2 million fewer viewers

[DimesDan]

Given the changes underway and any possible changes that occur within the BBC over the next few years because of this bloody charter renewal shte, as I said in the review thread and I believe STCoop said as well somewhere recently, I suspect the decisioin will be made to move Doctor Who out of the BBC proper and the comercial arm that's in the process of being created, BBC Studios.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

The constant turnover of Producers (except for Moffat) and general chaos of his time in charge is a subject worth a tell-all book someday.

My fear is that he's so entrenched now that if we reach a point where someone has to take a fall, it will be the other grumpy Scottish guy.

I have to admit that I've entertained the thought that the BBC headline about "millions desert" supported the chatter that persons within the BBC have it out for Moffat and want him gone. Even though the overnights don't really matter, if they remain low that could build the case that the Beeb could use to drop the axe.

It is certainly strange that the BBC would themselves come up with such a negative headline for their own show, i am scratching my head with this one.

 

[StCoop]

It is certainly strange that the BBC would themselves come up with such a negative headline for their own show, i am scratching my head with this one.

They have to be seen to be impartial. A few weeks ago when The X Factor returned to a similarly large drop in viewers they reported it; so if that was considered (entertainment) newsworthy they have to do the same for one of their own shows.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

It is certainly strange that the BBC would themselves come up with such a negative headline for their own show, i am scratching my head with this one.

They have to be seen to be impartial. A few weeks ago when The X Factor returned to a similarly large drop in viewers they reported it; so if that was considered (entertainment) newsworthy they have to do the same for one of their own shows.

Of all the things the BBC are not impartial about, they decided to do it to the one programme i actually enjoy.

I think i will start watching X factor, come dancing, bake off, because it seem any tv show i take a interest in, it soon takes a nose dive and dissappears off the TV.

Fingers crossed.

 

[NightJim]

Numbers may be down over here, but they seem up over there.

 

[Relayer1]

I'd be cool with America making it. They've proved time and again that they can do great shows. The majority of U.S. T.V. may well be awful, but their good stuff (particularly on cable) is at least as good as our top shows.

We'd just have to ensure that a suitable showrunner and production crew were involved, with a Brit employed to vet dialogue and Britishness...

 

[Ithekro]

The Americans like the new Doctors.

 

[diankra]

Putting the Who figures in perspective, Downton Abbey is also down ( by a million) with its lowest season opener since the very first episode. So down all round really.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'd be cool with America making it. They've proved time and again that they can do great shows. The majority of U.S. T.V. may well be awful, but their good stuff (particularly on cable) is at least as good as our top shows.

We'd just have to ensure that a suitable showrunner and production crew were involved, with a Brit employed to vet dialogue and Britishness...

While I know that it got mixed reviews, I think Torchwood: Miracle Day managed to maintain some of its inherent Britishness while being a mostly-American season. Make some jokes about British pants vs. American pants, and you're good to go!

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I'd be cool with America making it. They've proved time and again that they can do great shows. The majority of U.S. T.V. may well be awful, but their good stuff (particularly on cable) is at least as good as our top shows.

We'd just have to ensure that a suitable showrunner and production crew were involved, with a Brit employed to vet dialogue and Britishness...

If BBC America were to take over funding the series, I wonder if they would keep its production in the UK (essentially renting the soundstages from BBC Wales) or if they would relocate the production to Toronto (where Copper was and Orphan Black is filmed).

As for who would be behind the camera in such a scenario... well, that's an interesting question and one I hadn't ever considered. If the actual filming were done in the UK, I suspect they would opt for local talent. If production were relocated to North America, the writers and producers might be more multinational.

 

[Relayer1]

http://newsthump.com/2015/09/21/liz-kendall-to-be-new-doctor-who-companion/

 

[arch101]

I can't believe BBC just looks at overnight viewership to make decisions about shows. Too many people watch via the internet today. Heck, I'm a huge fan and love Capaldi but I'm waiting for a couple of eps to stack up before I buy my iTunes season pass. I'm sure I'm not the only one. So, I haven't been counted yet.

 

[MacLeod]

I'd be cool with America making it. They've proved time and again that they can do great shows. The majority of U.S. T.V. may well be awful, but their good stuff (particularly on cable) is at least as good as our top shows.

We'd just have to ensure that a suitable showrunner and production crew were involved, with a Brit employed to vet dialogue and Britishness...

If BBC America were to take over funding the series, I wonder if they would keep its production in the UK (essentially renting the soundstages from BBC Wales) or if they would relocate the production to Toronto (where Copper was and Orphan Black is filmed).

As for who would be behind the camera in such a scenario... well, that's an interesting question and one I hadn't ever considered. If the actual filming were done in the UK, I suspect they would opt for local talent. If production were relocated to North America, the writers and producers might be more multinational.

There is nothting to stop the writers/producers/directors etc... coming from outside of the UK esp if they are EU nationals as they autmatically have the right to work in the UK. And we've had Cnadaians, Indians, Australians etc.. work on the show in some form or another.

 

[diankra]

And we've had Cnadaians, Indians, Australians etc.. work on the show in some form or another.

I'm not sure that still applies: one of the Eurosceptics' major objections to being in the EEC/EU is that it closed off the automatic right to come to the UK that citizens of the Commonwealth/Empire had previously had.
(It's all in the details of the 1973 EEC treaty, and then the subsequent treaties, and other immigration acts. But basically, Indians, Canadians, etc, don't have quite as much automatic access to the UK now as they did in the 60s).

 

[MacLeod]

^True non-EU nationals can have a harder time getting the right to work in the UK, but many nations impose work restrictions on non nationals.

 

[diankra]

^True non-EU nationals can have a harder time getting the right to work in the UK, but many nations impose work restrictions on non nationals.

Yep. I don't understand the details, but my Aussie friend would need a visa if her father hadn't been born in Britain before his parents emigrated. Whereas in the 60s anyone from the old empire could work here - or equally, we could head over to Canada, etc, as Lucarotti and Davis did when they were starting out - without much paperwork.
So different rules now.

 

[MacLeod]

I can't believe BBC just looks at overnight viewership to make decisions about shows. Too many people watch via the internet today. Heck, I'm a huge fan and love Capaldi but I'm waiting for a couple of eps to stack up before I buy my iTunes season pass. I'm sure I'm not the only one. So, I haven't been counted yet.

I suspect dear old auntie Beeb pays some attention o the overnight figures but uses the final figures, and DW can have a large timeshifted audiance. Perhaps more so than some other shows.

DW is often one of the most watched Drama shows so that can help. So if you exclude the soaps, and sgows like the X-Factor where does DW figure in the overall figures.

 

[Ithekro]

I figure people are just watching less television these days. More internet and related activities.

 

[diankra]

DW is often one of the most watched Drama shows so that can help. So if you exclude the soaps, and sgows like the X-Factor where does DW figure in the overall figures.

So far as I can make out, Doctor Who and Downton were the two highest rated bits of fiction on British TV over that weekend, even though both were down on their last season start. So both as good as any channel is getting, and reflective of lower live viewing overall.
From what I recall, Who is still doing better than New Tricks or Holby City, and definitely did better than the Casualty episode which followed it later on Saturday.
Soap-wise, EastEnders may be doing fairly well, but Corrie is in a ratings slump that's just led to the producer being 'invited to leave'.

 

[StCoop]

So Episode 3 isn't going to start until 8.25pm, which I think makes it the latest time ever for a new episode on the BBC. It'll be interesting to see what effect it has, if any. It's certainly well past Family Viewing time and will finish post-Watershed.