frelling_tralk | Doctor Who will apparently not be back next year after all

May 2020

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Doctor Who Series 12 Announcement

As series 11 came to a close on BBC One tonight (Sunday 9th December) the show announced that series 12 is on its way and will be returning to BBC One in early 2020.

Well this is going to seriously kill momentum I would imagine, especially with younger viewers who have only just been introduced to DW and Jodie’s Doctor!

I suppose I can’t really gripe though because I dropped this series of DW after the fourth episode (I just can’t with Chris Chibnall’s writing ☹️), but still it does seem like it’s more popular with the general public then ever, so I really can’t understand the rationale behind this. Am I being very naive here, or is ten episodes a year not that big an undertaking that viewers should have to wait until 2020 for more? We were lucky enough to get two fantastic executive producers with Russell Davis and Steven Moffat, but I really get the feeling that Chris Chibnall is out of his depth here

From the BBC Lizo Mzimba, the BBC's entertainment correspondent, said while there was "a recognition that fans might want a series every single year, Doctor Who has almost uniquely complex filming requirements and a lengthy post-production period".

The show has only just had a gap year in 2016, and that was supposedly only because Steven Moffat was rather burnt out after being in charge of series 5-9 (plus the anniversary year). And my understanding is that Steven Moffat wasn’t even that keen to do a tenth season in the first place, that he only decided to stay on so that there wouldn’t be a long gap before Chris Chibnall was finished with Broadchurch and ready to take over. But this time there’s no real explanation being offered at all when Chris Chibnall has only just started on the show? (Also Moffat was juggling Sherlock at the same time early on, while RTD was balancing two different spinoffs with Sarah Jane and Torchwood). So I’m not sure what exactly the complex filming needs are this time that means they have to cut back from 13 episodes every year to 10 episodes every 18 months?

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That is a long gap - fall of 2019 would have made more sense. I hope it doesn't derail Jodie's momentum. I have the same doubts about Chibnall's writing as you, but only admiration for Jodie's performance.

You might want to try a few eps past ep #4 - I thought "Kerblam" was the best of the season (no Chibnall writing credit)

I’ve been following the fan reaction (which was what convinced me to not even bother with the fifth episode quite honestly) and there’s been a few that sound interesting, so I’m sure that I will catch up at some point. It was becoming a struggle for me to stay invested in the episodes though without the usual close Doctor/Companion relationship, really not a fan of this new ‘fam’ format

And it seems like a terrible idea to take such a long gap after they’re only just rebooted the franchise and hooked a lot of new fans (even if I’m not among them :P ) I remember that it was even treated as a very big deal back in RTD’s time to take a year off with the specials, and then that was only to wrap up Tennent’s time after four successful years building on the new success of the show. But taking a long break already just seems like a bad sign when they’ve only just started this new era, it makes me wonder if it’s turning out to be a larger undertaking than Chris Chibnall was expecting?

This is probably my favorite series in a long time so I was really sad to see it would be that long until the new series. Makes me wonder why so long, but still can't wait.

The new series does seem to be really popular with fans who didn’t enjoy Steven Moffat’s style as much, but unfortunately I was pretty much the opposite. I loved Moffat’s writing, but I really can’t get into Chris Chibnall’s, so I guess now I know how the viewers felt who hated what Moffat was doing to DW :(

But still it has been nice to see the show doing so well with the public recently and it seems a shame to go into a gap year right away after that, maybe I’m missing something, but I’m not sure why it’s not possible for them to get ten episodes filmed and ready before 2020 :shrugs:

Ya I got tired of Moffat's writing fairly early on, so I had to stop watching it because I just couldn't stand it anymore. I like Chibnall's because he wrote my favorite Torchwood episode so I'm used to his writing.

I'm sure there is a reason but maybe they don't want to release it, suppose we'll see in time.

That is a long gap, but I wonder if the "Netflix" generation is used to binging a thing and then waiting nearly a year to get another season.

That’s true, it’s possible that it won’t make of a difference to the ratings, it just seems like a bad idea to me to be even chance losing the audience when they’ve only just relaunched things with a new Doctor. And I don’t get why they suddenly need such a long gap for anyway, it should not take more than a year to film 10 episodes...

UGH. Another long gap. I just don't get it.
And we only got 10 episodes this year. Bah.

Yep, it seems like we get less every year! Cutting from 13 to 12 was fine, and then cutting from 12 to 10 was a bit ‘oh but the episodes will be an hour long though supposedly, so that’s not so bad’, only to turn out that after the premiere that they were all just five minutes longer than usual. And now we’re hearing that it’s not even going to be ten episodes each year?! I’m just waiting for them to cut the episode order down to 8 next 😕

Lots of shows have a lengthy post-production period. I honestly can't imagine that shooting ten episodes a year and getting them on air is just, like, TOO MUCH. Especially since Doctor Who managed a season year basically every other year it has been on since 2005.

That said, I don't really care. I've watched every episode this season (except tonight's) and nothing has really grabbed me.

Maybe US television has spoiled me with how fast they seem to crank out episodes, but it does seem a bit odd that they can’t get ten episodes out by next autumn, especially when they were managing 13 a year at one point!

And yeah I’m the same sadly, it feels too much like a procedural to me these days almost, without any of the character development and relationships that I’m used to following. It seems like the only real nod to that has been Graham and Ryan’s relationship, but it’s getting to see the Doctor closely bonding with his (or her) companion that I care about, and there just hasn’t been nearly enough of that in the episodes I saw.

I'm strangely not bothered by this? I think people's interest in DW has upped in recent years that a year hiatus between S11 and S12 isn't going to make that huge of a dent. I also agree re: the comment someone else made about how we now live in an era where binge-watching has made it possible for people to wait a long period of time before a new season. As long as the hype remains consistent throughout, I don't mind the gap.

I’m not sure how it’s going to go at the moment because it did seem like the ratings weren’t that great during the Moffat era whenever they took gaps or split the seasons up, so I could see them losing some momentum with younger fans especially to have a gap year right after they’ve just rebooted the show, but perhaps you’re right that it doesn’t matter as much these days when a lot of people are used to binge-watching anyway and facing a long wait after that.

It does seem like online fans are pretty frustrated with the news at the moment though and wondering what’s going on, I’ve seen a lot of people getting really pissed off in fact and having ‘fuck this’ responses, so it doesn’t seem like gap years are that accepted still, but then I suppose internet fans (and I do include myself in this lol) are always griping over something :P

Edited Date: 2018-12-10 02:42 pm (UTC)

I dropped this series of DW after the fourth episode (I just can’t with Chris Chibnall’s writing ☹️)
I'd recommend episodes 8 and 9 (neither written by Chibnall) - The Witchfinders is a proper historical, with Alan Cumming as James I eating ALL THE SCENERY, and the Doctor's new gender actually playing a role; and It Takes You Away is just magical. ♥ If you want some proper Doctor Who. :)

No clue as to the big gap either, unless the BBC has told him to go back to the drawing board and FIX IT. (hear hear!)

Edited Date: 2018-12-10 07:38 am (UTC)

I can’t see the BBB doing that though because ratings have actually been higher than ever, so you’d think if anything they would be encouraging Chris Chibnall to keep doing what he’s doing (not sure how I feel about that, but anyway!) and get the next series out as soon as possible? That’s why I’m assuming that the long delay is down to Chris Chibnall in some way, but it seems odd to me when surely he must have been somewhat prepared for what he was taking on? Even in the past when RTD first relaunched the show and nobody really knew what they were doing in the beginning, production still made sure that a new series came out each year as a matter of course, so it seems odd to now handwave it away as what a uniquely complex show DW is. Like a couple of other people have mentioned though, longer gaps do seem to happen more these days in the age of binge-watching (especially with HBO and shows like Game Of Thrones and Westworld), so maybe that’s why the BBC didn’t think it was such a big deal as it might have been in the past?

It Takes You Away is one of the episodes that sounded interesting to me actually, and also Demons Of The Punjab, so eh I probably will try and sit down and finish the series, I just wish that I didn’t feel so disconnected from the main characters:(

Edited Date: 2018-12-10 01:25 pm (UTC)

That’s why I’m assuming that the long delay is down to Chris Chibnall in some way, but it seems odd to me when surely he must have been somewhat prepared for what he was taking on?
Yeah, I'm drawing a blank too. Especially since he is apparently a work horse (RTD offloaded loads of Torchwood to Chibnall, because he knew Chibnall could get the writing done, whereas RTD always had problems). So WHO KNOWS??

so maybe that’s why the BBC didn’t think it was such a big deal as it might have been in the past?
Could be. Or other issues behind the scenes? There are so many details that we never hear about.

It Takes You Away is one of the episodes that sounded interesting to me actually, and also Demons Of The Punjab
Demons is also good - a lot like Rosa, in how it deals with history, but a beautiful episode. (Oh and skip Kerblam!, unless you want to be really, really cross.)

I probably will try and sit down and finish the series, I just wish that I didn’t feel so disconnected from the main characters:(
I hear ya. :( I'm currently watching the Six Doctor and I LUFF HIM. There is plenty of Doctor Who out there for us to watch still, so that's what I am doing. <3

Yeah, I'm drawing a blank too. Especially since he is apparently a work horse (RTD offloaded loads of Torchwood to Chibnall, because he knew Chibnall could get the writing done, whereas RTD always had problems). So WHO KNOWS??

It might be that he finds the writing part easy enough but he’s struggling with the production demands of a sci fi show? I think that Broadchurch was his only past experience with being the sole showrunner, and that consisted of 8 episode seasons every two years more or less, so would have been much less demanding.

There have been rumours frankly that the BBC are pushing him for more, and there were clashes behind the scenes and threats to walk because he expected the same amount of prep time that he’s used too with Broadchurch, but who knows how much stock to put in them. I would imagine that CC holds most of the cards here though as there really isn’t anyone available right now to step into showrunning DW I don’t think, and his era has obviously been successful enough so far that the BBC won’t really be wanting to get rid of him anyway

because he expected the same amount of prep time that he’s used too with Broadchurch
AHAHAHHAHAH. Although I don't think I believe it, no one could be expecting that, especially not someone who has seen what the show did to RTD & Moffat...

Anyway, here is my Chibnall icon (made by promethia_tenk) should you need it. It basically sums up my attitude. ;)

The thing is: I loved the new group of companions, but the show itself is SO so boring at the moment. I've kinda watched the whole season, but not really WATCHED watched. It was on and I was playing on my phone at the same time, not paying the attention I used to pay hen watching the show, so yeah. Jody is doing a good job, I guess, but the writing is really up the wall...

The writing is boring for me as well, but also I just feel like the new companions seem really generic. I liked the first episode, but I started to get turned off after that with too many companions, like in the second episode they all had exactly the same reactions to being in space for the first time, so I don’t really see the point of having so many companions on top of a new Doctor as well. At least if they were having really distinctive reactions to travelling in the Tardis then that would be one thing but instead they all react more or less the same every time, and they barely ever did anything with Yaz in the episodes that I saw anyway

Even with the first female Doctor, it feels like Graham is who the writers mostly care about quite honestly, and he’s the only one getting anything approaching an arc with his coming to terms with Grace’s death and developing a closer relationship with Ryan. That’s all well and good, but what about giving your first female Doctor something more to do as well? I loved Jodie in the premiere and she felt like the Doctor to me right away, but since then she hasn’t exactly been getting many interesting character moments to play other than quirky (with the disclaimer that I haven’t yet seen all the episodes, but still you’d think that the first four episodes would have given her something more considering that she’s the main character supposedly)

I saw rumors a couple of weeks ago that Chibnall and Whitacker would be leaving after their second season, but I haven't seen any confirmation of it on a legitimate entertainment news site. If it was true, maybe this has something to do with it.

I saw similar rumours that apparently Chris Chibnall was demanding more than a year to prepare for the next series, that’s why I’m a bit cynical about this latest announcement. I’m just surprised that he wasn’t more prepared for the demands of DW each year, but maybe the BBC aren’t as fussed about it either now that it has become more of a thing for some shows to take longer gaps

I don't see it as a big deal in terms of how British telly tends to work, but it is a big deal because the writing this season has lacked momentum. Love the new Doctor, love two out of three companions, some of the individual episodes have been good, but there was never any sense of urgency or danger or purpose. Moff's arcs tended to be disappointing, but at least there wasn't the sense that the characters were just kind of aimlessly wandering because they were bored. Unless the New Year's episode does something amazing and dramatic, I don't know how much momentum it'll retain over a long hiatus.

That’s how I feel as well, it feels almost like procedural to me with the characters stopping by different planets or historical periods for a weekly adventure, but with no further consequences.

It’s hard to predict these things, but I could see there being a big drop by 2020 after the excitement of the relaunch and seeing the first female Doctor has faded

The closest to an arc was Ryan and Graham bonding over the loss of Grace, which ugh I am not over Grace being fridged, but also...that doesn't involve the Doctor, and the show ought to mainly be about her.

Hmm I certainly found it quite telling that, even when we have our first female Doctor, it’s the two men in the cast (Graham especially) who get the main character arcs

I was worried when they cast an older white dude as a companion that there would be a lot of him acting like the Doctor. And...there was. At least he didn't explain to her but things like whitesplaining Rosa Parks to Ryan really irritated me.

When it was cut from 13 episodes to 10 I wondered if it was down to the BBC having had it's funding cut so there wasn't enough budget for Doctor Who, so maybe that's also a factor in delaying till 2020? Even though DW gets sold to lots of countries I have some vague memory that that money goes somewhere else rather than all going back into programme making (though I could easily be wrong about that!)

Can't help feeling that a lot of people will have moved in by the time it comes back, or forgotten what happened this series (though that may be no bad thing!). If they are delaying in order to make the writing better though then I'm in favour! I've found most of this series just kind of boring and unimaginitive compared to Moffat and RTD.

Hmm it could be down to funding that’s true, it just seems very strange to me to skip a year completely. I can understand more cutting the episode order down and figuring that they will still make the same on merchandise etc either way, but DW not airing at at all next year is surely likely to affect sales next Xmas for one?

And I totally agree, I know that Steven Moffat’s style wasn’t for everyone and a lot of people found his plots getting convoluted just for the sake of it, but stuff like that always kept me invested anyway :shrugs: CC’s style feels quite workmanlike to me in comparison, and even the characterisation feels very sketched in. Like we get shown that Yaz is a policewoman in the first episode for example, but then it never comes up in the episodes after that and she’s just kind of along for the ride mostly, whereas RTD and Moffat would more likely have had her experience on the job constantly coming up in episodes and proving to be useful, things like that. I mean Yaz might as well have not been in the second episode at all frankly for all the difference it would have made to the plot

I agree, it feels like a strangely long gap.

Yeah, I would have thought they should be able to have the new series ready for late 2019 at least

I wanted to like this season but gave up after four eps. Hmm. I'm kind of okay with this. It might improve the show.

I’m the exact same, I did enjoy the premiere, but after that I really couldn’t get into it :(

I was thoroughly unimpressed by the first half of the season, but I will second

elisi's comment that it's improved! (Admittedly not in the sense of coherent character/relationship arcs, but in episode quality overall at least.)

Admittedly not in the sense of coherent character/relationship arcs,

That’s what has been the most lacking for me, it just felt like I spend most of those episodes waiting for it to click with me, and it never really did :( Yaz in particular was a companion that seemed promising, but then the writers weren’t interested in doing anything with her. I probably will give the rest of the series a go at some point, but :sighs: it’s hard to get that invested when your main cast of characters aren’t even the ones driving the plot most of the time

That's a loooonnng gap. Also weirdly timed, considering the reception that this season's gotten so far and how short it was. Hopefully doesn't derail from the momentum cause I rather enjoy Jodie Whitaker as Thirteen, but ymmv. It doesn't bother me that much since they've dropped the huge plot arcs spanning seasons, and everything's much more condensed, but it's weird.

Best guess that I have for it is that there was a scheduling conflict somewhere, or they're drastically upping the number of eps? Or it might be a financial strain- DW now is a pretty high production compared to the RTD reboot era. Or even that BBC wants to go the Sherlock mode of seasons, but idk what would prompt that.

I have read some spec recently that it might not be anything to do with CC, but rather it could be about the BBC wanting to save on the DW budget. It seems odd to me though that that would lead to them taking a year off from one of their biggest shows which must bring in heaps of revenue, but admittedly I really don’t know how these things get worked out

Yeah, that's entirely possible. I know some companies function where they have some brands propping up other ones, ie even if one is doing super well, the revenue it generates all goes back into a bigger pool that is then divvied up among everything. Even then, I guess despite the money it generates, it must be really tough in terms of production costs?

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