Slashdot Mirror
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."
This news is really too bad. This show is one of the best sci-fi remakes I can remember, in terms of remaining faithful to the original series while not sucking out loud the way shows like "Star Drek: Voyager" did. I mean I really like the new Battlestar Galactica, but other than keeping a handful of names and a very basic plot premise, they are two wildly different shows. Watching this current Dr. Who is just like watching the old show (only with slightly-less-cheesey special effects.)
John
Maybe he wants to go back to packing fudge.
Maybe its time that Davies regenerated into someone else.
There might be limits on the timelord regenerations, but nothing said about the crew.
If its difficult making a popular weekly show, how the hell do they manage to make popular daily shows last for years?
liqbase
It is the Sun after all. But don't mind me, please resume panic.
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.
Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
I guess with all their collective experience in TV production that they expected, like, two four-hour days a week, right?
Dang shame, as it's a TV formula that can handle the complete replacement of its cast and yet stay interesting... David Tennant is the 10th actor to hold the title role. Unfortunately, it may not be able to handle the replacement of its crew.
On one hand, I'm v. sad to hear this, as it's a pretty good show nowadays. I can understand wanting to leave at the top rather than the bottom (Sylvester MacCoy anyone?); but it's definately could run a few more years before becomming tired.
Nah, don't worry it'll be back. I've lost count of how many times that shows been pulled, revived and then cancelled again.
Mind you, there must be a limit that even a time lord can regenerate.
The monsters were scarier in the 1980s though - or was that because I was much younger?
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).
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Two things:
The Sun has zero credibility in the UK. The only thing it gets right is the publication date.
RTD doesn't own the right to the show, the BBC do. If he quits they can get someone else to make it.
I give the man props for helping to bring the show back but he has, on average, written the dullest of the episodes in the new series. The beauty of the Dr. Who format is that it is designed to be timeless and exist far beyond the mortal limits of the humans involved. The only constant in the cast is the Doctor and he can "regenerate" every time the actor wants to move on to other things. The production staff should be equally replaceable. Want to move on? No problem! Take a sabbatical? No problem! A show like this should be able to run almost indefinitely, like, well, the previous series. :) I do hope they change their minds.
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
I'd rather watch Ghost Hunters!
You guys seem love to do this to shows even when you understand what the characters are saying! (for example The office and Coupling)
This is coming from The Sun, one of the nations gossip 'newspapers'. Doctor Who is made by the BBC, considering how this latest series of Doctor Who has talked to BBC first I find it slightly suspicous, I mean the qoutes not even from Davies:
A source said: "The heavy workload -- nine months of 16-hour days every year -- has started to take its toll. It was decided the best thing for the show was go out at the top next year."
I'm betting this is anouther in a long line of Sun articles designed to sell newspapers which is based on gossip, when the BBC says there will be no more Doctor Who I'll believe them. As it standard Doctor Who is the BBC's most popular show so even if Davies were to quit I doubt they would axe the show.
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.
didn't even last a season without starting to suck.
If Davies and the BBC can't hack it maybe the Sci-Fi channel can do the job. I don't think I can believe anything from the Sun anyhow. I'm American, and even I know this.
I'm not pleased, either. I can understand the reasoning - high workloads can lead to burnout - but I concur with other posters. Let someone else do it...Doctor Who stories tend to benefit from fresh ideas and it can reasonably go in nearly ANY direction.
The current version has even managed to do a decent re-vamping of Daleks and Cybermen (when most re-hashings of old ideas tend to get tired). There is PLENTY more to do with this show...heck, remember that not only are there more incarnations left, we also have however long the FIRST doctor was around before his debut as an old geezer in a junkyard.
It IS a good formula for generating interest - "leave 'em wanting more" rather than getting stale (which, by the way, it wasn't at the end of its first run - internal issues in the Beeb got it canceled, not poor ratings or lack of interest).
Hey, Beeb, there's a SciFi channel out there doing reruns...and there are plenty of shows that should have found a second/third life there (Firefly is a three-four season show on SciFi, easily...and it's one of the few places US audiences can watch any Doctor Who that isn't internet).
The Sun, as others have commented, is noted for its -- not-necessarily-true articles. For instance, they reported that Martha's character would be gone in season 4 -- which the BBC has roundly denied. And earlier, they wrote that David Tennant would be leaving the role. I get the feeling that someone working at The Sun really doesn't like the show...
How is it that the original series could go through dozens of producers, writers, etc. but the new series is too special to do the same? Does Davies think he is the only one who can make Doctor Who? If so, how incredibly arrogant of him.
http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
I for one am glad, Season 3 has been absolutely terrible so far. Daleks are every where (Why do Daleks have to be in EVERY SERIES!? They aren't scary when they appear every other week) and they keep "killing" (or removing in some form) the doctor to make Martha comes across as a "strong woman type", when instead it just feels forced.
I suspect Season 4 will be as bad as Season 3 and by then the viewing figures will have dropped. I mean as much fun as "Evil monster chances the doctor around an Earth based place" is, whatever happened to going to alien worlds? It's like the Last 3 seasons have completely forgot the TARDIS can travel to places other than space stations and Earth.
I like muppets.
... bullshit on this. A popular show, in it's prime, that's currently raking in cash hands over fist for the BBC from various products and merchandising efforts, is going to be axed right in the middle of a massive wave of popularity? Yes, you might kill a popular show just as its popularity or quality is fading, give it a dignified death, whatever. But this makes no sense. Producers and writers can be replaced, refreshed, whatever. Combined with the fact this is the Sun reporting this, and ... well ... as I said, bullshit.
I wouldn't believe a word that rag says. It's the worst of the Murdoch rags. Even the people who work for it consider it pretty disreputable.
Here's an example... Tango produces a commercial where old lady puts pin into balloon and old lady pops. The Sun called up the "help the aged" charity and said "They're blowing up old people. do you think this is right?". Woman who hadn't seen it agreed that on the face of it it sounded bad. The Sun then ran a story about how Help the Aged wanted the ad banned.
They do not fact check unless not doing so will get them sued. Their source could be a teaboy for all we know.
Seems like it's standard operating procedure to axe EVERY show, just to see if there's enough fans who care to deliver 9 tonnes of nuts or not. It's probably a lot more accurate, and cheaper than running nielson polls or whatever.
Perhaps everyone should download the shows, or use mythtv, and watch it without advertising in protest of this ridiculous trend. Oh wait...
Thinking about it more, someone should write a strongly worded letter to encourage Google to start funding sci-fi shows, with some clever google-esque unobtrusive, embedded advertising... hotlinks directly in the file, available for free download... they could even write a mythtv plugin to automate the whole shebang.
On good sci-fi, Farscape rocked. Minimal CG. Some cool puppets, a kickass storyline, plenty of comedy, drama, action... no blatantly unexplainable physics violations (yes it matters *lol*).
I take it you missed the Heroes season finale? Horrible.
Why should we believe thenm when its something that is more popular than any Sky show, and they can't buy it
The truth of the matter is that Russell T Davies has stated publicly for quite a while that he won't stay on forever - he has previously said he wouldn't be in the Executive Producer role after 2010. Another truth is that he has no control over what the BBC choose to do with the show after he leaves. Quite an important truth is that Doctor Who is one of the BBC's most important programmes - regularly top of the ratings (after soaps) and a merchandising gold mine. The Sun is not a reliable source for stories like this as they will take a germ of a story and run it in whatever direction suits them. Anyone concerned that the fourth season will be the last should stop worrying.
If he wasn't willing to make a commitment to continuing a series, maybe he shouldn't have taken on the project? There is no one else at BBC capable of directing a Sci-Fi show? And what's with this mass-resignation? Some kind of ideology statement? It must be designed to say something, most people when they tire of a job simply find another without dropping bombs on the way out the door. Disappointing.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
It wouldn't be a bad thing to stop the show when it still is very succesfull.. We've seen so many series go down the drain because they just couldn't stop, hmmm come to think about it, about every show on the telly now is just pretty boring because they milked it just too much.. Just pick up the show again in 5 or 6 years or even a decade...
Lost is a much better show if you can watch the episodes in faster succession, like one a night. The nebulous story arc and large cast of characters make it difficult to get into, and keep interested, when you only see a new episode every week or three.
Doctor, who? Is this a show like Doogie Houser M.D.?
----- You know you have ego issues when you register a domain in your name.
When is the next season of Hyperdrive http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/hyperdrive/ coming out?!?
Austin: Really?
The Sun: No. Not really....
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOO
Please keep appending Os. If we get enough O's, and send 'em to the BBC, maybe they won't cancel it.
GAAH! MY PRINTER IS ON FIRE!!! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!
Man, you have to take anything the Sun says with a large pinch of salt. The only thing I would trust them to get right is the cup size of the page three model.
my replica sonic screwdriver from my cold dead hands, BBC
The Sun is always wrong about Doctor Who. It has been printing one manifestly untrue story about the series every week for months. Just because you read in a tabloid that a Lancaster Bomber has been found on the Moon doesn't mean you automatically believe it (note to self: excellent plot for Doctor Who episode).
Personally I would be a lot more worried if the Sun reported that Doctor Who was definitely on for ten more seasons.
I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
Well with the reintroduction of the Timelords, Face of Boe stated and this new Harold Saxon character obviously being a timelord, possibly a rival (much like the Master back in the 60s), it is possible for them just to end with a scene on a new Gallifry, all happy and what not. Sure it is not in the style of Doctor Who, but it is quite possible. I mean it is not unheard of for production companies to take it the easy way out when they already have the masses hooked, Seinfield for example. Though I doubt the validity of it, maybe thats the timelord/whovian in me talking, it could be interpreted as an eye opener for all of us who tune into BBC3 every Saturday night, or Sunday afternoon for when the DVR rerun.
The shows you mention all share a very important trait: Many main characters. It's easy for Patrick Steward to take a week off by writing him to some peace talk conference on a planet without skipping the week. Hey, it could be made into a plot device.
... who?
Not possible in Dr. Who. What's Dr. Who without Dr. Who? Dr.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
SPOILERS (You've been warned):
The Watchmen pulled it off much better. For starters, Ozzymandius wasn't some pawn and didn't trust his entire plan to someone with reservations about the crisis. There's no reason to even tell Nathan about the plot since Peter is the one who's going to explode. And then not only did the big event not even happen in Heroes, but it played out almost exactly how Peter dreamed it would play out earlier in the season! It was very anti-climatic.
I imagine Sylar is still alive because of the bloody manhole shot. That REALLY annoys me because Mr. Sulu's kid and his friend both know Sylar survives the sword stabbing Sulu's kid initially gives him. Sylar should've been hacked to bits while there was still time.
I'm still interested in following the show, but I was very let down at the finale.
Hmm, call me cynical, but do we think that RTD's contract with the BBC may be up for renewal, and he's trying to scare them into upping his rate?
The last scintilla of doubt just rode out of town
They could scrap Torchwood and all that stuff. Free up a bit of spare time.
I have excellent Karma and I am not afraid to Troll it.
The Sylar thing, that's the only thing that's really bugged me the entire time. It's like when Sylar is tied to the chair, don't bandy words with him, kill him immediately! And when he gets free of the chair and Peter comes in and saves you and Sylar gets knocked down, do something to cut his head off! Never assume the bad guy is dead until you have his head removed from his body, then burn it all just to be sure. I hate it when they have to resort to character mistakes to keep a baddie alive.
With regards to that manhole thing, Sylar could have done it himself or maybe something else came up and got him. Convention says he's still alive, though. (drat)
The best way I ever saw this handled was in the Buffy v. Dracula episode. She dusts him, everybody walks off, and then they do the typical "baddie comes back to life, muhahahah!" thing with him coalescing from the vapor. STAB! POOF! Buffy was watching. Then he does the vapor thing again. "I'm still here," she says. The vapor goes away. Class.
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
You can't take the sky from me...
I was a big fan of Dr. Who early on, but after the horrible movie with Eric Roberts, just demonstrates how bad someone can screw up a beloved series. And then for the new series attempts, many of the episodes were just cheesy. A constant trying to revive the old look of the TARDUS was disappointing. I found no nostalgia in going back to older looking sets. Tom Baker(the best DR. Who) redesigned the set into more modern one. They should have kept with that trend.
Even though it was disappointing I will be sad to see it go.
Just hand the project off to someone else, someone that has a better vision, not a tired run down one.
Rupert Murdoch
/ \
/ | |
/ \
News International Sky One-----COMPETITOR--------BBC
/ | |
The Sun Various----LOWER RATINGS----Doctor Who
Do you see what's happening here?
...say that after falling IQ figures, the Sun is to be axed at the end of the silly season.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
"A source said" is always a euphemism for "I just made this up"
The answer to that can be seen in the episode "Love & Monsters"
Russel T Davies has been involved in producing three simultaneous shows as well as behind the scenes work on Doctor Who Confidential and Totally Doctor Who. Sure there have been other simultaneous series run by the same creative teams; Star Trek and the Angel/Buffy/Firefly shows being examples but they suffered quality problems due to the team being stretched thin. Look at Buffy S6-7 and Angel S3-4 and tell me that quality wasn't waning even though they were still fine shows.
The Doctor Who shows have had continuous quality and the staff have paid the price for it. I'm not even going to say that this news is true, I mean it is from the Sun, but if it is then it won't be that surprising.
That will free up another date night for about 5 million people. NOT!
When is Slashdot going to get a dedicated Doctor Who icon like it has for some other SciFi series?
How did I know that the tabloid Sun story would be on Slashdot, while the more level-headed, better-sourced Guardian piece would not?
9 2376,00.html
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,20
The BBC has insisted that the future of Doctor Who's executive producer, Russell T Davies, "has not yet been decided" in spite of reports today that he will quit the hit show after the next series.
A BBC drama spokeswoman said that Mr Davies has signed up to oversee this year's Doctor Who Christmas special and 2008's fourth series.
However, she added that his involvement with Doctor Who after that has not been confirmed.
"Discussions have not begun so we cannot say if Russell will be involved or not," she said.
A senior BBC Wales drama source told MediaGuardian.co.uk that Mr Davies may be preparing to leave the show.
"Russell has always said that he wouldn't be with the show forever and he has made no secret that the hours are quite exhausting," the insider said.
"But there isn't any way it would be axed even if he left. He loves the show and he does feel that maybe it would benefit from some new blood."
Today's Sun claimed that the show will be axed after the fourth series because of the decision by Mr Davies to quit as executive producer.
The Sun reported that Mr Davies and "senior staff have hatched a plot to hand in a group resignation in summer 2008 and that the show will end after series four".
It quoted a "source" who said that Mr Davies had become fed up over an exhausting workload of 16-hour days nine months a year.
Mr Davies has been the creative driving force behind the Doctor Who revival, which has been a resounding critical and ratings success, and his departure would be a blow for the BBC.
As executive producer he has taken on a "show runner" role, overseeing all creative aspects of the drama and in particular leading the team of Doctor Who writers, as well as scripting individual episodes himself.
The showrunner role is common on long running US TV drama and comedy series, but not often seen in the UK.
However, if Mr Davies does leave Doctor Who, the BBC will want to keep such a popular show going by bringing in a new executive producer to take over his creative responsibilities.
Doctor, who you be axin' again?
"nine months a year of 16-hour days"
That sound like what we usually hear from teachers.
Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
Slashdot always has had a dedicated Docter Who icon.
Look at the top of the pa...oh wait...wrong timeline. Never mind.
[UID-HeinzIntel]
"[...] UK tabloid [...]"
Well there's your problem.
I appreciate everything Davies was trying to accomplish, but I think it is time for a new (or rather, "old") direction for the show. These self-contained 1 hour long doctor who episodes are okay, but they are too much like the X files and are just too formulaic at this point. Bring back the 1/2 hour cliffhanger format, the pseudo-shakespearean actors, cheap sets, and Douglas Adams-style scripts (RIP). And for the love of god, stop making every episode happen on earth!
STFU about slashdot bias.
I'll bite. Whatcha gonna axe him!?
Not again!
Well, at least it means David Tennant is available to attend Gallifrey One!
Just my $0.02 worth.
Even though the "alien blood hound family" thing seems a lot like the first season thing with those aliens who took over Downing Street, I still like seeing Martha having to take the lead in fighting off an alien invasion while also serving tea and scrubbing the floor.
Meanwhile, the Doctor learns to waltz!
That older possessed kid looks utterly creepy.
Note: These episodes contain almost as many gay references as the new "Doctor Who" series. But not quite.
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
Did anyone else read the title and think the article was about a doctor who was going to be axed...for a second time?
- The multiple opportunities to kill Sylar, only to let him live.
- Sylar's ability to stop bullets just after they have been fired at him, but he's too slow to stop Hiro from running him through with a sword (despite seeing it coming).
- Hiro learning Sulu's koryu in a couple of hours.
- Peter's ability to stop himself from going critical in one episode, but not being able to do so in another.
- And, worst of all, letting Sylar escape unnoticed through a sewer (perhaps the cockroach dragged him in).
Sigh, I want to like this show, but I've been dissapointed time and again.Lost's writing is a PhD graduate, Heroes' is a high school sophmore.
The show delivery needs new blood. Series 3 while not rubbish should be much better, it's a definite step down from series 1 and 2. It feels like painting by numbers.
It still wish as good as the NEW Series is that it connected better with the Classic series.
A source said: "The heavy workload -- nine months of 16-hour days every year -- has started to take its toll. It was decided the best thing for the show was go out at the top next year."
If he works 16 hours a day for 9 months on Doctor Who then exactly how much time does he spend on Torchwood? Sounds dodgy to me - I'll believe it when I hear it from the beeb.
I lost interest with Battlestar Galactica after realising none of the people on the show had a sense of humour - or a personality, in fact. A mental disorder, yes, but no personality. Can you really imagine having to spend the rest of your life on a starship with those miserable fuckers?
I'm supporting the cylons.
I wrote my first program at the age of six, and I still can't work out how this website works.
Considering the Foxtard-like calls we US'ians have to put up with (cancelling Drive? WTF, someone at Fux have
/. link and reads).
it in for NF? And Dancing w/Stars knocking Boston Legal out of its slot and other assorted stupidities.
Bovine excrement mentioned earlier was right on the money as even I went: (Panic!)..but 'the Sun' isn't know
for, well, things called "facts"...prolly bull...(click
Didn't we go through a similar "Oh noes!" even though Eccelston (sp?) said he'd do one season only, so as not
to get "Tom Baker'ed?"
On behalf of Dr. Who fans I think it is best said like this:
(Dalek Voice) You will not cancel the show! OBEY! OBEY! OBEY! (/dv)
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
I knew this was coming. Russell Davies is directly or indirectly responsible for Doctor Who, Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, and god knows how many events. It's a terrific show and if Davies thinks he can only handle Torchwood then he should give over control of Dr. Who to those competent enough to do so. Dr. Who is a terrific show and should be good for many, MANY more seasons...
"...Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam..."
That is because Dr. Who sucks beans...
I mean, the Scum is mainly notable for the page three titty shots and the complete sub-Enquirer (hell, sub-Weekly World News!) level of its reporting. RTD has always indicated that he'll leave sometime between the end of series four and the end of series six, depending on his mood at the time you ask him. He wants to do other things. It's entirely possible he'll step down after series four to concentrate a bit more on Torchwood and the Sarah Jane Adventures; he's said several times he wishes he'd been more involved with Torchwood.
Convention says he's still alive, though. (drat)
Of course. They're being true to at least one good comic book convention. Villains get defeated, but rarely if ever do they get killed. Batman defeats the Joker many, many times...
"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
"I took his power Nathan. I can't control it. I can't do anything."
Peter couldn't fly because he was too busy trying not to blow up.
Honestly, I'd rather see it take a 5 year break and it come back GOOD, rather than watching it die a painful death and then having to wait almost 20 years for another.
If you're that tied to it, get a subscription to the Big Finish Productions audio shows - there's been over 90 "episodes" so far, with several dozen spinoffs including "Dalek Empire", "Gallifrey", "Sarah Jane Smith", "Cybermen" and "UNIT". Original cast (4 Doctors and ALL their sidekicks save one), original writers, original scores, new sidekicks, new villians, full sound effects, etc, etc.
Highly highly recommended.
"Sometimes a woman is a kind of religion, she can save your soul & set you free from all your sins" - Bad Examples
I wonder of Josh Wheedon is available. I wouldn't mind a ride on the Serenity Tardis.
There's plenty of other sources of creative juices who could take Who on for many many years to come. There's no way the BBC is going to give up on such a cash-cow so readily. Bring on the talents of Steven Moffatt, Gareth Roberts, Paul Cornell, and all the others.
I'm not worried. The Sun is about as reliable as the TARDIS.
Errrr no, feckmunch, Voyager totally retireived Star Trek after the Babylon5 wannabe DS9, and went right back to the original series roots with all the advancements of TNG. It was, by far and away, the most superior yet.
Sorry, but this has always bothered me about British TV; they have way fewer episodes per year. Like, half as many as a typical US Show. Blackadder had fewer (regular) episodes over its entire run than there are in a single year of DS9. Doctor Who does 13 episodes per series, which is the most I've seen in British TV.
Cue the "But U.S. TV sucks..." people. And yes, some of them do suck (just like some British shows, *cough*Torchwood*cough*), but there are and have been a number of quality programs that produce about twice as many episodes per year. So why do these people burn out so quickly?
If your theory is different from practice, then your theory is wrong.
Look, Dr. Who is the longest running SciFi show (even the Next Generation Series) for a reason. From 1963 through 1989 they kept churning out Doctor Who episodes. They changed Doctors, companions, villains, and even TARDISes... they've also changed writers, producers, directors, staff, and what have you.
Could they not just turn the reins over to the next group of people willing to take it on? It seems such a shame to revive a show, make it awesome and well loved (in the UK anyway), and then kill it off after 4 piddly years? Stupid Stupid Stupid. As long as they can still sell DVDs in the US they shouldn't stop.
I don't believe in this "stopping before we get burnt out crap", just find people to continue it. That's how it's worked in the past (to some degress of success admittedly).
Still.
Consider for a moment at the plots they need to finish for one:
Rani is still out there. She was turned into a tree, IIRC, but she'll probably be back.
Romana is as well. It was never known what happened to her, but according to the books, she was the head of the Timelords during the war with the Daleks. If you want to know where his real love interest is... she's it. She'll guaranteed be back.
Of course, there is The Master - He's still alive. Can't possibly not be alive.
And lastly, the 12.5th version of himself, the Valleyard.(evil Doctor who goes amok and breaks the rule against attempting to "re-do" time among other things. Tom Baker himself has inted at a possible comeback for this role(!) - And he looks eerily like the actor who originally played him, byw)
You can't do this all in one season. They've hinted at The Master as a possibility and of course, Evil Doctor(tm) is canon - and will happen.
But there's of course more. Unresolved issues:(btw, Rose is gone - the actress herself is doing other things now)
The Daleks are still alive - well, one of them is... Obvious lead-in into a future episode.
The Voidship is another biggie - it has all the markings of a timelord design - probably a method to escape the war. This means potentially dozens of old people could still be out there.
And of course, there are dozens of old enemies that need to be revisited. Cybermen in his own universe are still creeping around in the periphery, for instance. Plus, it looks like he re-created his dog again - which is cool, really - it's not bad for him to do his own thing for a while, either.
What Dr. Who needs to do is make a clean break and get away from "Present-Day-Earth". For instance, the best part of the 5th Doctor was that almost none of it took palce on Earth - it was all future Earth or some outpost or station or alien planet. I thought with the episode where he showed her New Earth, they would take off and do non-present day Earth(tm) crap.
Visit ancient Rome. Visit Atlantis again. Get stuck in some alien planet again. Visit any number of the old famous haunts from the past again - surely there is mileage in that. Or do another "hits the fan" arc like the "Key of Time" or "trials of a Timelord"
This series has tons of life in it - so don't worry too much.
Seasons 6 and 7 of Buffy were just kind of tacked on because it ended on WB and the now defunct UPN decided to pick it up and keep it going. However, I saw no decline in quality for Angel. I thought seasons 3 and 4 were improvements over the first two.
Sig unrelated.
But the fact that Billie Piper is single again is at the top of my list.
The homosexual agenda thing was starting to wear thin with me anyhow thanks to Russell T. Davies' direction. Sexualising to any sexual orientation shows a sheer lack of sophistication not to mention taste. The class shift in casting has made it suffer too - those Shaksperian actors with their good diction really played the stories well but they're all gone now.
It's also starting to suffer from the more apparent problems that Torchwood suffers from - the stories are pedestrian, and too often rely on the boring old Earth. Much like when the Jon Pertwee Doctor was stuck with the Brigadier and UNIT driving around in that boring old car, giving every monster he came across a karate chop. Of course that was because it was cheaper to make.
It's about time a writer was brave enough to really address the issues of ancient Galifrey and the Doctor's original identity beyond using bad poetry and cryptic comments that never resolve. It would also be nice to finally see a group of Timelords using a TARDIS as it was actually intended to be used too. We know that the Doctor rejected Timelord society - but we've never really seen that society sufficiently. I also think that the Dalek destuction of the Timelords is just plain silly.
Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.
Indeed. And the idea was so successful they've decided to do another Doctor-lite ("I can't believe it's not The Doctor") episode this season: "Blink" - next week's episode.
=w=
Several reliable industry watchers in London believe that Russell T. Davies, the producer of the current Doctor Who series, has learned that his script for the opening episode of season 3, where the Doctor (David Tennant) takes on a young male assistant and wears a lighter, pastel colored costume with tighter pants, was deemed unacceptable by the head of BBC1. It is rumored that Davies is leaving the series for good, and that that he is working on an alternate project with the former Larry Wachowski, part of the writing team of the hit Matrix films. The planned title of the movie script is not yet known, but rumors are that the story will be about Roman gladiators and may possibly feature a small role for Elizabeth Taylor as well as Hugo Weaving.
It isn't the end, a new producer will be found..
Even if it were to be cancelled, it won't be the end as happened before.
Doctor Who always finds a way back, be it fan fiction, official audios, official novels, etc....
always
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For Neil Gaiman to step in and add his creative genius.