All New Who

It's Japanese, actually.

{{{Bloody google }}}

{{The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff is to close! Not due to a lack of demand, not due to a lack of popularity- its been the largest tourist draw since it opened. No, because the local council only leased the land its on for 5 years and thats run out. The council say they need the land as part of their broader rejuvenation of the area plans. The BBC have not said if it will relocate or reopen elsewhere. }}}

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{{{Very beautiful indeed. Stay forever 12!!! Or at least another few series yet please!}}}

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/rumour-clean-slate-for-series-11-no-capaldi-or-mackie-81629.htm

I really, really hope this isn't true, it was Capaldi's casting as a darker, older more abrasive Doctor that got me interested in Who again, I'm not ready to see him leave yet and certainly in no hurry to see another quirky 30 year old with stupid hair...

I for one am very pleased if its true. Capaldi was very much Moffats creation and I am not keen on the small amount I saw of Mackie. I think a fresh start would be great. bring on Joe Gilgun and Emma Watson.

Mrs Figg wrote:I for one am very pleased if its true. Capaldi was very much Moffats creation and I am not keen on the small amount I saw of Mackie. I think a fresh start would be great. bring on Joe Gilgun and Emma Watson.

Watson is a weak (and expensive) actress, Gilgun is a good actor but I really don't want another dashing 30 year old with quirky hair, I honestly think the RTD format of romantic lead and big action has done more damage than good, he was so successful at attracting new viewers that they are unwilling to see anything differently, I'd rather Capaldi stayed for one or two more seasons to slowly let the changes settle in rather than kicking him out...

These rumours are kind worrying, sounds like Chibnall might be being told what to do rather than doing what he wants...

Ah well, hopefully Capaldi will do Big Finish Audios...

I'm guessing the Doc's Daughter is popular because of her potential, she's pretty much a blank canvas. It's not about who she is, but who she could be. I dunno...

I don't want Cap gone yet, hope this isn't true.

{{Dont like the sound of this at all for reasons already outlined by Malick above.

Particularly that it seems to be coming down from the suits and worse the merchandising arm of BBC Worldwide (who in my view have been given to much power over Who already) not from anyone on the production team.
I want Chibnall to get a fair go and that means letting him do it his way- not dictated too.

Secondly the show cant survive by going backwards to old templates- the young dashing Doctor and young female companion has only so much mileage and between Rose through to Amy they already covered pretty much every angle you can take on that. Constraining the show to any one formula is a recipe for long term disaster. As is looking backwards.

In Capaldi they have one of the best actors of his generations in the role. To me it would be madness to lose such a lead when there is no need to.}}}

malickfan wrote:

Mrs Figg wrote:I for one am very pleased if its true. Capaldi was very much Moffats creation and I am not keen on the small amount I saw of Mackie. I think a fresh start would be great. bring on Joe Gilgun and Emma Watson.

Watson is a weak (and expensive) actress, Gilgun is a good actor but I really don't want another dashing 30 year old with quirky hair, I honestly think the RTD format of romantic lead and big action has done more damage than good, he was so successful at attracting new viewers that they are unwilling to see anything differently, I'd rather Capaldi stayed for one or two more seasons to slowly let the changes settle in rather than kicking him out...

These rumours are kind worrying, sounds like Chibnall might be being told what to do rather than doing what he wants...

Ah well, hopefully Capaldi will do Big Finish Audios...

well I don't want Emma Watson literally, I just remembered that photoshop they did ages ago which looked very cool. Gilgun wouldn't be dashing or romantic, he isn't that type. He is more a quirky urban looking guy. anyway its unlikely to ever happen so I wouldn't worry. I think its quite reasonable for Chibnall to want a fresh start with his own characters not leftovers from some other persons artistic vision. I wouldn't like it either if I was him. from what I have gleaned they are not wanting to continue with the darker Doctor as its not kid friendly.

the darker Doctor as its not kid friendly.- Figg

{{Dont agree there Figg- kids seem to like him a lot and dont mind he is a bit grumpy and scary at times. He always comes through in the end, he is the Doctor. And besides the show got its family audience,m kids and all with a grumpy old Doctor from the off.

Nor do I agree that 12 is some left over artistic vision of another person- its an ongoing artistic vision, led by the actor not the writer and the actor has not yet confirmed if they are staying or going (I still have, diminishing hopes, he will stay on)- Moffat has stated many times the writing always follows the performance, not the other way round.}}}

if you were Chibnall I think you would want to put your own stamp on it. I certainly would.

{{{Don't see why that means changing the Doctor. The show runner changed several times during Tom Bakers run they didn't change him. In fact it was not uncommon in classic Who for the show runner and production team to change and the actors to stay- worked fine for the most part. }}

Chibnall ASKED Capaldi to stay on months ago, if Capaldi leaves it will probably be of his own free will, but I do think there is some truth in the Mirror story (though the mirror famously claimed Capaldi would only do one series, and then later claimed he was getting fired after Series the Moffat era has been more sucessful internationally but it has lost viewers at home, I don't think trying to copy an old format is a good idea to get back those viewers...

The real interesting thing in the Mirror article that no one has picked up on is that Chibnall has put together a writers room and they are currently plotting out both S11+12, Moffat previously confirmed the show had been renewed through to 2020...so does this mean Capaldi has signed for two more series, or Chibnall will cast a two year only doctor?

Just when you know where they keep the bread in the bakery aisle at Tesco then they go & bloody change it all I hope your not the harbinger of doom on this one Malick I liked Capaldi best of all as the Doctor ! But, who am I ? just a bloody TV watching post count. They don't stay around long do they ? Imagine if you got rid of your family like that......

the Moffat era has been more successful internationally but it has lost viewers at home- Malick

{{Not sure about that last bit. Its true overall since the high point (series 4) its down approx 1 and a 1/2 million in the UK (but hugely up overseas as its now in far more territories than previously) but in the context of current tv viwing habits its doing better than most drama.

A good example is the last episode we had- the xmas day episode- heres the BBC top rated xmas day TV on overnights-

Downton Abbey (ITV) 6.9m
Strictly Come Dancing (BBC) 6.5m
Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC) 6.4m
Stick Man (BBC) 6.4m
Coronation Street (ITV) 5.9m
Call the Midwife (BBC) 5.8m
Doctor Who (BBC) 5.8m
EastEnders (BBC) 5.7m
Brave (BBC) 5.5m


So Who was the 7th most watched show on the day- but non of the rest of the shows 'timeshift' nearly as much, ie viewers watching them by other means not when broadcast, or even as broadcast but on a digital platform.
Who's final consolidated viewing figure for xmas day was 8.27 million.

So whilst it was the 7th most watched show on conventional tv on the day- by the end of xmas week it was the most watched show broadcast on xmas day on the BBC. By New Year more folk in the UK had watched The Husbands of River Song than any other BBC program from xmas day.

Who's ratings are down only by the average all TV ratings have gone down (especially for drama, Downton shed a couple of million for example) and in direct comparison with its competition its still at the top end of viewing figures in the UK. And for a show that has run almost constantly for over a decade since the relaunch thats pretty remarkable.

Another good comparison is when the BBC fill the Who slot with another family drama- for example the generally considered very successful and popular Merlin- which ran for five series and its highest overnights ratings (not achieved until the end of its fifth and final series) was 5.8 million. And noone said it was a ratings failure in fact that particular episode was heralded in the press as ''Merlin' soars to series high on BBC One' (That one was Digital Spy's headline).
Yet elements of the same press declare Who is suffering catastrophic viewing figures when it gets comfortably 5m + before the catchup viewers and other device watchers are even added in. }}}

{{Delving into the ratings a bit more series 9 had an overnight lowest of 3.7 million for episodes 2 and 3 (but they ended up after consolidation at 6.58 and 6.51 respectively- which puts them above Merlins best 'soaring high') and highest overnight of  4.85 million for The Girl Who Died (consolidated to 7.19 million)- that excludes the xmas special which was the highest rated its just on series episodes.

But whats interesting here is the most watched TV in the UK on average are the big three soaps- Eastenders, Corrie and Emmerdale.

Eastenders recently recorded 6.3 million for a big main character exit.
And a similar big tragic story-line in Corrie got its peak viewing at 7.41 million.

And those were for two big advertised episodes in the most watched tv in the country.

Series 9 consolidated per episode was:  7.41m 6.58m 6.51m 6.77m 7.19m 6.73m 6.49m  6.48m  6.09m  6.55m 6.92m 6.86m 8.27m

So against the BBC's other main drama and ITV's biggest rival drama Who hold up pretty damn well (not to mention the huge critical acclaim series 9 got across the press traditional and digital).

And finally when considering ratings- the consolidated figures can be misleading, as they include those who watched live, those who watched on iplayer, and those who watched on catch-up services within 7 days- thats it. It doesn't include all those who watched via another provider like Amazon, Netflicks ect. And if you watched on iplayer after the 7 days (when it was still available for another full week) that didn't count either. In fact I rarely would count as a viewer as I don't often watch by means readily recorded by the BARB figures.

So the exact reach of Who is a bit of an unknown- we can consider the figures we have from BARB however as a lowest level, a starting point onto which all those other viewers still need added (before you add overseas viewers of course).

I am fervently hoping this story in the Mirror exists purely because its the Mirror, and they have been wrong about Capaldi era at almost every turn so far. And I just cant see the BBC thinking there is a serious issue with Who's viewing figures.
By all objective standards in the current TV climate its doing pretty well.}}}

I think a lot of people were getting tired of Moffat.

{{{The evidence for that seems entirely anecdotal Figg- and it seems from the figures that by and large those who do dislike Moffat have been replaced by new viewers anyway who do like him (based on the AI figures for the series- Audience Appreciation Index- ovedrall the folk who watch like what they see) and overseas it has never been an issue as the show under Moffat has grown and grown overseas.}}}}

{{{Also regards folk being tired of Moffat I am not sure the evidence for that is there either. Arguably Moffats two most acclaimed and popular series since he took over was his first, series 5 and his latest, series 9. So he is arguably doing as well now as when he started.

It is however time for a change just because any one writer can only do so much and I thik five series is long enough for anyone showrunner at the helm.
And its worth remembering Moffat by the time he leaves will have stayed on two series more than HE wanted too thanks to the BBC's inability to get a replacement.
And I suspect because a certain slice of fandom is so venomous and hate filled that no one in their right mind would want the job.
Whats worthy of praise in my view is that, so far, the first series he has has to do mainly because there was no one else to do it and after he thought he would have left was so good and well received.

To think if he had left when he was originally going to, after Last Christmas, we would have had no Heaven Sent! }}}

well maybe they are venomous in forums you frequent but the ones I have visited just show tired lack of enthusiasm for the whole thing, and this is from previous super-fans who loved the show including Moffat.

{{Again its all anecdotal Figg. The AI figures for series 9 do not show this- only one episode, Sleep No More fell Below 80 (78- still makes the 'Good' bracket) the majority got 84 or 83 with a couple of 82's rounding it out.

According to the BBC's own internal guidelines- 'an AI of over 80 is to be considered as Very Good. 85 or over is to be considered Excellent, over 90 is Exceptional, 60 or less is Poor, and less than 55 is Very Poor.'

The average AI for drama last year on the BBC is 84- so Who is in there with what the BBC themselves consider the best of their drama in terms of audience appreciation and enjoyment.

As I said above the majority of those who watch an episode enjoy what they see. Based on the figures available for viewing ratings from BARB and for AI from the BBC}}}

My eyes have a tendency to glass over & wander orrrf when I see statistics All I'm interested is, when is "Who" on, Is Capaldi still the Dr & shut the feck up so I can watch it