Doctor Who

[Gizensha]

Ayup. Finally. About time too. Sci-fi channel have baught the rights to air Series One Doctor Who in the US, and have optioned the rights to air Series Two. Only several months after Series One ended in the UK. To air on Friday nights at 9pm from March.<br><br>Of course, this means the NTSC dvd isn't getting released until July 4th rather than the inital plan of Feburary, but... Finally getting an airing on US tv.<br><br>source - <a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/scifi.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/scifi.sh ... r><br>Just one question, though. Who the heck decides to air a family drama, which is what the new Doctor Who basically is, at 9pm? O_o<br><br>Could someone familiar with the US tv climate who's seen the New Who explain that decission to me, please?

[Blue Blur]

Most sitcoms, family shows, ect. are on primetime, as in, 8 o' clockl on. Plus, Sci-Fi has a goofy schedule.

[Gizensha]

Hm. I've recently heard that it's probably that sci-fi will be marketting it as "quirky sci-fi"... (ie aim for the Lexx/Farscape/Andromina/etc audience)

[GhostWay]

The Sci Fi channel airs its "main" programs (currently Firefly reruns plus Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica) on Friday evenings. Ironically, the Friday evening primetime slot is often known as the "death slot" on major networks (Fox, ABC, UPN, etc.), especially for Sci Fi shows; Firefly was on fridays and got cancelled, and Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled shortly after being offed to a friday slot. Which leads me to wonder how the schedule's going to change, since one of its most popular shows, Stargate Atlantis, is normally on at 9. Although the season will likely be over by then, but it still seems odd.<br><br>It wasn't much different when aired on CBC - I believe that they aired on Tuesdays at 7 PM. I guess television functions differently over here in the Americas than across the pond. Just curious, when was Doctor Who on over there?<br><br>Personally, Doctor Who never struck me as a drama. Probably because I associate "drama" with shows like Battlestar Galactica and House. More of a "lighthearted scifi", the same group I lump Star Trek and Stargate into.<br><br>But still, good news. Although now I have to wait 'til July for the DVDs. (I think I heard that it's still being released in Canada in February, although I could be mistaken.)

[Gizensha]

<!--QuoteBegin-GhostWay+Jan 13 2006, 02:55 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (GhostWay @ Jan 13 2006, 02:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> The Sci Fi channel airs its "main" programs (currently Firefly reruns plus Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica) on Friday evenings. Ironically, the Friday evening primetime slot is often known as the "death slot" on major networks (Fox, ABC, UPN, etc.), especially for Sci Fi shows; Firefly was on fridays and got cancelled, and Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled shortly after being offed to a friday slot. Which leads me to wonder how the schedule's going to change, since one of its most popular shows, Stargate Atlantis, is normally on at 9. Although the season will likely be over by then, but it still seems odd.<br><br>It wasn't much different when aired on CBC - I believe that they aired on Tuesdays at 7 PM. I guess television functions differently over here in the Americas than across the pond. Just curious, when was Doctor Who on over there?<br><br>Personally, Doctor Who never struck me as a drama. Probably because I associate "drama" with shows like Battlestar Galactica and House. More of a "lighthearted scifi", the same group I lump Star Trek and Stargate into.<br><br>But still, good news. Although now I have to wait 'til July for the DVDs. (I think I heard that it's still being released in Canada in February, although I could be mistaken.) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Saturday Night, 7pm. Used to be the main time for family dramas. Nowadays it's light-entertainment central. At the start of it's run (you know, when it got the rating over ten million and everyone went '...What?') it was up against the light entertainment behemoth of Saturday Night Takeaway.<br><br>Doctor Who has always been treated as a drama by the bbc. Battlestar Galactica always seems more sci-fi than drama, but Doctor Who isn't really sci-fiesque, it also doens't tend to pretend to be sci-fi (ala Trek, Farscape and Stargate), including in the future based episodes.<br><br>It's been edutainment, horror, earth-based military unit (or rather UNIT) in the past, Western once, pure surrealist fantasy twice... Rarely ever actual sci-fi, just uses sci-fi-esque eliments within.<br><br>Battlestar, on the other hand, is pure sci-fi. It's just handled in a more mature way than most.<br><br>Never mistake the genre of drama with 'dark'. Lighthearted dramas are some of the best sort. The Last Detective, Distant Shores, Midsommer Murders (more whimsical than lighthearted, that, really), Heartbeat (if you must). Doctor Who seems to be best when it treats itself as a drama, albeit a lighthearted one aimed at the whole family, with horror, sci-fi and other elements thrown in, depending on what suits the episode in the question.<br><br>Russel T Davies certainly isn't a sci-fi writer. Or at least is as much a sci-fi writer as Douglas Adams was. Take that comment as you may.

[Rooster]

Wow Giz, I would have never known that you liked Dr. Who <!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Zaaphod]

Well, this is good news. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... /smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--><br>

[Gizensha]

<!--QuoteBegin-Rooster+Jan 14 2006, 01:32 AM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Rooster @ Jan 14 2006, 01:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Wow Giz, I would have never known that you liked Dr. Who <!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Doctor Who, actually. (The Doctor part of Doctor Who is a name, not a title. The Who implies a question, as in 'Who is he?' rather than being part of the name)<br><br>And no, I don't suppose you would. I try to keep it secret <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Bocaj Claw]

Who's a doctor? This is a huge stepup from being a baseball player!

[DesertFoxCat]

Mild mannered baseball-player at day, Doctor by night!

[Gizensha]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bocaj Claw+Jan 14 2006, 05:54 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Bocaj Claw @ Jan 14 2006, 05:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Who's a doctor? This is a huge stepup from being a baseball player! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Oh, don't make me go Doctor Who fanboy on your ass <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo--> <br><br>I mean, I've already done that once on this thread already :stephan: (we need a Stephan emoticon)

[Rooster]

<!--QuoteBegin-Gizensha+Jan 14 2006, 11:59 AM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Gizensha @ Jan 14 2006, 11:59 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> <!--QuoteBegin-Rooster+Jan 14 2006, 01:32 AM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Rooster @ Jan 14 2006, 01:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Wow Giz, I would have never known that you liked Dr. Who <!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br>Doctor Who, actually. (The Doctor part of Doctor Who is a name, not a title. The Who implies a question, as in 'Who is he?' rather than being part of the name) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> I bow to your obvious superiority in this field of knowledge sir <!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Muninn]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bocaj Claw+Jan 14 2006, 06:54 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Bocaj Claw @ Jan 14 2006, 06:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Who's a doctor? This is a huge stepup from being a baseball player! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> He must have a few friends in high places.

[Llewthepoet]

Isn't that what Stephan's dad watching while he went to Silicon Valley?

[Gizensha]

<!--QuoteBegin-Asterikboy86+Jan 18 2006, 02:59 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Asterikboy86 @ Jan 18 2006, 02:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Isn't that what Stephan's dad watching while he went to Silicon Valley? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br>Uhhuh. Though he clearly isn't an actual fan of the series. No fan would ever refer to it as Dr. Who instead of Doctor Who. <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--><br><br>And yes. There really are enough episodes for a week long marrathon. About 700 made between 1963 and 1989, each one 25 minutes long (without commercials), excluding those that are 45 minutes long (without commercials), and The Five Doctors, which was ninety minutes without commercials. Plus the 1996 television movie. Plus 13 additional new 45 minute slot episodes. Plus an hour slot episode (yay Christmas Specials). Plus 26 45 minute episodes to be premiered between 2006 and 2007 (I think they're still recording the 06 season and the 07 season has a couple of episodes written for it already, including Stephen Fry's). Plus the second christmas special which has been commissioned for Christmas 06 (again an hour long). Plus if you want to get really picky, a marrathon could choose to show the two Peter Cushing movies (which are remakes of the first two dalek serials, the serial versions are far, far, far superior). Or maybe have a radio componant that chooses to use some of the (currently 78 within the main series of monthly releases, with many more being developed, plus the Bernice Summerfield series, the Sarah Jane Smith series, the Dalek Empire series, the Cybermen series, the UNIT series, the Gallifrey series, the Unbound series and the Excillis trillogy of four.) Big Finish audio dramas. And then there are some actual BBC radio audio dramas, and some BBC webcast animations... Plus a parrody Comic Relief episode.<br><br>Surficive to say the range of material that would be usable by a channel doing a Doctor Who marrathon is rather... large. Though there was significantly less audios and no new episodes when Stephan's dad was watching the marrathon. Apparantly before the BBC stopped automatically renewing PBSes liscence to show Doctor Who it was one of the more popular PBS programs. In addition it's known that The Simpsons's creator likes the show, to the point that the fourth doctor has had several cameo appearances within The Simpsons.<br><br>It should also be noted that not all of those 700ish episodes survive.