Doctor Who?

[emony]

BBC reveals Doctor Who 'gap year'

David Tennant's appearance in the fifth series of Doctor Who looks uncertain after it was revealed there will be no new series in 2009.

The fourth series, starring Tennant, is due to hit TV screens next year, but the fifth will not be seen until 2010.

Instead, Tennant will star in three Doctor Who specials, written by Russell T Davies, on BBC One in 2009.

I haven't seen anyone freaking out about this today. Is it old news?

Comments

[rach74.livejournal.com]

Guessing no one seen it yet? LOL

Kinda sucks :(

[emony.livejournal.com]

I've seen (vaguely - not really followed it) lots of speculation about Tennant leaving, but nothing about this "gap year" business. Although, as I said, I don't really follow the fandom closely, so I may just have missed it.

It might turn out to be a good thing - a bit of a break, change of pace, to shake things up a bit. They pulled it together at the end of s3, but the first half was really quite shockingly bad. Maybe this will give them a chance to catch their breath and get back to the kind of good stories they had in s1 and late s3.

[niennah.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I do love Doctor Who, but it's not like the US where you can be sure things will be on year after year till they wear out and die. As you say, could be a good thing. And there's always Torchwood. *g*

[emony.livejournal.com]

I am fond of Torchwood, but I'm not sure it'd work entirely on its own. Still, there are these three specials in 2009, and we've got season 4 before we have to worry about season 5, so whatever happens I'm sure it'll work out fine.

[lachli.livejournal.com]

I think I'm just stunned. Very disappointed though, would have preferred them to try and put it back until the autumn which I think is a better time slot for it. But to miss a season? Very sad.

[emony.livejournal.com]

It is a shame. It'll be very weird to have a season without Doctor Who. I just hope it can pick up the ratings again after a year of only specials.

[misssimm.livejournal.com]

Meh I don't really care. I might if I enjoy season 4 more than I have season 3 but the way I see it now is that at least it gives them time to come up with some truely kickass stuff for season 5.

Plus, it might well mean DT stays on my screen so can't complain!

[emony.livejournal.com]

Heh. I think a lot depends on who the Companion is by then too. The guys in my office were talking about it yesterday and were none too pleased by Catherine Tate for s4. But then, I think their motives in wanting a young, attractive girl companion are somewhat less than pure. Hopefully it will be kickass though (s4 and s5), and the Companion will be someone awesome.

[rach74.livejournal.com]

I just thinkit sets a precedent that only David Tenant can play the Doctor- which as an old skool fan is a precedent not that keen on!

However as people have said it might spice things up and give them chance to write some good stuff!

[emony.livejournal.com]

No, indeed. I think it's probably more just that, after Chris E only did one season, Billie only did two, then Freema only did one (and a half), they want a bit of stability for a few years before they change Doctors again.

Has a definitive limit ever been given to the number of times the Doctor can regenerate?

[rach74.livejournal.com]

He can regenerate 12 times- so 13 lives, but wil gallifrey gone I imagine all bets are off! LOL.

But I can see the BBC's point of view.

[emony.livejournal.com]

Given the success of the show, I'd say all bets are off!

You never know, Tennant might not want to do s5 regardless of when it is. It's difficult to guess what might happen in two years time when they're filming all this, so who knows how it might go. It'll be interesting to see, though, wherever it ends up.