Re: The All-New Spoiler Thread

[Simon Watkins]

If memory serves, the Moff's comments on this issue of the two parters came down to money. There's apparently always been a belief that a couple of two part stories per season saved on the budget, due to the fact that fewer sets had to be constructed, and fewer location shoots had to be scheduled. However, when he took at a look at the actual production expenditures, he found that there was, in fact, no real savings being realized.

Yeah I remember reading that incredulously, because it's the exact opposite of what his predecessor has said. Logically it's hard to see how a multi-part story in terms of set design and guest actor payment, etc. wouldn't benefit from economies of scale. Perhaps Moffat was looking at season 6 specifically where the two parters were The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon and The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People. The former two involved a location trip to the USA, so it's not exactly your typical two parter's costs, and with the latter two, for some reason they decided to use 4 different Welsh castles as locations, plus it was beset with delays due to bad weather (the moat at Caerphilly Castle froze at one point), they had to clear away snow for the exterior shots, and also had trouble with snow and ice at St Donats Castle. They ended up cutting and running, and wrapping for Christmas early, to extend the production run in the new year. Hardly surprising that on paper those eps weren't exactly cheap.

[Dave Webb]

It's interesting to speculate, but we'd need a basis for comparison. I wonder how the costs for the exteriors on Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon and The Wedding of River Song stack up against Vampires in Venice/Vincent and The Doctor, or even Sontaran Stratagem/Poison Sky.

[The Co=Ordinator]

Has Arthur's hair had a rinse?

[Rich Flair]

Yeah I remember reading that incredulously, because it's the exact opposite of what his predecessor has said.

Actually, his predecessor has said that they didn't save money with the two-parters - they were usually more expensive than two one-parters because they were bigger in scale.

[Simon Watkins]

Yeah I remember reading that incredulously, because it's the exact opposite of what his predecessor has said.

Actually, his predecessor has said that they didn't save money with the two-parters - they were usually more expensive than two one-parters because they were bigger in scale.

While it's undoubtedly true that during RTD's reign, the big event finale episodes tended to be two parters, not all the two parters were. It's difficult to see how the mid season two parters wouldn't experience economies of scale.
On top of that, even if these expensive two parters were, well expensive, that was because they were more challenging, not, obviously, because they were two parters per se.

[The Co=Ordinator]

Logic suggests that a bog standard two part 90 minute story using the same locations/cast/sets/costumes/props etc HAS to cost less than two stand alone 45 minute equivalents.

Historically it was certainly the case on Doctor Who, and if that isn't now then TV production needs overhauling.

[Rich Flair]

Have they had any 'bog standard' two parters? Not in story terms, obviously, but in cast and location terms.

[Simon Watkins]

Have they had any 'bog standard' two parters? Not in story terms, obviously, but in cast and location terms.

Sort of depends what you mean by "bog standard" I suppose. The point is though, that even if they do tend to have more of a lavish cast/locations and tend to look slicker, the reason they can do this is because of the fact that they're two parters so spread costs.

[The Co=Ordinator]

I'd consider Aliens of London/WW3, Impossible Planet/Satan Pit, The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood to be examples of bog standard 2 parters.

[Rich Flair]

I don't like to think about the last one, but the other two had large casts and multiple locations. Hardly money savers, especially when you factor in that hey had to ask the Mill to do some free work on the Satan Pit because they couldn't afford to do the Satan figure.

[The Browncoat Cat]

With the news that David Bradley has been cast in Series 33, am I the only person to be struck by the similarities:

[The Co=Ordinator]

Good call Cat!

First *official* photo.

[Nick Barlow]

Just as a general question to the spoilerphiles, have there been any rumours about the next companion yet? Because if whoever it is will be joining mid-season, you'd expect them to be casting soon.

[The Browncoat Cat]

Just as a general question to the spoilerphiles, have there been any rumours about the next companion yet? Because if whoever it is will be joining mid-season, you'd expect them to be casting soon.

I think the new companion will be introduced at Christmas. As the Christmas Special is now likely to be mid-series, I don't think we will hear anything about the new companion until July.

On a side note, with her character effectively written out of Call the Midwife, theNightmare is one step closer. Miranda Hart is now available to be the next companion, as rumoured on Gallifrey Base.

[barnaby morbius]

i'm fairly certain it'll be a bloke

[The Co=Ordinator]

[The Co=Ordinator]

Spanish filming is about to start as Smith, Gillan & Darvill flew out today,

Meanwhile rumours abound that there will be 5 episodes starting Mid November leading up to the Pond's farwell, followed by the new companion arriving on Christmas Day.

[The Browncoat Cat]

Meanwhile rumours abound that there will be 5 episodes starting Mid November leading up to the Pond's farwell, followed by the new companion arriving on Christmas Day.

So, that would be 17th November to 8th December, 2012. Christmas is on a Tuesday this year, so just over two weeks to build up to the arrival of the new Companion on 25/12.

I would be tempted to run it from 6th October for 8 weeks. Give it a month to build up to Christmas, and then the final four in January, 2013.

[Johnstone McGuckian]

A mid-series Christmas Special, interesting. I do with they'd decide on a format though. I'm sure people wouldn't be so confused by the Moffat era if it's TX was at least consistent. People still ask me if the next is series 7 or 8.

[The Browncoat Cat]

A mid-series Christmas Special, interesting. I do with they'd decide on a format though. I'm sure people wouldn't be so confused by the Moffat era if it's TX was at least consistent. People still ask me if the next is series 7 or 8.

Tell them it is Season George, to be followed by Season Elsie in the new year.

[konstantin]

ah, yes - alternating gender names just like hurricane names.

[The Co=Ordinator]

Location photos from Spain.

http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/7ctt0el4c98hmw85pehainnuvw0wvfij/

Looks like I actually gotthis one right. They're down in Almeria and will be using Min-Hollywood.

[The Co=Ordinator]

A seemingly Terminator-esque villain captured during location filming in Spain.

[The Browncoat Cat]

Isn't that the BFG9000 from DOOM he's carrying?

[The Co=Ordinator]

It's a passable imitation Cat.

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