Okay, “announcements of announcements” are dumb and bad, but this is what we’re working with at this point. At least we know something’s coming.
You will get an announcement. There is a press release lumbering through the BBC which, as you know, is like the Jurassic period and 57 people have to sign off on every single word. I promise you in about a week, two weeks, there will be some sort of press release, and yet I can hear the gears slowing down even as I say that. You know this place!
Most are expecting a co-production deal with another streaming partner after the BBC’s partnership with Disney fell through, and Netflix appears interested. Such an arrangement takes time, so it’s possible this is holding the show up.
Somebody didn’t hear about the AMC streaming deal, I guess?
Edit: No, the AMC deal didn’t say anything about co-production, but as I understand it would throw a spanner in the works when it comes to cooperation with other streamers?
Edit 2: A sonic spanner, obviously. Can’t believe I missed that opportunity.
One would think.
But then I still don’t understand why they’re keeping the classic and “New Who” licenses separate, so I’m obviously a terrible businessman.
As I understand it, in part through the Unearthly child right issue, BBC can’t just lease out classic Who willy-nilly because they need consent from the original writers and/or their estate?
So that’s a tangled mess of rights to wade through before they can negotiate streaming deals for the whole back catalogue. And obviously the alt.right conspiracist troll who seems to hold the rights for the very first serial is going to try and block that at every turn.
That small hurdle(!) aside, the smartest move that came out of the 60th anniversary and RTD2 was probably making (most of) the classic series available for domestic streaming. In that context, it makes total sense for the terrible season finales to focus on deep cut, classic villain returns.
It’s also an insular decision that only makes sense if you presume all of the audience has access to BBC iPlayer. But under that presumption, digging out Sutekh, the Rani and Omega makes perfect sense. You’re just activating the library you made available online.
So no, I think you’re probably a fine businessman (what do I know, internet stranger?), and to some extent, so is Davies. But I wouldn’t want to have to sort out the rights to the classic series back catalogue for an international release…
Yeah, I just find it weird that even when they’re able to license the classic series internationally, they’re licensing it out to third parties, rather than the streamer they’ve licensed the new stuff to.
I had to watch the Sutekh and Rani episodes on Tubi, of all places.
True. Somebody in the BBC licencing department must genuinely think they’re separate series? 🤷
It’s important to get things right: Scripts, stars, production schedule, rather than let external factors like holidays wag the dog and put out inferior content.
The Dr Who audience will still be there, no matter how long it takes.
A lower-cost production with cheap effects, but better storytelling would actually be a return to tradition.
I quite agree. It would be nice to have a christmas special this year, but if rushed circumstances turn that into another stopgap measure until the Beeb actually have a new lead actor, production team, and sufficient funding ahead of the next season proper — then I can wait a little longer.
