Steven Moffat’s Q&A at the Edinburgh International Television Festival has been full of surprises – not least confirmation of the rumour that Doctor Who will be broadcast in two runs during 2011!
While he wasn’t describing Matt Smith’s chin as “truly terrifying”, or declaring the impending end of the regeneration limit:
“I think you might find that contradicted some time soon. It was mention in an episode but look, do you know what? If the day came that we had to have a 14th Doctor, we’d envoke the emergency protocol. We’d make something up,”
…The Grand Moff was busy comfirming what we have already speculated on this morning.
“The split series is hugely exciting because viewers will be treated to two premieres, two finales and more event episodes. For the kids it will never be more than a few months to the next Doctor Who! Easter, Autumn, Christmas!!”
The split transmission is the result of a request from Steven Moffat to write a new Doctor Who story arc which involves a big plot twist in the middle of the series. By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.
So – to clarify: Doctor Who returns in the Spring, breaks for the Summer, and returns in the Autumn in 2011!
annoys me enough when american shows do it breaking for couple months from end of November til end of January or February. I dunno. Have to just wait and see how it goes.
Personally, I think it’s a good idea, especially if it lends itself to Moffat’s storyline for the next series. Like he said, now we’ll never have more than a few months’ wait between Who episodes – this waiting nine months is ridiculous.
well if you’re bothered about waiting many months why not just have an episode every month then it’s all year round
Does that mean they will film the first few epsiodes now and film the rest later?
There are two possible and very logical reason’s for them to split the series next year.
Firstly they might be lining up a new assistant so in order to give then time to allow the new assistant to bed in they may be giving them time to work with Matt.
Secondly, moving the series back to the autumn now will allow then to be broadcasting on Saturday November 23rd 2013. SM will love to be writing The 11 Doctors story in the middle of a series. Imagine a whole arc where the Doctor’s previous incarnations all pop up at intervals…
Oh and I’ve got a third too… maybe they are fed up with being shunted around the schedules for whatever payday Andrew Lloyd Webber’s working on next… The Autumn will mean a slot admittiely against X Factor, but as that’s normally later then it will help the early evening ratings on BBC One and there will be fewer delayed viewers as the evenings draw in too.
I’ll be very frustrated though as the series finale might become the xnap special and then we’ll all have to wait 9 whole months for more new Who! :’(