Watching NuWho

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Ncuti Gatwa appeared to indicate a third season

It is all going well,” Gatwa revealed. “We did the second series this year, the Christmas special is coming up, and we are filming a third series next year.”

Ncuti Gatwa Confirms Doctor Who Season 3 Return (And Sooner Than Expected)

Doctor Who's third Disney+ season will begin filming in 2025.

comicbook.com

However, there seems to be some further analysis needed.

Neither Disney nor the BBC have made an announcement to confirm a third season
It is possible that work is being planned, but that is not the same as a verification
It is possible that Disney may not commit to a third season, and the BBC will make a decision on whether there is one

It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of the show's performance, given the change to Disney's platforms
Disney seems quiet about whether they are content with the ratings, let alone happy.

From what I have noticed about content, the show has strayed too far
into science fantasy, as opposed to science fiction
The final episode - Sutek, one of the most all-powerful adversaries (if not the most) defeated by a dog collar?
The mystery of Ruby's parentage - just ordinary, why would Sutek care?
Not the most inspired writing, to say the least

I was hoping that Archie Punjabi would be portraying the Rani.
Unfortunately, there may be issues in securing permission from the estates of the writers, who are
the current owner's of the rights to the character.

Doctor Who is best when it explores a balance of Science fiction, action adventure, mystery, and horror.
Bigger budgets for effects are nice, but nothing can replace good scripts.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The Christmas special is being advertised.

Season 2 will be starting in 2025.
If there is a season 3, it will not be with Disney, it appears.
Disney has made no such announcement, and I don't think they have even been publicly supporting the show.
Ncuti Gatwa seems to be a capable, charismatic actor,
but the show doesn't seem to enhance his skills in the role.
The show has been on a downward spiral, ever since Chibnall.
Maybe a whole new production team is needed,
which is surprising since many of us thought that RTD could return the show
to respectability

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The Christmas Special had an overnight rating of 4.11 million.
If I am not mistaken, that is higher than any episode in NG first season

I don't know how to interpret this.
The viewing numbers are taking place in a different context now, since the
show is on Disney plus.
The important question is whether or not a third season of NG will be approved.
Disney does not appear to be commenting on it.

I think NG has the ability and charisma to be quite good in the role, as
I have asserted frequently.
My bigger concern is that the core audience has stopped watching, and
that a new audience has not materialized,
at least not in enough numbers.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Disappointing update about 'The War between Land and Sea" spinoff, indicating that transmission date is uncertain.

On top of this the seven day consolidated ratings for the Christmas special are 5.9 million, down from 7.4 million
the previous year.

Disney seems less than thrilled about Doctor Who, since they are largely silent.
What that indicates for the show's future is not encouraging.

I am disappointed in RTD. Like many fans, I was glad to see him return.
To be fair, he brought back the Christmas specials, had plans for an extended universe, and casting NG
seemed like an inspired choice.

Unfortunately, most of what I have read about the Disney Doctor Who is not favorable.
Despite the bigger budget, the scripts seem sub-standard, and the show seems more science fantasy than science fiction,
perhaps the wrong direction.

Doctor Who has been in a downward spiral since the Chibnall/Whitaker fiasco, except for David Tennant's brief return.
Much, if not most of the show's longtime fans have tuned out, and new fans are not emerging, at least in sufficient numbers.

 

[Seaviewer]

I keep toying with the idea of subscribing to Disney+, in part for Doctor Who, but I guess I haven't been able to raise enough enthusiasm.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I keep toying with the idea of subscribing to Disney+, in part for Doctor Who, but I guess I haven't been able to raise enough enthusiasm.

Disney may not continue with the series, so it is wait and see

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Happy Birthday Tom Baker, MBE!
91 years young

Yes, Tom Baker was recently named MBE

Tom Baker's role in the 50th anniversary was awesome
The Curator is clearly some version of the Doctor
It was the best scene in the show IMHO

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Interesting interview with Daisy Ashford, the daughter of Caroline John -Liz Shaw in season 7 with Jon Pertwee's Doctor
(see link)
Ms Ashford now performs as Liz Shaw in the Audio adventures.
In the interview, Ms. Ashford indicates that the welcoming reception by fans to Ms John at Conventions
was pleasantly unexpected and encouraging.
I am glad Ms. John learned how well she is respected by the fans.

Liz Shaw was an intelligent, educated, interesting character, and was well portrayed by Caroline John
And Caroline John is a better actress and a better companion than anyone in the renewed series
(though I thought Freema Agyman was great as Martha Jones)

Doctor Who's Caroline John thought she "wasn't very good" on the show – until fans changed her mind

John's daughter Daisy Ashford says the fan response "meant an awful lot" to her mother.

www.radiotimes.com

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Rumors of cancellation and Gatwa leaving

“This Story Is Incorrect”: Doctor Who’s Status Confirmed After A Report Claimed Show Could Stop For Years Amid Disappointing Ratings

Doctor Who season 15 airs this year.

screenrant.com

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The good Doctor may be facing cancellation

The new season begins April 12.

There is no approval for a third season with Gatwa
No Christmas special has been filmed
According to rumors, Gatwa has filmed an open-ended regeneration scene, and is leaving
Also according to rumors RTD is leaving

We may be returning to the wilderness years, like 1990-2004

 

[James from London]

I've only just realised Doctor Who's back on Saturday -- what an absolute treat!

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

According to this article about Doctor Who, RTD "...there might be a pause..."

Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies says "there might be a pause" – hints at show hiatus

The future of the show is still up in the air.

www.radiotimes.com

 

[Willie Oleson]

I've only just realised Doctor Who's back on Saturday -- what an absolute treat!

I don't even remember what it's like to watch appointment TV. Lucky Brits!

 

[James from London]

I don't even remember what it's like to watch appointment TV. Lucky Brits!

Actually, I was a bit early for my appointment. New New Who isn't on proper telly till Saturday evenings, but it materialises on the iPlayer sometime the night before, which meant I woke up this morning to a brand new episode, which is a great way to start the weekend. (The only potential snag is that because my wifi's playing up, I had to watch it on my phone, which you'd think would be a problem, but really wasn't.)

Not to give anything away, but the ep itself was really fun, with a sort of kitschy '50s sci-fi vibe combined with references to terribly modern things like the perils of AI, incels and coercive control in relationships. In a first for C21st Who, the new companion just wants to go home, but thankfully doesn't continually whine and moan about it the way companions who just wanted to go home in the old series used to. The Doctor weeps prettily in one scene (which he now seems contractually obliged to do in every episode), there's a fab, unusual, exciting twist at the end of the ep and Angie from EastEnders made another of her cryptic cameos, which will be enough to convince some of the more ... intense fans on the internet that she's the reincarnation of some character or other from forty years ago, which of course means they'll get all angry and blame the show if/when she turns out not to be.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Overnight ratings were abysmal
2 million
I know that the ratings are measured differently now, but this is not encouraging
According to rumors, this will the the last series for some time

The problem is deeper.
The show just isn't the Doctor Who that was once so iconic and fun
It has been in a downward spiral ever since Moffat and Capaldi departed.

It may be years before a new series is broadcast

Doctor Who confirms overnight ratings for The Robot Revolution

Season 15 launched on BBC One last night.

www.radiotimes.com

 

[Seaviewer]

It has been in a downward spiral ever since Moffat and Capaldi departed.

Just as what what might be called a casual viewer, I do feel that the Capaldi era was the high point.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Just as what what might be called a casual viewer, I do feel that the Capaldi era was the high point.

Peter Capaldi is a terrific actor, was an excellent choice to portray the Doctor.
He has the prescence and authority of a Time Lord, he is adept at both drama and humor.
He deserved better scripts, but he elevated the ones that were written during that era

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The great Jean Marsh, OBE has passed.
She acted in 3 Doctor Who adventures, notably as Sara Kingdom in "The Daleks' Master plan"
She was also married to Jon Pertwee, 3rd Doctor, 1955-1960
She did a cameo in "An Adventure in Time and Space"
which was a better celebration of the 50th than
the actual episode (except for Tom Baker) IMHO

Jean Marsh - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[James from London]

Today's episode was brilliant, like no other Who episode ever. Completely visually stunning, sort of like

Spoiler

Who Framed Roger Rabbit meets Broadway Danny Rose with references to Daniel Reece and racial segregation cleverly woven in along the way. The Doctor even manages to meet some of his fans who watch him on TV every week, read spoilers online and are, by their own admission, really annoying. Angie from EastEnders pops up again and pretty much confirms that the series will end at the end of May,

and that's OK. It's been a brilliant twenty year run and if this really is the end, then they're definitely going out in style and I intend to enjoy every last minute. As for viewing figures, I kind of hope I'm the only one left watching by the end. That would make me the winner!

Meanwhile my historical-chronological Who watch has reached the mid-1800s, which proving a very rich seam to mine. The contrasts between one story and the next are fascinating and it's so exciting not knowing what's coming next. The Mark of the Rani (set in 1820-something, it's the first historical-chronological appearance of Colin Baker's Doc - him and Peri are easily the worst things about this one) was followed by The Next Doctor (1851 - David Morrissey mistakenly believing himself to be the Doc gives a humble, moving performance while David Tennant just gurns and feels sorry for himself), followed by Flux Episode 2 (1855 - Jodie Whittaker and Mary Seacole battle the Sonatarans during the Crimean War - a real gem, beautifully filmed and acted), followed by the Victorian bits of Evil of the Daleks (1866 - a 2nd Doctor classic, even as a cartoon, plus there are references to the Crimean War which is kind of cool as I'd only just seen the 13th Doc experience it), followed by a split second of Clara Oswald in one of her many timelines, followed by The Unquiet Dead (1869 - the 9th Doc and Rose meet Charles Dickens in a pretty much perfect celebrity historical) and now A Town Called Mercy (1870 - Matt Smith in a cowboy hat reminding me why he's the best, funniest and most moving Doc of the C21st - and all of a sudden it feels like cinema!)

 

[Angela Channing]

Overnight ratings were abysmal
2 million
I know that the ratings are measured differently now, but this is not encouraging
According to rumors, this will the the last series for some time

The problem is deeper.
The show just isn't the Doctor Who that was once so iconic and fun
It has been in a downward spiral ever since Moffat and Capaldi departed.

It may be years before a new series is broadcast

Doctor Who confirms overnight ratings for The Robot Revolution

Season 15 launched on BBC One last night.

www.radiotimes.com

Two million isn't abysmal by today's standards and Doctor Who was the second highest rated show on the BBC last Saturday. Doctor Who is also first screened on iPlayer so the consolidated figures will be a more accurate measure of the audience.

What kind of audience would you consider to be good for the show?