2012

[6.27 - French Time] Yesterday night, as BBC One viewers were awaiting the return of He Who Breaks Things (aka Luther), the "Original British Drama" was already actually happening on Twitter: Doctor Who won't return for a full series in 2012.

« But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good. Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood. » (Nina Simone version)

Last week Doctor Who was renewed for a seventh series, with 14 episodes commissioned, but the Corporation didn't know how many of those episodes would be aired next year (1). Then yesterday Wayne Clarke, BBC Merseyside's Religious Editor, tweeted that BBC One boss Danny Cohen said at the Church and Media Conference that there wouldn't be "a full series of Doctor Who in 2012, but a special run for the anniversary in 2013" (2).

The news triggered a sort of shock wave on the Twittersphere and later in the evening BBC journalist Lizo Mzimba tweeted that the Beeb confirmed it. He precised there would be "no FULL 13 episode series of Doctor Who in 2012" but "some episodes will still go out in 2012. Remainder in 2013" . Lizo Mzimba also tweeted that the BBC also said that a remark of Danny Cohen "that short series was because Steven Moffat needed time to write Sherlock was meant to be light hearted." (3) This point was indeed worthy of a precision.

Of course the terms of this puzzling (to say the least) scheduling decision need to be fully developed and precised.

(1) http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a323673/doctor-who-renewed-for-seventh-series-with-matt-smith.html
(2) http://twitter.com/#!/WayneAClarke/status/80638004351336448 + http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a324905/doctor-who-wont-return-for-full-series-in-2012.html
(3) http://twitter.com/#!/lizo_mzimba/status/80731700723859456 + http://twitter.com/#!/lizo_mzimba/status/80745409680650240 + http://twitter.com/#!/lizo_mzimba/status/80732315118088192