[retired_rgibson881]

It's in The Sun today;

HIT show Doctor Who will be EXTERMINATED next year — after the fourth series.

Boss Russell T. Davies has decided to axe the BBC1 sci-fi drama and concentrate on other projects.

He and senior staff have hatched a plot to hand in a group resignation in summer 2008.

A source said: “The heavy workload — nine months of 16-hour days every year — has started to take its toll.

“It was decided the best thing for the show was go out at the top next year.”

Davies was behind the relaunch of Doctor Who in 2005 — 16 years after it was originally axed.

The series, starring David Tennant as the Time Lord, is watched by eight million every Saturday.

Believe me it's ********, they wouldn't cancel a hit show which is pulling in that many viewers, people like RTD are bound to leave but he doesn't have the power to cancel the whole show.


The Sun seem to have it in for the show at the moment what with their 'exclusive' about Freema leaving.

[retired_abess]

Apparently it's the Sun reporting this rumour, but that's all it is.

[retired_Christia17]

Ah well if it's in The SUn then it's not going to happen.

Even if RTD is going to leave, it's nothing new, he's said since the show came backthat he wouldn't be with it forever as he wants to work on other things.

Hopefully it'll be left in the hands of another Who fan like Mark Gatiss or Paul Cornell or Steven Moffat.

[retired_bball3378]

The basis of the story, in that RTD will be leaving after series 4, may well be true, but as has been pointed out the future of the show wouldn’t be his decision. If it’s still doing well ratings wise and making a profit, then I can’t see the Beeb killing it off. Not sure if this ties in with the other rumours about Tennant only being in part of series 4…

[tonyas]

If it is true then I think the main bone of contention is the 9 months of work to get a season complete. With time off that doesn't leave much work for other projects.

Perhaps the BBC should cut the series down to something like 8 episodes a season like most of their other long running series like Hustle or go to 18 months between seasons.
Or even take a 2 year break every 3 or 4 seasons.

That would let people do other work in between seasons.

[retired_Christia17]

Production teams come and went in the old series. So long as they get the right people in place then there's no reason why they can't keep the episode count as it is now.

The series has always taken nine months to produce - in the old days in the 70s and early 80s, the show was 26 episodes a season (albeit 25 minute ones) but it was the equivalent of todays 13 episodes, so the schedule was the same.

[retired_tharani]

Originally posted by gavnoble:
Production teams come and went in the old series. So long as they get the right people in place then there's no reason why they can't keep the episode count as it is now.

The series has always taken nine months to produce - in the old days in the 70s and early 80s, the show was 26 episodes a season (albeit 25 minute ones) but it was the equivalent of todays 13 episodes, so the schedule was the same.

Exactly - Russell T Davies may have resurrected the programme (and for that we will all be eternally grateful) but he is not the only writer out there.

[retired_tharani]

Originally posted by Sons FC:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by gavnoble:
Production teams come and went in the old series. So long as they get the right people in place then there's no reason why they can't keep the episode count as it is now.

The series has always taken nine months to produce - in the old days in the 70s and early 80s, the show was 26 episodes a season (albeit 25 minute ones) but it was the equivalent of todays 13 episodes, so the schedule was the same.

Exactly - Russell T Davies may have resurrected the programme (and for that we will all be eternally grateful) but he is not the only writer out there. </BLOCKQUOTE>

He has also gathered together a cabal of writers around him who exclusively write the episodes and there are signs of some writers being a bit samey and writing very similar episodes to last season.

Maybe it is time to give some newer, fresher ideas a chance.

[retired_smartie]

It isnt going to end anytime soon, surely.

[retired_Christia17]

Let's hope not and don't call me surely.