend, and they stick with it, because there’s also a lot of people declaring its a bad idea...and for some reason, fandoms being what they are, they are probably the ones more likely to keep dragging themselves through watching it if it turns out to be hot pipe people droppings. Which means it’s their voices that will be sounding if the show ends, and they who will either write the history or somehow drag it back (as we...and by we, I mean those who keep engaging with the show even when the general public don’t anymore) sixteen years or so down the line. The current show writers come from a fandom that disliked pertwee, adored Tom, and worked with the Seventh and Eighth doctors as literary constructs. People will absolutely tune in for episode one. But always ask why? Can the shows team pull a Rose and maintain interest? Or an Eleventh hour and grow the fan Base? Because somehow, that’s where we are. Or Jodie is the new Sylvester, if she’s very lucky, and books based on old TV shows aren’t exactly rocking the world these days. Still...Big Finish can always populate Radio 4 for another ten years. If it does go bosoms skyward, I have a feeling Capaldi will (a) get some blame and (b) end up doing a lot more Who.
Viewing content and actually liking or being excited to see more are two very different things. As with Twitter, there are many ways to make a subject Trending. In fact the number of mentions in news articles, ad bots, and BBC shills, that's enough to get a trending ranking. In addition, the YouTube views on the trailer at 900k don't account for the likes and dislikes, and those who don't do Twitter or YouTube. Viewership figures, online ITV player numbers and merchandise sales are the best and most arguable ways to tell the health of a franchise. Interest in a franchise can remain high as a general hobby, but actual engagement by the viewing public, which translates into merchandise sales is what most companies consider a success. Like I said, mid season will tell all, and we will have our answer about the season 11 reboot. Hyperbolic rhetoric about how amazing most fans think of the show, having not seen a Damn thing except the trailer, isn't something that sways me. The actual story telling is what is important. Given Chibnall's earlier Doctor Who episodes were for the most part frivolous and forgettable, I'm wondering how his adjustment to focusing on the show instead of guest writing differs in the final product. Will this new Doctor Who be well recieved? Not sure. Won't know until mid season, if they made the right choices. The future is open, and possibilities are boundless. I want to see the ratings figures mid season before I jump on board.
I'm not sure fandom disliked Pertwee, at all. Its more than likely they might've disliked the UNIT-style stories, but that really doesn't affect Pertwee. I don't think he wasn't popular when he was the Doctor, not at all.
Just to clarify I am talking about fandom in the nineties. There are quirks to it, and not liking Pertwee is sort of a joke about that time. I barely interacted with it, but was aware of it through fanzines and stuff.
Make your mind up. Or rather, make your OWN mind up, instead of relying on ratings to decide whether to watch something. This mentality, if nothing else, is WHY non-streaming shows get poor ratings these days - folk want to either sit down and watch at a time of their choosing, or base the decision to watch on the internet reaction. Admittedly, the BARB need to update their metrics for the wide variety of ways people can access the shows these days but the ratings naysayers still bang on about "overnights" when the simple fact is most people don't watch on day of transmission anymore.
I don’t know why you are obsessed with the mid season ratings as a measure of how people are excited now for the new series. It makes no sense. Mid series ratings would measure people’s continued interest. If you are going to measure ratings for people's excitement for the new season, better to look at the first episode’s ratings.
It was mostly just the doctor and the companions (oops sorry Friends). No aliens and no scenes with the guest stars
It isn't just the naysayers. The sad truth is too many decisions are being made based on broadcast night viewing figures by networks in a world where that is becoming less and less relevant.
I see no fault in your logic. The reason mid season numbers interest me is that with the midseason, we will,see the continued interest, yes. Which will translate into the viewing figures going forward. There's always a bump when a new series debuts. But by Mid season, that health of interest is a measure of the show's long term numbers and health going forward. Should the new sets, logo, direction, cast, and writers make good on their promise that this series will be brilliant, then we should see some strong numbers going into the latter part of season 11. If the show is going to blow up into a powerhouse must see TV event again, then the numbers will have to achieve Matt Smith status, at least out the gate. This is where the excitement is most palpable. I can't really see higher ratings as the show goes on, unless by miracle. Word of mouth sends the show into ratings glory and download stats get higher than usual, the measure of success will be apparent. I'm hopeful they can pull in a good crowd to start. But if they dont, and we are around Capaldi numbers, then that says that those who left the series have moved on, and those long time fans, the "so called disgruntled ones" who usually and have had, kept the series alive are out to lunch. So still. I know the initial viewing figures will be higher then normal. New series debut and all, however if the initial is higher then Capaldi's era, then that's a good sign, and could mean that fan interest is on the rise again. I'm just taking a wait and see approach to this. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, but for now... I think being cautious about throwing in with this new series is gonna be down to story content, and acting ability. As I've said before, I didn't think Whittaker was right for the part. But we'll see, I am always opened to being surprised.