When Moffat leaves...Special Year?
- Thread starter FreddyE
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The BBC's budget for that year was slashed drastically. As far as I'm aware of, the year of specials was a cost cutting measure by only having to make 5 episodes instead of the usual 13.
Other shows change producers and remain predominantly the same, specifically in the case of RTD to Moffat almost every aspect the show was changing, new Doctor, new Tardis, new companions...and it wasn't just a case of swapping RTD for Moffat, each had a different production team.
Plus there was probably a cost saving aspect, and Tennant wanted to do Hamlet, and didn't RTD say he'd always planned a gap year (or was that BS?)
Yeah the reason I heard was Tennant wanted to do Hamlet and so to accommodate his schedule they switched to specials. So it would make sense that it was a multitude of reasons, RTD/Moffat switchover makes a good one considering how different the show would be with Smith in the lead.
The reason for the 2009 gap year had nothing to do with RTD leaving and turning the reigns over to Moffat, nor was it Tennant's Shakespeare thing. RTD had been making plans since 2006 to take a break in 2009 feeling the show should take the occasional break to recharge its batteries, so to speak. RTD said that had he stayed with Doctor Who afterwards it would always have taken a break after every four years. Tennant was made aware of these plans early enough that he sought out the Shakespeare thing to keep himself busy in 2009. All of this is outlined in The Writer's Tale if you're seeking proof.
So, no, we likely aren't going to get another gap year when Moffat leaves. Hell, with the split seasons the past couple of years we kind of already have had another gap year, plus the gap between the Christmas specials and new seasons are now longer than the gap between specials in 2009 anyway.
So, no, we likely aren't going to get another gap year when Moffat leaves. Hell, with the split seasons the past couple of years we kind of already have had another gap year, plus the gap between the Christmas specials and new seasons are now longer than the gap between specials in 2009 anyway.
It's doubtful.
The Specials year, as Wormhole notes, was something of a "plug the hole" plan, and as such it ran into a big problem -- budget.
The BBC didn't know how to budget for it, because Worldwide had difficulty getting foreign broadcasters to pick up these random specials. Because of the question of money, there was a question of how many specials there would be. (We almost didn't get "The Waters of Mars.")
Then there was the idea that they were going to append Matt Smith's first series onto the Christmas/New Year's two-parter for a single 15 week run. And then that idea went away.
Oh, and Worldwide discovered that Doctor Who merchandise sales declined sharply in the Specials year.
Add that all up, and the BBC isn't likely to repeat the Specials year. When there's a producer changeover from Moffat, I expect it will be handled the same way Hollywood handles it or the old series handled it, with no significant production gap at all.
If nothing else it will be interesting to see how many weeks it'll takes "fans" to turn on the new showrunner.
Personally, I think it'll be a rather sad year, but I'm sure many people will find it to be a special year. ; )
EDIT: Someone got to the bad joke before I did!? Shame on both of us! : )
EDIT: Someone got to the bad joke before I did!? Shame on both of us! : )
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True to internet form, I'm already declaring the next showrunner a talentless hack show is soiling the quality work which used to define Doctor Who and have started wailing that I want Moffat back. And I don't even know who the next showrunner is yet.
Pft. He's not a fan! Moffat's at least a life-long fan who invested continuity in every story of his. The new guy's like "yeah, I'll be making my own thing, so frak off fanboys!"
^ I like him already!
Why? Because his first episode was flashy and exciting? Big deal, it's one episode, what matters is can he maintain the quality consistently over the course of the whole season, to say nothing of the rest of his term.
Why'd Moffat have to leave anyway? He was the best showrunner since RTD!
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