Doctor Who: Keeping Secrets

Hey, Doctor Who stuff!

Here’s a photo of the Doctor standing on a mountain.

Or a hill.

I think it’s a mountain. 

Or a large hill.

Or it could be a small mountain.

Here’s a photo of the Doctor standing on a hill/mountain.

Or it could be she's just standing on a rock.

OH SHUT UP!    

Meanwhile, the BBC posted on Friday that principal photography on Doctor Who Series 11 is complete.

And that Doctor Who Series 11 will debut…. Later.

Come one! For the love of frickin’ Rassilon, give us a debut date for this thing already!

Also, Chris Chibnall spoke to the subject of the secrecy around the Doctor Who production (including, it seems, when the bloody thing will air!). He really wants to preserve as much of the fans’ experience of Doctor Who Series 11 for the show itself. I do concur with the ideal. There is so much pre-press before a TV show or movie comes out these days, there’s almost a sense of weariness when the thing actually come out.

Chris wants fans to be energized for the show itself, to be astonished by what they see in the show itself, not in the trailers for the show. 

As much as I want information about  Doctor Who Series 11 (such as WHEN IS THE BLOODY THING GOING TO AIR?!?!), I get where Chris is coming from. 

But I am reminded of  something that happened on the classic series. It was the 19^th season and Peter Davison was in his first year as the Doctor and John Nathan Turner was in his second year as producer. The Radio Times wanted to do a big cover feature on Doctor Who. It seems the show was working on Earthshock at the time which (SPOILER ALERT) featured the return of the Cybermen after an absence of nearly 10 years. But John didn’t want to spoil that. Since the title of the episode was Earthshock and not <Fill in the blank> of the Cybermen, John wanted to shock the viewers at home with the dramatic reveal of the Cybermen at the end of Part One.  So he told the Radio Times, “Thanks but no thanks” and lost a prime shot at some serious publicity for the show.

Since the shows revival in 2005, Doctor Who has been cover featured on the Radio Times a lot. But back in the day, Doctor Who was not recognized as the beloved British institution it is today. It was more the daffy little kids show that was irritatingly tolerated by the BBC. John wanted to preserve some wonder and excitement for the show itself and that was cool. I dig that. But still, there is a risk in playing your cards too close to your chest.

Chris Chibnall, I’m looking forward to Series 11 and I appreciate your efforts to help sustain a little bit of wonder and surprise. 

Now, if someone would just tell me WHEN IS THE BLOODY THING GOING TO AIR?!?

That would be nice.