From the Good News/Bad News department: Doctor Who gets a 5th season. . . .

Tony J Case · 09-03-2007, 03:55 PM

. . . . in 2010.

Quote:

Doctor Who to return for fifth series in 2010.

After months of media speculation, the BBC can confirm that the BAFTA award-winning Doctor Who will return for a fifth series in Spring 2010.

Viewers are in for a treat this Christmas, as a special episode starring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue will be broadcast on BBC One in December 2007.

Series Four, which went into production in July 2007, will hit UK screens in Spring 2008, followed by a special episode for Christmas 2008.

In 2009 Doctor Who will return with three specials starring David Tennant, with Head Writer, Russell T Davies.

The full-length fifth series will transmit in 2010.

Jane Tranter, Controller, BBC Fiction, says: "Doctor Who is one of the BBC's best loved and most successful dramas. Its journey over the past three series has been one of the most ambitious and exciting that we have had, and I'm delighted to be able to confirm not only three exciting specials for 2009, but a fifth series in 2010. "

Menna Richards, Controller, BBC Wales, says: "The success of Doctor Who is a fantastic tribute to the dedication and expertise of the production team at BBC Wales who have worked on the project from the outset. This announcement is marvellous news for all involved, and more importantly for the programme's amazing fan base and audience. BBC Wales is looking forward to producing the fifth series."

Following the critically acclaimed season three finale, the BBC has announced that Catherine Tate is set to return to the TARDIS for the complete 13-week run of series four, reprising her role as Donna from the 2006 Christmas special.

Freema Agyeman, who won praise for her portrayal of Martha Jones in series three, is also set to return mid series four.

Not much of a shock, really. I suspected something was up when Tennant had been cast in the title role of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company (with Patrick Stewart, no less). He was either leaving the roll or there'd be a break in the schedual.

Meh - I held a candle for the show during the Great Who Drought of 1989 - so this is NOTHING, a mere blink* of an eye! And more importantly we'll have Torchwood and the Sarah Jane adventures to tide us over in the meantime.

I'd rather see David stay and take a break than the show chug along forcing a regeneration because he got another acting gig.

* whatever you do, don't blink!

MatthewLouwrens · 09-08-2007, 09:26 PM

I have a few theories about this decision to only go with three specials during 2009.

1. The press release mentions that both RTD and Tennant will be around for the specials, but there is no mention about this for the 2010 series. One possibility is that RTD may be leaving at the end of 2009 (there have been rumours about RTD leaving for a while), and that the years-break may be to ease the new head writer / producer into the role. Especially if they also have to cast a new Doctor, which is also possible (there is a rumour that Tennant has indicated he will leave when RTD leaves - no idea of the truth to these rumours, but I have heard them).

2. The other possiblity may be connected with the change to HD. Who isn't even captured in HD, and it has been commented that it would be prohibitively expensive to make the show in HD, given the effects required and the level of detail required for sets, costumes, makeup, masks, etc, for faults to not be shown up in HD. So it could be that the break year could be to establish necessary systems and processes to make the show in HD.



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