The TARDIS has landed
January 12, 2006 4:55 PM   Subscribe

The Doctor is in! After passing on the series last year, the Sci-Fi Channel has decided to bring the BBC's new version of Doctor Who to American viewers. Neither the Beeb's news release or Sci-Fi's explain the turnaround. In any case, good news for stateside Whovians, as well as those who have not yet made the good Doctor's acquaintance.
posted by Artifice_Eternity (33 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Cool. Awesome. Bitching even. When's Firefly coming back?? Huh?? WHEN?!!! Dr . Who is cool though. I'll Tivo it.
posted by Zorro on Doughnuts at 5:11 PM on January 12, 2006


I'm glad the Sci-Fi Channel is picking up the show -- it's terrific, for those who haven't seen it -- but I'm confused about this newly-announced deal.

Sci-Fi will broadcast the first season from the BBC, but the second season is supposed to begin fairly soon. If the Sci-Fi Channel has "picked up" the show, does that mean it'll show Season 2, also? And if so, will it run at the same time as the BBC (ala the CBC), or will Americans have to wait several months?
posted by evening at 5:11 PM on January 12, 2006


Sci-Fi's airing of season 1 is supposed to end sometime in the summer -- the American DVD release of season 1 was delayed till July for this reason.

Season 2 will have started and probably finished in the UK by then.

Presumably Sci-Fi will pick up season 2 if season 1 gets high enough ratings.

I don't have cable, so this news doesn't affect me directly -- I get my Who fix via teh magic of teh Intarwebs. But I'm happy to see the potential fan base grow.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 5:16 PM on January 12, 2006


The person who made that web page with the White House shouldn't be allowed near a computer.
posted by smackfu at 5:19 PM on January 12, 2006


What's that? KBOSS is interested the rights to Doctor Who again?

*lights torch, grabs pitchfork*

Years ago, when the Sci-Fi Channel was in its infancy, its primary station, KBOSS, sought to outbid PBS affiliates in the renewal of US syndication rights to the series. The ensuing rancor among fans was ferocious, particularly as many folks in 1991-2 weren't yet in range for cable TV, which was still considered expensive and some carriers back then were reluctant to carry Sci-Fi as a basic service.

Things were so bad the late Issac Asimov, who championed the idea of a Sci-Fi network, stepped in and tried to allay concerns over the incident, as well as to dissuade concerns over Doctor Who being lumped in with a "ghetto" of mediocre genre offerings, like Incredible Hulk re-runs, or Leonard Nimoy's In Search Of... broadcasts. Ultimately, the contract bid was dropped, but tempers still ran deep for some fans. Funny now that the Hulk still airs, along with paranormal documentaries and the possibility that Sci-Fi's may be doing some good this time around. We'll see. Chances are, there'll still be some tweaking to allow for commercial breaks (last season's SG-1, anyone?), or an Animal Planet-like dumping. I'll have my Doctor Who Fan Club of America pin on, when I watch, for old times' sake.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:43 PM on January 12, 2006


Does anyone know yet if this means the Canadian release of the DVD is being pushed back, too? Because if it does I'm gonna be running around going "EXTERMINATE!" for the rest of the evening, at least.
posted by synecdoche at 5:52 PM on January 12, 2006


There's already a version of Doctor Who that allows for commercial breaks—the CBC airs the show in Canada, and shows commercials (despite being a state-sponsored network). I have no idea how the show is cut to fit the shorter running time.
posted by chrominance at 6:01 PM on January 12, 2006


Wow. Between Who, Battlestar, the possibility of Firefly (I hope, I pray) and the Stargate series, I may not need another channel. I'm all for them picking up new series so they'll stop airing crap movies like "Boa" and "Python" and everything Mark Hamill made after Star Wars.
posted by TeamBilly at 6:15 PM on January 12, 2006


I don't think they are cut in Canada. Looks like the new episodes are 45 minutes each.
posted by Zetetics at 6:16 PM on January 12, 2006


audio
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Awesome at 6:16 PM on January 12, 2006


Would this be something that I wouldn't have to have BitTorrent to be concerned about?

By the way, if you're not caught up, the new Doctor's fucking awesome. Both of them.

Firefly, of course, is a different proposition -- this is just a pickup of something the BBC has already produced.
posted by dhartung at 6:19 PM on January 12, 2006


Ahh this is good news!!
posted by a3matrix at 6:35 PM on January 12, 2006


Great news for the four people who haven't already downloaded the episodes!

Big Media, get your act together or we will do it for you.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:07 PM on January 12, 2006


I guess I will keep the episodes around until they release them on DVD in the US...

If y'all didn't see the Christmas special, do watch it, it's rather good.
posted by kindall at 7:17 PM on January 12, 2006


I've been watching the CBC version. They're about 45 minutes long with some (occasionally actually interesting) making-of type padding tacked on before and afterwards.

Glad Sci-Fi is picking this up, but I'm a little disapointed in BBC America. Outside the news and the odd comedey what the hell is the point of it if it doesn't show Who? An ungodly amount of it's airtime seems to be given over to home-makeover shows and, worse, Benny fucking Hill*.

* Which I can assure you is strictly for the Yanks.
posted by Artw at 7:20 PM on January 12, 2006


Oh, and heres hoping they pick up Torchwood as well.
posted by Artw at 7:24 PM on January 12, 2006


I've been waiting to show my kids Season 1 on the old laptoop (yay bittorrent) but will now wait and let them see it on TV.

And make sure there's space behind the couch for them to hide behind.
posted by jazon at 8:25 PM on January 12, 2006


aww crap i just d/l'd the first season.
posted by moonbird at 9:41 PM on January 12, 2006


Excellent. SciFi channel, I almost completely forgive you. The rest comes when you start showing Firefly, and I ain't talkin' about reruns. It would probably cost you about the same as all those crappy tv movies you keep making, and most certainly would be far better.


Glad Sci-Fi is picking this up, but I'm a little disappointed in BBC America. Outside the news and the odd comedy what the hell is the point of it if it doesn't show Who? An ungodly amount of it's airtime seems to be given over to home-makeover shows and, worse, Benny fucking Hill

No kidding. If it weren't for the mystery shows (like Wire in the Blood, Touching Evil, etc.) I would have stopped watching long ago. Oh, and the new Creature Comforts, which is hilarious.

(Seriously, who in their right mind thinks it's a good idea to replace Blackadder and Father Ted with fucking Benny Hill? )
posted by kosher_jenny at 11:51 PM on January 12, 2006


Glad Sci-Fi is picking this up, but I'm a little disappointed in BBC America.

BBC America isn't really BBC. It's a Discovery Channel/BBC joint venture operation that licenses content and logos from the BBC. It doesn't have any "rights" to BBC content; it has to bid on programs against PBS and other networks in the US.
posted by paddbear at 1:40 AM on January 13, 2006


The person who made that web page with the White House shouldn't be allowed near a computer - smackfu

Why? What's so objectionable?
posted by kaemaril at 2:04 AM on January 13, 2006


The Christmas special shown in the UK a few weeks ago - which introduced David Tennant as the new Doctor *swoon* - made me giggle like a child. That's a good thing. I can't wait for the second series.
posted by Summer at 2:42 AM on January 13, 2006


I've been waiting to show my kids Season 1 on the old laptoop (yay bittorrent) but will now wait and let them see it on TV.

And make sure there's space behind the couch for them to hide behind.


"Are you my mummy?"
posted by xthlc at 4:38 AM on January 13, 2006


Now THAT was a creepy episode, xthic.
posted by bouncebounce at 4:50 AM on January 13, 2006


Very excited by this news. Three cheers, etc., for Sci-Fi, whose Battlestar Galactica is my favorite drama currently on teevee.

Firefly? Of course, bring back Firefly.

But how about Global Frequency, hmmm?

Barring that, the Goatse Good-Time Variety Hour.
posted by the sobsister at 6:16 AM on January 13, 2006


It's a Discovery Channel/BBC joint venture operation that licenses content and logos from the BBC. It doesn't have any "rights" to BBC content; it has to bid on programs against PBS and other networks in the US.

That's a rather absurd setup. Why does the BBC even bother being part of the joint venture?
posted by smackfu at 6:38 AM on January 13, 2006


Glad Sci-Fi is picking this up, but I'm a little disapointed in BBC America. Outside the news and the odd comedey what the hell is the point of it if it doesn't show Who?

Yeah, even with the above explanation about it being a seperate venture it's whack. Another odd miss - MI-5, nee Spooks on BBC. Aside from the "why isn't this on BBCA, again?" confusion there's the fact that A&E, being more traditionally scheduled than BBCA, has to trim the living shit out of it to shove it into a 44 minute slot.

Viva la Bittorrent.
posted by phearlez at 9:10 AM on January 13, 2006


i agree with everything the sobsister just said.

Except the goatse thing. That's just wrong.
posted by quin at 9:29 AM on January 13, 2006


If I were a supremely intelligent strategist tasked with trying to break out Doctor Who on US TV screens, BBC America wouldn't be my first choice, simply because I wouldn't want to portray it as a Brit-centric programme, and I'd want to find a new audience for it - one who would take it for what it is and not because there were strange guys in British accents talking to giant green monsters.

Indeed, the new Who has taken pains to seem much more global, setting episodes in Utah, using American/Australian actors, namechecking non-British locations, extensive use of recognisable london locations, etc.
posted by badlydubbedboy at 9:49 AM on January 13, 2006


They should run some old ones too.
posted by Smedleyman at 1:33 PM on January 13, 2006


smackfu: That's a rather absurd setup. Why does the BBC even bother being part of the joint venture?

Well, they make money on their logo--there's some cachet to it in the States. And they get to make moneyon dreary, dull programs like "Cash in the Attic"...
posted by paddbear at 2:37 PM on January 13, 2006


FANTASTIC!
posted by johnj at 10:35 PM on January 13, 2006


Do they mention anywhere if they will air the full 45 minutes, or will they crop 3 minutes to fit into the standard 42 minute program length here in the states?

I hope they don't pull that on us, then market the DVDs to us as "the full uncut episodes."

Oh well, I'm sure it doesn't matter much since anyone who gives a damn has already torrented it anyway.
posted by Ferreteer at 3:01 AM on January 14, 2006


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