The Doctor is getting a gap year.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-09-03 01:23pm

BBC reveals Doctor Who 'gap year'
David Tennant's appearance in the fifth series of Doctor Who looks uncertain after it was revealed there will be no new series in 2009.

The fourth series, starring Tennant, is due to hit TV screens next year, but the fifth will not be seen until 2010.

Instead, Tennant, will star in three Doctor Who specials, written by Russell T Davies, on BBC One in 2009.

A spokeswoman for Doctor Who said she was unable to comment whether Tennant would return for the 2010 series.

Tennant, 36, will reportedly play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company from July to November next year, but this has not been confirmed by the RSC.

'Best loved'

Series four, which went into production in July, will hit UK screens in spring 2008 with a special episode scheduled for Christmas 2008.

Comedian Catherine Tate is set to return to the Tardis for the complete 13-week run, reprising her role as Donna from the 2006 Christmas special.

Actress Freema Agyeman, who won praise for her portrayal of assistant Martha Jones, is also set to return during series four.

BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter said: "Doctor Who is one of the BBC's best loved and most successful dramas.

"Its journey over the past three series has been one of the most ambitious and exciting that we have had, and I'm delighted to be able to confirm not only three exciting specials for 2009, but a fifth series in 2010. "

Menna Richards, controller of BBC Wales, said: "This announcement is marvellous news for all involved, and more importantly for the programme's amazing fan base and audience."

I'm actually pleased. It gives the writers a nice amount of time to regroup and look at where they want the series to go and to do it properly.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-09-03 03:11pm

So long as the finale isn't another Earth-conquered-trivially-easily-with-Doctor-deus-ex-machina-saving-the-day.

Wonder what the specials will be like. And whatever happened to the Sarah Jane Mysteries show?

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-09-03 03:16pm

And whatever happened to the Sarah Jane Mysteries show?

Scheduled for Autumn 2007. The pilot was broadcast back in January.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2007-09-03 05:14pm

Bounty wrote:
And whatever happened to the Sarah Jane Mysteries show?
Scheduled for Autumn 2007. The pilot was broadcast back in January.

Technically I think the BBC defined that as a special not the pilot. Though confusingly it was broadcast before anything else.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-09-03 06:12pm

While it bothers me slightly that there's going to be a year without a full season I think this could be good news, and it definitely should not be seen as some kind of death knell as I'm sure those used to American broadcasting procedure would think.

The specials have me intrigued, we have a full season all wrapped up and ready in post production and we have a full season commissioned for 2010 (securing DW goodness into the next decade) so I'm kinda taking this as good news.

I wonder if there will be a new head writer for the 5th season...

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-09-03 08:57pm

Lord Woodlouse wrote:
I wonder if there will be a new head writer for the 5th season...

I'll be as giddy as a proverbial schoolgirl if Steven Moffat is introduced as head writer for Season 5.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-03 09:01pm

If this is a sign that they'll prepared to work around Tennant, that would be good. Given the hit/miss ratio on Doctor Who lately, reducing ep numbers (to a few 'specials') might keep the good ideas without making any more shit.

Anarchist Bunny · Post by **Anarchist Bunny** » 2007-09-03 09:52pm

Stark wrote:If this is a sign that they'll prepared to work around Tennant, that would be good. Given the hit/miss ratio on Doctor Who lately, reducing ep numbers (to a few 'specials') might keep the good ideas without making any more shit.

I thought the same thing with the SG-1 movies, but the second already is an alternate universe throw away plot. So we'll have to see on these specials.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-04 07:36am

General Zod wrote: I'll be as giddy as a proverbial schoolgirl if Steven Moffat is introduced as head writer for Season 5.

Hopefully he will, but sadly he won't turn up next season...

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-09-04 09:15am

Big Orange wrote:
General Zod wrote: I'll be as giddy as a proverbial schoolgirl if Steven Moffat is introduced as head writer for Season 5.
Hopefully he will, but sadly he won't turn up next season...

I thought he was supposed to be writing a two-parter for the series in 2008?

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-09-04 11:33am

General Zod wrote:
Big Orange wrote:
General Zod wrote: I'll be as giddy as a proverbial schoolgirl if Steven Moffat is introduced as head writer for Season 5.
Hopefully he will, but sadly he won't turn up next season...
I thought he was supposed to be writing a two-parter for the series in 2008?

He is. I'm not quite sure what Big Orange is going on about, but I suspect he's confused with Paul Cornell.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2007-09-04 02:26pm

I just hope we won't end up with another "Trial of a Timelord" after this.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-09-04 02:39pm

Lord Woodlouse wrote:
General Zod wrote:
Big Orange wrote: Hopefully he will, but sadly he won't turn up next season...
I thought he was supposed to be writing a two-parter for the series in 2008?
He is. I'm not quite sure what Big Orange is going on about, but I suspect he's confused with Paul Cornell.

Isn't he off to write for Emmerdale of all things? I think the fellows lost his marbles, personally.....

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-09-04 03:27pm

Dartzap wrote:
Lord Woodlouse wrote:
General Zod wrote: I thought he was supposed to be writing a two-parter for the series in 2008?
He is. I'm not quite sure what Big Orange is going on about, but I suspect he's confused with Paul Cornell.
Isn't he off to write for Emmerdale of all things? I think the fellows lost his marbles, personally.....

He's been involved with soaps beforehand anyhow, in fact I think that's where his bread and butter is. He is writing an episode of Primeval though, which should be interesting.

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2007-09-06 07:04am

Russell T. Davies is creatively burning out anyway, so somebody fresher is bound to replace him after the fourth season in 08 and next year can we plase have the season final not set around contemporary Earth? The Master three parter was enjoyable but patchy and in light of that they certainly need new ideas on where the current story arc is going...