Looks like Ryan's not long for the show...

[StCoop]

Either that or we're in for another loooong gap between seasons.

https://deadline.com/2020/01/tosin-...-courtney-b-vance-amc-61st-street-1202839424/

 

[The Wormhole]

Not especially surprising if he does leave. As someone mentioned in the thread about Whittaker sticking around for a third season, two years seems the max for modern companions. Wonder when we can expect to hear about the other two? With Ryan gone, that presumably leads to Graham's departure as well, and indeed, Walsh is a busy enough actor it's surprising he's even doing a second season. That's leave Yaz, will she leave, or will they try a third season with just the Doctor and Yaz?

 

[Starkers]

Maybe, or maybe the respective shooting schedules will slot together enabling him to do both. Heck maybe they'll do some Ryan-lite episodes....

I would agree that if he goes the likelihood is that Graham will as well. @The Wormhole I agree, given Walsh does The Chase, that show where he goes across America with his son, the Christmas thing he did with Holly Willoughby, did he have an album out as well....I wonder when he sleeps! (then again I look at Tennant, Olivia Colman, Toni Collette and others and wonder when they find time to film everything they're in)

 

[StCoop]

Walsh does The Chase, that show where he goes across America with his son, the Christmas thing he did with Holly Willoughby, did he have an album out as well....I wonder when he sleeps!

Given that it took them over 10 months to shoot this series (plus the next Xmas/New Year's special) I suspect they built in some down time for him to do other stuff. (I think they shoot three episodes of 'The Chase' in a day.)

 

[Starkers]

They definitely film multiple episodes of the Chase in a day, probably do the whole season in a week or something daft like that. It is noticeable that often he's missing from some of the press stuff as well I've noticed. You see Jodie, Tosin and Mandip together more often than the four of them.

As an aside a friend of mine did the Chase and said Bradley's really friendly IRL.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Well, if its another gap, I might not bother watching this series now. I did see Spymaster because, well, I love Doctor Who and have to get my fix, but if I'm gonna invest in a series and then wait for two years for another lacklustre set of stories? Frak that.

 

[Qonundrum]

I remember the days of British sitcoms - six or so half-hour episodes per season and some seasons were 2 years apart. Or more for "Red Dwarf", of which Series XIII was (I'd once read) to have been filmed and aired for 2019. "Are You Bering Served?" had some multi-year gaps too.

But those series were usually stronger and could withstand wider gaps between years. DW has seen its episode length cut and episodes are still either "good" to "mediocre" or "bad", "Spyfall" is close to being great but since then it's been fairly generic fluff.

 

[kirk55555]

I'm starting to wonder if the BBC is just trying to pull a modern Michael Grade on NuWho. They want to cancel the show, but don't want the bad press. So, they sabotage it in various ways and eventually, when people get tired of gap years and the general mediocre quality, they can use that discontent as an excuse to cancel the show.

I hope I'm wrong about that, its admittedly just a random thought that came into my head, but I will not be surprised if Doctor Who takes another 16 year "break" after Jodie's third series, as much as I don't want that to happen.

As for Ryan, all the companions suck right now, so good riddance to any of them that leave.

 

[Qonundrum]

I'm starting to wonder if the BBC is just trying to pull a modern Michael Grade on NuWho. They want to cancel the show, but don't want the bad press. So, they sabotage it in various ways and eventually, when people get tired of gap years and the general mediocre quality, they can use that discontent as an excuse to cancel the show.

I hope I'm wrong about that, its admittedly just a random thought that came into my head, but I will not be surprised if Doctor Who takes another 16 year "break" after Jodie's third series, as much as I don't want that to happen.

The BBC Doctor Who Youtube channel has segments and clips that are more fun than the actual show at times. But that's still significant promotion and the ratings aren't exactly consistently dismal yet. Heck, every cast member I'd seen seems more lively in those bits than on the actual show. But to me that doesn't mean they're trying to kill it off for a third or fourth time (1985 was originally cancellation before fans screamed out, 1989 it dropped off after airing it opposite the worst brutal programming and via the thinnest possible of promotion (yet they bring it back for 1993 in a one-off special), 1996 for the one-off TV movie they put a leash on), and now potentially 2022?)

Also, a lot of shows nowadays have fewer episodes and are aired farther apart due to costs (especially if a lot of CGI is involved.) For all the "fandom menace" people screeching about BBC funding, DW doesn't have even remotely the same amount of money plopped into DSC and STP and still looks amazing... DSC was getting $8~$10 mil per episode. Even STP has suffered (noting that it's clinging to Earth for the moment too) as it could have had more funding, which went to DSC season 3 instead (so much for "only new products get the most money"). If DSC can be made with that amount of money per episode, why not remaster the more refined DS9 product and recoup the costs via blu-ray and streaming - the latter will still make up for it, even if blu sales don't meet initial expectations. (TNG didn't meet expectations but is it still really at a loss, after years of streaming to help recoup?)

 

[JoeZhang]

I'm starting to wonder if the BBC is just trying to pull a modern Michael Grade on NuWho. They want to cancel the show, but don't want the bad press. So, they sabotage it in various ways and eventually, when people get tired of gap years and the general mediocre quality, they can use that discontent as an excuse to cancel the show.

I like a drink but mixing your spirits is a bad idea.

 

[Relayer1]

I can't say I'm sad if he's going - he's been almost unwatchably bad in Who.

I suppose he could be better elsewhere, but I am surprised he seems to be making a go of things.

 

[auntiehill]

The companions feel pretty bland to me this series but I do like Graham. Still, any one of them could go and really wouldn't bother me in the least.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I like all the companions and the Doc. But outside of a few eps so far over two series', the stories have been the same formula with different locations and monsters. The Doctor and one of the companions (usually Yaz) separate from the other two and each team does their thing, unlimited rice pudding, etc,etc.

This is down to the writers and the showrunner mostly. Ask for better scripts as the showrunner and you might just get episodes that are more well received. Of course that's assuming anyone at the Beeb cares about what is well received.

A lot has been said about Capaldi having bad writing, but I don't agree that it was anywhere near as bad, plus TBH, Capaldi is a better actor than Jodie has demonstrated so far. I do buy her as the Doctor, but writing can't be the only culprit for why I'm so underwhelmed.

Michelle Gomez killed it as Missy every bit as much as John Simm did as the Master. Different showrunners and writers, but they kept the energy level up.

 

[Marc]

Michelle Gomez killed it as Missy every bit as much as John Simm did as the Master. Different showrunners and writers, but they kept the energy level up.

But as the Master/Missy, Gomez and Sims could get away with it.

I'm not sure if Whitaker or any other actor playing the Doctor could get away with because it wouldn't seen as right for the character.

Plus if Ainley hadn't been encourage to ham it up as bit during his time as the Master, I'm not sure that later actors would have been able to get away with things as there would have been direct comparisons to Delgardo and to a lesser extent Beavers.

Finally I also remember people not be that impressed with the potrayal of the Master at the time the episodes aired.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

But as the Master/Missy, Gomez and Sims could get away with it.

I'm not sure if Whitaker or any other actor playing the Doctor could get away with because it wouldn't seen as right for the character.

Plus if Ainley hadn't been encourage to ham it up as bit during his time as the Master, I'm not sure that later actors would have been able to get away with things as there would have been direct comparisons to Delgardo and to a lesser extent Beavers.

Finally I also remember people not be that impressed with the potrayal of the Master at the time the episodes aired.

I was impressed from the get go re: the Master/Missy, but you're right, they may have had more leeway with an evil (more like "camp") character. I was always happy with the return of the Master.

I've also been impressed with the crazyness that goes along with each new Doctor, until Jodie. The new showrunner(s) seemed hell bent on making this "era" something different. Well, they succeeded, it is different and fairly "meh" as a result.

I feel like it's been every aspect of the show.

 

[Mr Awe]

Plus if Ainley hadn't been encourage to ham it up as bit during his time as the Master, I'm not sure that later actors would have been able to get away with things as there would have been direct comparisons to Delgardo and to a lesser extent Beavers.

That's a great point. It's a shame that the hamming it up aspect is what was remembered and built on rather than Delgado's sophisticated suaveness.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

That's a great point. It's a shame that the hamming it up aspect is what was remembered and built on rather than Delgado's sophisticated suaveness.

The real shame is Ainley wanted to play it seriously, particularly in Planet of Fire, and yet JNT kept pushing him to ham it up.

 

[Starkers]

I can't say I'm sad if he's going - he's been almost unwatchably bad in Who.

I suppose he could be better elsewhere, but I am surprised he seems to be making a go of things.

My honest opinion is that Tosin isn't a great actor, but he has presense. Oddly Mandip is the reverse, though maybe if it was just Yaz and the Doctor she'd shine.

 

[Australis]

I did see Spymaster because, well, I love Doctor Who and have to get my fix, but if I'm gonna invest in a series and then wait for two years for another lacklustre set of stories? Frak that.

What did you think of the latest one?

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

What did you think of the latest one?

Haven't seen it yet. I purposely stayed behind so I'd have enough eps to watch. Now it seems I've got no choice, what with the insane rumors I've received about last night's episode.