h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There is the fan base, the story lines, and the history, so why isn't Doctor Who on television. At its peak it was at least on par, popularity wise (In Britain), with Coronation Street or Eastenders. Its was cancelled (ironically), just as it was becoming popular again under Sylvester McCoy. I have heard all the arguments about why Doctor Who should "remain in the past", and I fail to find any of them which make any sense. I never watched Doctor Who for the so called "wobbly scenary", I watched them for their story lines. Of which they had in abundance. How can something that found its place so much in its hearts (remember the Sun's "Save Doctor Who" campaign, even with the awful Colin Baker's doctor - nothing against the actor by the way) of the British people still not continue. It deserves its chance to continue.

Dr Who is the longest running Science Fiction program ever. And with the following, it had in the past which was more than just a cult following, and the support it still has, why is it continually ignored? Why is this program not on TV? What is going on people?

I open this to the floor...

One of the reasons, I believe the BBC gave, was that it would be too expensive for them to make on their own now - what with special fx and what-not that the public have come to expect from shows such as Stargate, Star Trek (the later incarnations), and the like.

Doctor Who does continue on audio, though, with CD's being made with all the existing past Doctors and companions playing their original roles. I believe one of the writers for these audio serials is the chap from The League of Gentleman (can't remember his name, though.)

What about all the money they have mae made in Dr Who merchandise and selling the programme worldwide (it was not just shown in the UK but abroad). No excuse lack of money. They could always get sponsers for Dr Who. It has been done on other tv programmes. If they could get a sponser to help out with the costs of special effects. BTW Doctor Who was becoming more technical/special effects than when it was first shown in the early 60's. I wonder where all that money from the sales of merchandise and selling the programme abroad went?


jfa

Not everyone has cd players, I do not have one.

I am a digibox user which means that I am receiving this via my cable tv email. I could not access Shada because of the fact it would have sound and is only accessible if you have a computer and then one with.

jfa

That's a shame; the BBC have done occasional "comic strips with audio" on the web, over at the Cult site... Sadly, they were only licenced to webcast them for a limited period, so there's nothing to watch at the moment, anyway.

But, they still have "Photonovels" of stories which no longer exist as video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/photonovels/index.shtml

While I think the new version of Shada is a good idea, I don't understand why it can't get a TV airing, particularly because of what jfa has said, that only those with an internet connection (and a pretty good one at that) will be able to view it. If something like "Two pints and a packet of crips" can get on TV why on earth is Dr Who, with all its support, not getting time on television? I mean Red Dwarf is now on its 3rd or 4th repeat. While I love Red Dwarf, I've now seen all the episodes, some of them about 5 or 6 times!

What does the BBC have against Dr Who?

I cannot access these audio comic clips of Dr Who because I do not have a computer. This means that the only people get to see these Dr Who stories are people with computers, which is unfair.


jfa

Thank you Vercingetrox

Do you know what the BBC did with all the money they made on the tv programme.

jfa

Another thing I thought was odd, was that none of the BBC radio stations would let the Dr Who radio program on with Sylvester McCoy recently because they said they didn't have the audience for it. Was the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy not science fiction? Talking about the TV show, I was talking to one of my friends (Dr Who fanatic) recently and apparently he went to a demonstration that someone had set up to demonstrate how they would do the graphics for a potential new Doctor Who series. They were of some Dalek's, and apparently were very impressive. But get this : According to the guy who set up the demonstration, for a television company like the BBC to do these sorts of graphics weekin week out would be chicken feed, and would certainly cost no more than an average episode of Eastenders. So whats the deal?

The audioclips seem to work fine on my "digibox". Thanks Peet.

JA: The money made from all BBC programmes is ploughed back into the BBC.

JFA : apparently none of the money went back in to the programme. I heard rumours it went in to dramas, producers pockets and other such places...

I suspect the licensing policies of the BBC and the lack of advertising would prevent any possibility of sponsorship for a TV program. If they could sell the format to one of the other terrestrial channels, that might work, but I don't see that happening.
I am told that a 'new generation' of TV producers came through in the early '90s and threw a lot of babies out with the old bathwater. The decline of magic on TV has been blamed on this (although it's starting to come back more recently) and I think Dr. Who might be the same.
As for repeats of old episodes, someone told me that they are having trouble renegotiating the rights with some of the people involved in the past. I even heard that Tom Baker himself was being particularly obstructionist.

Rumour has it that the League of Gentleman are lobbying BBC management to let them have a crack at a new Dr Who series.

The whole gang are big, big fans of Dr Who. Mark Gatiss (who has already written a book in the BBC range of Dr Who stories) wants to be the Doctor.

I kinda think he'd be quite good at it.


Geggs

>"I am told that a 'new generation' of TV producers came through in >the early '90s and threw a lot of babies out with the old bathwater"

So they're the ones we have to blame for the dross thats been on television for the past decade

I assume its a similar thing to what happened with Radio One.

>"As for repeats of old episodes, someone told me that they are >having trouble renegotiating the rights with some of the people >involved in the past. I even heard that Tom Baker himself was being >particularly obstructionist."

So how have they managed to get the rights to put them on to video but not television?

Geggs: I'm afraid according to Outpost Gallifrey, they have now denied it : <./>http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.shtml</.>

How many times does this happen . Can at least one be right!!!!

Some of the best Dr Who stories didn't include 'Space' SFX, if any SFX at all - look at something like Pyramids of Mars, which scared the willies out of me as a child, just because so much of looked like 'normal' places (if my memory serves me right)

Red Dwarf went downhill once they had the money for FX - lost the focis, IMHO, so who needs money?

And how much does your average costume drama cost, fergawdsake?


Cloviscat, who's not a Whgvian, and likes costume dramas too

It's not true?

That's a shame. It would be a good idea, I think.


Geggs

Sorry Peet I thought you were referring to the audio clips. Thank you Peet I have been able to access the link.


jfa

Thanks Kow and Vercingetorix for the information.


jfa

Did anyone hear about the Police Box argument the BBC had with the police a few weeks ago, about who had the rights to it? Surely it must still mean a lot to the BBC, so why is everything still so quiet? Maybe *getting slightly excited* its the calm before the storm? We know that Shada is being made for the internet, but I don't understand why the BBC are putting on the internet first. Maybe they only see their stereo typical view of the kind of person who would watch doctor who. Of which perhaps, most of these people they see have access to high internet connections. I think they are mistaken to be honest. I think alot of people who grew up with Doctor Who in the sixties and seventies will not have a fast internet connection. If they have an internet connection at all.
Which confuses me as to their purposes.