The Doctor In The TARDIS

I don't mean this to sound flippant or ungrateful, but I don't understand why if the show is doing so well we seem to be getting even less of it. They split season 6 to make it last longer, but there was 18 months between the start of that and the start of series 7. That's been split too, and we will get another few episodes this year and then the 50th and Christmas, and then nothing until autumn 2014. 2 series in 3 years isn't much and while it's better than nothing, every time the split is mentioned Moffat goes on about how we are getting more. He even promised we would get more episodes this year than ever before, but we are getting just 10. And I don't understand why they are holding off series 8 until 2014. That's another 18 months or more.

It does seem a bit like the fans are being short changed. Anything is better than nothing and we know what it's like to not have the show on the air, but it makes millions for the BBC so they should be wanting more, not less. It wouldn't be so bad if Moffat didn't keep putting spins on it to make us expect more. Why not just outright say we are getting less and give us a good reason why. I'm sure most people would accept that, even if they didn't like it.

It might just be a budget thing. Despite the huge sums of money that the show makes, it isn't poured directly back into the show, but instead spread out amongst the BBC on all programming, or at least all drama programming as that is the department that makes it, so while they will be happy it's so financially rewarding, that won't necessarily mean more Who, just that it is at least safe. A series per year again would be nice though.

Surely budgets are worked out way in advance though? The thing is, and I know they have no obligation, but why not just tell us what we're getting? It doesn't need to be plot or anything spoilery, just episode count. We got 6 episodes in 2012. That's hardly 'more Who than ever before' as Moff told us we would get, and neither is the ten episodes of 2013.

Well in terms of revenue there are lots of talks of the BBC looking to partner with BBC Worldwide in order to make the show. Because that company is self governed and not run on public money it would mean that more money comes directly back to Doctor Who instead of being spread out. Whether that's true or not is unlikely to be told to us for a long time yet, but that's what the whisperers are saying.

The key thing to remember is that plans change. Just because we are told one thing, it doesn't mean it is concrete and I am sure that they don't feel the need to issue a press release every time some information changes. It would be nice to be kept in the loop but they aren't under obligation to do that. It's very possible that everything we have been told was the truth when we were told it, but now things may have changed making it seem like we are being done over or lied to. I want more Who as much as the next person but we can't do anything about it if that isn't what happens.

I don't think it would hurt the BBC to just say 'budgets have been cut and we want to keep making the show, so we are doing the best we can', but it seems that they are just making stuff up instead. Moff made a big song and dance about how we would have a bit of a longer wait before series 7 because he wanted it to air in the Autumn/Winter so it could be seen on dark nights as intended. That's all well and good, but now we have to wait again until April, when we will be back to when episodes were airing before the change and back to the light nights. It doesn't make sense. It's obviously a budget thing. We usually would have 14 episodes per year, but by the end of this year we will have had 16 in two years. They may be saying that the season are now split and then selling the DVDs with the total amount under one season, but essentially the seasons have been reduced and we are getting the equivilent of 2 seasons in three years.

I think at times there is a sense of entitlement amongst fans that shouldn't be there. I'm not saying that is the point of the OP, and I am as keen for more Who as the next person, but we are lucky we get anything at all. We might be an intense fandom, but we aren't owed anything. It could be that this is the exact reaction that the Beeb are looking for. Right now we're all chomping at the bit to get more of it on TV, but if they were handing it to us on a plate then we'd take it for granted. While they deprive us, it builds up the want for it. I think that's important. They are giving us enough to keep us wanting more. I'd rather they do that and see the figures remain steady and anticipation just as high than see it on all the time and the figures slowly decline.

Mostly I think it's a shame that we are only really getting a special this year. I know we have the 8 episodes of S7 to look forward to, but they are 2012's batch and had they aired them without the split then the only thing we would have this year (that we are so far aware of) is the anniversary episode. Even the Christmas special looks to be in doubt (see thread in spoiler section). It's hardly a big blowout for the 50th and that is a shame. Moff promised us more Who than ever before, so all will be forgiven if this rumoured hoarde of found missing episodes turns out to be real. I can forgive a lack of new stories for he return of a load of old ones.

I'd really say the best thing to do in this instance is not to panic until we have confirmation of what we are or aren't getting. They seem to be going out of their way to be vague and silent on the matter. If a changeover is coming, like a new Doctor or showrunner, then that could explain why it has been quieter. We will know for certain soon enough