Bad news for 2012

[RevdKathy]

This sneaked into my twitter stream because I follow an eclectic mix of people.

Apparently Danny Cohen, controller of BBC1 spoke at a Christian Conference this afternoon called 'Church and Media Network 2011'. And was reported as saying that there will be 'limited episodes' of Doctor Who in 2012. His reasoning was that Stephen Moffat needs to sleep, apparently. And yes, even the Christians boo'ed him. But there will be a special event for 2013.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

Interesting - but I can't see the full tweets. There's an enormous grain of salt in the way.

Mark

 

[Lonemagpie]

So, a split season with an autumn start and spring '13 second half, then. Which lines up nicely for the 50th to have season 8 in the autumn

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Oh no, then the world will end and we won't get to see what was planned for 2013.

 

[RevdKathy]

Well, Danny Chohen is the controller of BBC1, and apparently did speak at the aforementioned conference (at Swanwick) today.

Which raises the question of whether a middle-aged university lecturer and Methodist Minister like Pete Phillips would misquote him just to screw with the twitter stream. Somehow, I doubt that. This was a small comment in a long address about media, but it caught my eye.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Well, Danny Chohen is the controller of BBC1, and apparently did speak at the aforementioned conference (at Swanwick) today.

Which raises the question of whether a middle-aged university lecturer and Methodist Minister like Pete Phillips would misquote him just to screw with the twitter stream. Somehow, I doubt that. This was a small comment in a long address about media, but it caught my eye.

Well the rumours have been circulating, and it's not like it unheard of for the BBC to mess around with schedules is it?

 

[StCoop]

So 'Private Eye' were right after all.

Thanks for fucking the series budget up Piers and then cutting and running at the first opportunity.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

So is Ian Levine going to record "Doctor in Distress 2011"?

 

[StCoop]

This brings up another question. Is there going to be a Christmas Special this year? I can't remember one being announced.

 

[Brendan Moody]

^The BBC News article about the new 14-episode commission says a Christmas 2011 special is planned.

 

[Jax]

Personally in the future I would be happy to see an Easter special ever year followed by a 10 episode season from September-November with a Christmas Special at the end.

 

[Lonemagpie]

This brings up another question. Is there going to be a Christmas Special this year? I can't remember one being announced.

They've commissioned 14 episodes, which is this year's special - DWM confirmed that last week - and season 7. There's also been mentions before that Moffat has said something about his son being blown away by how goofy the Xmas Special title is.

The real question is whether there'll be a 2012 Xmas special - that'd be commissioned along with the anniversary season, but if (as is logical) today's announcement means a split season 7, half in autumn 2012 and half in spring 2013, then the 2012 Xmas special would actually be set and aired midseason, but filmed after all of season 7...

 

[Lonemagpie]

Anyhow, none of today's stuff actually is either news or makes a difference - it was pretty clear when this season was split where they were headed with it. It's just poor choices of wording that are getting people worked up.

 

[Brendan Moody]

if (as is logical) today's announcement means a split season 7, half in autumn 2012 and half in spring 2013, then the 2012 Xmas special would actually be set and aired midseason, but filmed after all of season 7...

Or that the two halves of season 7 are six episodes each, with a Christmas special filmed/aired before both.

 

[Lonemagpie]

if (as is logical) today's announcement means a split season 7, half in autumn 2012 and half in spring 2013, then the 2012 Xmas special would actually be set and aired midseason, but filmed after all of season 7...

Or that the two halves of season 7 are six episodes each, with a Christmas special filmed/aired before both.

We'd still be losing an episode that way... So the 2012 Xmas special is still the point-of-only-downside

 

[StCoop]

I'm sure BBC America won't be happy after the $7m they spent advertising the current series (and paying for the Utah shooting for the first two episodes).

 

[Lonemagpie]

Oh, and DW's moving studios in October/over winter anyway, so can't shoot during that period - which means they have to shoot in spring (xmas special in late summer first) for an autumn premiere... And season 7, I'm told, has been budgeted for a midseason split. So, just like I said when season 6's split was announced...

 

[MacLeod]

^^Whilst BBC America might be a part of the BBC as a subsidiary of it. It's just that a subsidary, so why should the BBC care what BBC America things of when it airs it's shows.

That's like saying Fox should consult FX (UK) on when it airs it shows, or CBS consulting Sky.

 

[Brendan Moody]

And as we all know, the route to business success is completely ignoring the wishes and opinions of everyone below you in the totem pole!

 

[zarkon]

At least Wenger is gone now, I guess.