Doctor Who Series 5 to air on BBC America
- Thread starter BalokINACTIVE
- Start date
This stinks! CABLEVISION IN NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY DO NOT OFFER BBC AMERICA. UGHH!!!!
Well to be fair, there are doubtless numerous cable providers that don't provide Sci-Fi either (use of old network branding intended; if the public refuses to start using it sooner or later they'll revert. Just doing my part!
) .The same complaint is being made about Space here in Canada (even more so, given that the show used to be on a national commercial network, CBC, which is like saying NBC.) However Space streams the episodes on its website for everyone to see, whether they have the network or not. So wouldn't BBCA do the same thing??? I'm not fond of watching TV shows online at the best of times, but the option still exists and I was under the impression most broadcast networks stream their key shows these days.
And if all else fails, it now seems that BBC Video is synching up with the US broadcasts, given Children of Earth and Planet of the Dead were both on DVD within a few days of their broadcast, so even if one is in a location where BBCA isn't received, presumably you'll be able to get the DVD/Blu-Rays soon after the season ends, or the specials air.
In regard to timeliness, I'm not so impatient that I'll go to "alternate means" after only a couple of weeks. In the past I've used alternatives when a) the gap is more like months - as was the case with the CBC broadcasts, or b) there was no indication that said episode will ever be shown (there has never been a Canadian broadcast of Voyage of the Damned to my knowledge; thanks, CBC), or c) the episode as broadcast is so utterly butchered this is the only way to see it properly (Journey's End on CBC, anyone?).
I'd like to think BBCA and Space have got the message that waiting for months to air the new shows isn't acceptable in this age of torrents, and this will be especially true of the final Tennant two-parter. They don't need to wait for BBC One to make up its mind because we already know at least one of the specials will air on Christmas Day (that's a given considering past precedent) and it's equally a given that part 2 will either air on Boxing Day (Dec. 26 for those who don't observe the secondary holiday) or New Year's Eve or Day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to block off a couple hours on both days.
Cheers!
Alex
And the BBC America president has said as much. But if the "Waters of Mars" airdate isn't announced until a week or two before it airs, it'll take BBC America time to work it into the schedule. Even more so season 5.
I believe they wanted to air Children of Earth the same day as the BBC, but couldn't because they took so long to set on the date.
Keep in mind there is more to it than blocking off a couple of days. There is promotion for one thing. I'm very happy BBCA now is the US home of Doctor Who because I think they will value it much more than Sci-Fi did. I remember when BBCA started showing the reruns of seasons one and two and they did more promotion for than Sci-Fi did for first run episodes.
In any case I'd wager that BBCA will air Who in a timely manner, but a marketing campaign doesn't spring into being overnight.
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