Doctor Who To Be Axed, Again

twofish writes "According to UK tabloid The Sun, hit BBC sci-fi program Doctor Who will reportedly end next year after its fourth season. Producer Russell T. Davies has decided to bring the hit sci-fi show to a close — to 'go out at the top' — so he can concentrate on other projects, according to the article. Davies and other senior staff are feeling the strain of the heavy workload imposed by the show, nine months a year of 16-hour days, and plan to resign en-masse in 2008. Davies, a long-time fan of Doctor Who, relaunched the series in 2005, 16 years after the original series was axed." Update: 05/31 16:36 GMT by KD : Reader palewook points out that the UK Guardian sets this story straight: "But there isn't any way it would be axed even if [Davies] left. He loves the show and he does feel that maybe it would benefit from some new blood."

Comments

Re:Can you keep a good Time Lord down?

[crossmr]

it doesn't sound like its poor support for the show, and from what I gather its quite popular there. It sounds more like the senior staff are just burnt out. I guess it would be up to the BBC and others involved in the show to decide if they want to try and go at it with different writers/producers/directors/etc. They've got lots of notice, so its not like they don't have time to mull over the options.

Pinch of salt

[Baljet]

It is the Sun after all. But don't mind me, please resume panic.

Something is better than nothing

[VincenzoRomano]

I'd like to thank Russel a lot for his efforts: a lot of people like me was missing the Doctor.
But I'd also like to tell BBC that there could be other producers able to continue the job.
After all you can slash resources from some other (maybe more stupid) program.
In any case, may God save the Great Britain and the Little one.

That's the British way

[elrous0]

FYI, a LOT of British series do this sort of thing (limited runs, going out on top voluntarily). Same thing happened with The Office, Ab Fab, etc. We Americans could learn a lot from these Brits (Lost and Heroes writers, I'm looking in your direction).

Re:That's the British way

[jollyreaper]

Hold on there, Heroes hasn't started sucking yet. Or are you just being preemptive? :) I hear Lost is, well, Lost. Glad I never got into that one. Battlestar Galactica is now officially lost in space. :( There's something to be said for going in with a plan, doing what you intended, and bowing out before you start stinking up the place. B5 had a magnificent run using that same idea.

They're plain lazy louts

[Pao|o]

The X-Files lasted 9 seasons/series of 20-30 episodes each. TNG, DS9 and Voyager lasted 7 years each with 20-30 episodes each. SG-1 lasted 10 seasons of 20-30 episodes as well.

Why in heavens name would they be burnt out with 3 seasons with only 13 episodes each? i'd understand your standard US TV show but a UK show that churns out that few episodes shouldnt be complaining.

I'm thinking the writers are just being honest that they cant write proper stories no more.

Re:Take the report with an enormous grain of salt

[simong]

What, someone at the Sun? The newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch? The Rupert Murdoch that owns Sky TV? And would like the BBC's TV licence abolished? Surely not.

Re:bummer.

[dylan_-]

The monsters were scarier in the 1980s though - or was that because I was much younger?

Because you were younger. I was up in Scotland visiting my sister and, while watching Doctor Who, I was delighted to see my 8 year old niece hugging a large cushion and hiding her face behind it whenever the monsters appeared! That is what Doctor Who is all about!