Doctor Who Preference: 45 min. or 4-6 parts 25 min. Format?

[Soontir C'boath]

I've been watching many classic DW serials and I find myself enjoying them more than the new series. Specifically the fact that the old serials really allow for more screen time of the antagonists or anyone else other than the Doctor due to having 90+ min. devoted to one story instead of the 45 we have today. The new series especially with Tennant always seems to have the Doctor plaster on the screen to the point where you'll only get snippets of other characters. Of course, it may be because the new format is only 45 min. it looks like they're not getting enough screen time.

Anywho, how do you like consuming his medicine?

[Stark]

The old format sucked. Stretching stories to fit 4-6 eps lead to all kinds of padding, fake-out 'cliffhangers', and time wasted on constant rehash trailers, especially in the 70s. It's notable later they went with odd-numbered serials, instead of stretching a 'three ep' story to six to fit a timeslot. A 4-ep serial from the 70s had probably LESS actual useful screen time than a 2-ep story from the new format, for instance, writing concerns aside.

Longer stories are good, but these concerns are what led to so many old DW stories turning to shit. In other words, your poll options suck.

[Soontir C'boath]

Well I don't see how considering those were the main two formats of the whole run. You seemed to have chosen the latter, so there!

[Stark]

What? I said dual 45 is better than 4-6 25s. That option is NOT on your list, and is directly contrary to this 'more eps = more screen time' idea, due to the overheads of splitting into more parts with credits, intros, trailers, recaps, etc.

[Ariphaos]

I would have liked hour-long episodes. A lot of the stories are a bit rushed.

4 25 minute episodes? No... just... no...

[Lord Woodlouse]

Interestingly SJA works on a system of every story being a two parter, with each part being 30 minutes. I wonder if that could work for DW?

[Stark]

Interestingly SJA works on a system of every story being a two parter, with each part being 30 minutes. I wonder if that could work for DW?

Or just 2x45 more often (at least for the 'major' stories, intead of just 2 per season). It's not like anyone wanted any more of Idiots Lantern, is it?

[Lord Woodlouse]

Interestingly SJA works on a system of every story being a two parter, with each part being 30 minutes. I wonder if that could work for DW?

Or just 2x45 more often (at least for the 'major' stories, intead of just 2 per season). It's not like anyone wanted any more of Idiots Lantern, is it?

Each season gets three two parters but aye, you're right.

Having said that, episodes like Blink and the Girl in the Fireplace worked just fine with 45 minutes. It's just if there's any hint of the story involving a grand scheme you need more time to realise it.

[Drooling Iguana]

I liked what they did for a brief period in the '80s when they went to a 45-minute fornmat but made every story a two-parter.

I still think we need a few shorter stories in the mix, but if they added a couple of extra two-parters to a season I'd be a happy camper.

[Patrick Degan]

Either format works, it just depends on whether or not it's used intelligently. Stark is right about how bad the padding got, especially during Jon Pertwee's run on the series. There were also episodes throughout the 60s in which nothing of consequence really happens. Hell, "The War Games" could easily have been cut in half and a much tighter story told in that one. On the other hand, the season 3 trilogy could have used an extra episode to actually flesh out details in that story.