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Doctor Who returns to Sci-Fi 9/29!! (Series TWO)

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Doctor Who returns to Sci-Fi 9/29!! (Series TWO)

Old 08-05-06, 08:19 PM
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Doctor Who returns to Sci-Fi 9/29!! (Series TWO)

From Outpost Gallifrey:

Series Two of the new Doctor Who series starring David Tennant and Billie Piper will, by all indication, see its US debut on September 29 on the Sci Fi Channel, along with Series One repeats earlier in the day. The news hasn't officially been confirmed by the channel; however, an NBC/Universal release (in PDF form) for Sci Fi shows that Doctor Who returns to the schedule on the evening starting at 9pm four episodes, the first two of which are marked "new" (and "repeat" at 11pm and 12am, the usual pattern for a premiere night). Outpost Gallifrey was, in fact, told that the series was "almost certain" to return "this October" recently, although no information was forthcoming until this release. Sci Fi's schedulebot does show four episodes broadcast that evening; in late September, there is almost no likelihood of a Friday night airing of reruns.

Will "The Christmas Invasion" be included? Says Benjamin Elliott of "This Week in Doctor Who," "The Christmas Invasion is 59 minutes long without commercials, so it would either have to be a) skipped and shown later or b) have 15 1/2 minutes chopped out of it to fit SciFi's schedule as currently displayed. It does have an extended trailer for Series 2 that could be cut and the credits will always get squeezed, but that still leaves 13 minutes unaccounted for. SciFi has always felt willing to change their schedule at a moment's notice, so things can always change. They could air Christmas Invasion complete and have filler to finish the 2 hours. But for now, we must assume one of the following 2 scenarios: 9pm Christmas Invasion and 10pm New Earth, or 9pm New Earth and 10pm Tooth and Claw. The Christmas Invasion isn't required to enjoy Series 2, but some references (notably at the end of the series) make more sense if you see it, and as David Tennant's debut story it helps establish the kind of Doctor he is." Also noted is the fact that the Daytime marathon on September 29 on the Sci Fi Channel is the last 8 episodes of Series 1, which makes sense to lead into the new episodes.

We'll bring you official word from Sci Fi as soon as it's official, but this matches everything we've been told about Sci Fi's positive reaction to the first series ratings in the spring and the desire to bring the show back with new episodes by the end of 2006. (Thanks to Benjamin Elliott and Lee Whiteside)
YE-HAAA! Looks like that wait for the Region 1 Series 2 box set just shortened up!
Old 08-05-06, 08:27 PM
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Let's hope this is a go. Sales of the DVD were good, and perhaps they'll drive ratings up as well.
Old 08-06-06, 01:19 AM
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Good, I'm looking forward to this.

I have a friend that has all of the Season 2 Eps on disc from an 'alternative source' and he's watched them all already...and offered them to me a few times.

Although I'm sold on the idea of gouging on a DVD set of TV over a weekend to "catch up" like I did with Battlestar Galactica, with Doctor Who, which I don't need to catch up on, I'd rather take it slow, go week by week, and have something to look forward to on Fridays.
Old 08-06-06, 07:36 AM
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Definitely on my DVR list!
Old 08-06-06, 09:30 AM
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Fuck yeah!
Old 08-06-06, 09:43 AM
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When will series 2 be available in R2 on DVD?
Old 08-06-06, 11:09 AM
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Can fans are finally going to be able to see the second series and glad Sci Fi made the right decision.
Old 08-06-06, 12:00 PM
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Great to hear Scifi actually buying something Sci-Fi to air, now what are the odds of seeing some classic Doctor Who on there?
Old 08-06-06, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by dvd-4-life
When will series 2 be available in R2 on DVD?
The whole set will be released 20/11/2006. Like last year they are having monthly barebone volume releases up until that time. Volume 4 which covers up to the 11th episode (Xmas Invasion included) will be released next week.
Old 08-06-06, 10:23 PM
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Bonnie Hammer must be on Vacation.
Old 08-07-06, 07:11 AM
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Originally Posted by milo bloom
Great to hear Scifi actually buying something Sci-Fi to air, now what are the odds of seeing some classic Doctor Who on there?

I'd love for Sci Fi to air the classic series with a 30 minute episode every night around 11:30pm, or sometime like that. Start with the Pertwee episodes... or if they are really brave start with the Black and White episodes and show them all in order, even with the surviving episodes from the lost stories "for the first time ever on North American television!"

The classic series is so different from American sci fi with the cheesy monsters and low budet effects yet solid well written stories with tune in next time cliffhangers.. I think it would create a nice sized cult following in the states. Sci Fi channel would neve take a chance on it tho... or if they did, they would just air the same few early Tom Baker episodes over and over again like they did in the 90's for a while.
Old 08-07-06, 07:32 AM
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My cable company had not added SciFi during the time they played Who. We switched to satellite just in time for them to quit playing it.

I think I read something that stated SciFi wanted to get away from that "old" Science Fiction and would likely not play classic Who again. Granted, that could change. I just doubt it ever will with Hammer there.
Old 08-07-06, 01:29 PM
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Good news! This fall is going to be great on SciFi!
Old 08-07-06, 03:11 PM
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If I recall correctly, the season 2.0 finale for Battlestar Galactica was 90 minutes (air-time) on Sci-Fi. So they could air "Christmas Invasion" as a 90-minute slot, just like they did for Battlestar Galactica. I understand it's more neat and tidy if slots are either 1 hour or 2 hours, but they've done it before so it shouldn't be that big of a deal to do it again this once for Christmas Invasion. 90 - 59 = 31 minutes left over for commercials and other filler. Yeah, that's almost a 33% commercial rate but I'd rather see Christmas Invasion with 33% commercials during air-time than have it not be included at all or edited down significantly.
Old 08-08-06, 06:16 AM
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^Sounds like a good idea. Just play the season finale of BG and the Invasion episode on the same night for a three hour block and then have the season premieres of each show the following week.
Old 08-09-06, 12:16 PM
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Update from Gallifrey One:

Update 6 August: Outpost Gallifrey has heard from our contacts that this is indeed Series Two and that it debuts with the two-hour block on 29 September because the third season of "Battlestar Galactica" debuts the following week with a two-hour episode block. Doctor Who and Galactica will air at 9pm and 10pm, respectively, with another series airing at 8pm throughout October and November, with a short break for the Christmas holidays. Our source also believes that "The Christmas Invasion" is being held back in this first block, and will instead be aired as a special in December. More details soon.
Old 08-09-06, 01:48 PM
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Ehhh...Not pleased about Christmas Invasion being held back.

But still... Battlestar Galactica AND Doctor Who on the same night?
Old 08-09-06, 02:53 PM
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Come on, a Christmas episode should be played during the holidays.
Old 08-09-06, 04:15 PM
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BOTH of the X-Mas episodes should be played this year.
Old 08-09-06, 11:15 PM
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David Tennant iis barely in the Christmas Special though.
Old 08-10-06, 11:15 AM
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It's official. And Christmas Invasion IS first.

BBC Announces US Series Two Debut
TV Series News
August 10, 2006
The official Doctor Who website today officially announced that the second series has been picked up in America by the Sci Fi Channel. Says the release, "The SCI FI Channel and BBC Worldwide Americas have confirmed that Doctor Who will return to SCI FI in September 2006. The run will kick off with a two-hour premiere package that will include David Tennant's debut, The Christmas Invasion. Chris Regina, Vice President of Programming, SCI FI Channel, said 'Our audience has clearly embraced 'Doctor Who' and it has delivered a significant increase in viewers in the time period. We are looking forward to keeping the momentum going with David Tennant as the new Doctor.' Executive Producer and Lead Writer Russell T Davies says, 'We were delighted by the first season's success in the US, and can promise new thrills, new laughs, new heartbreak, and some terrifying new aliens in Season Two.'"

Though we'd heard in recent days that there was significant confusion over whether or not "The Christmas Invasion" would be broadcast as a holiday special or as part of the actual run, it now appears that it will be the item that fills part of the two-hour slot on Friday 29 September, which is the date that is listed on the Sci Fi Channel website schedule. There is no word, however, as to whether it will be padded with other material to fill the two hour slot, or if it will be edited to share the two hour block with the first regular episode of the season, "New Earth". The BBC announcement does not list a date; the 29 September date is, however, the current planned launch date both according to our source as well as the Sci Fi "schedulebot". There has been no detail posted on Sci Fi's website, but of course, the official BBC site was also where the first season's broadcast was announced.
Old 08-10-06, 11:35 AM
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How about editing in the "Children" special to extend the runtime a bit?
Old 08-10-06, 12:28 PM
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SciFi loves to do specials at the beginning of seasons, so maybe they'll make a filler special out of stuff like the Confidentials.
Old 08-10-06, 01:44 PM
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Sounds like they're doing Xmas-Special 1 & New Earth together... I'm glad they're not skipping the special or holding it out until Xmas... It's really a vital link between the two doctors--I think the regeneration is just too facile without it, and jumping from Parting of the Ways to New Earth would really cheapen the impact of the switchover.
Old 08-10-06, 01:57 PM
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The "Chidren in Need" segment didn't make it onto the R2 DVDs, did it?

Anyone know if it will be included on the R2 series two set (and presumably the R1 set as well)?

I've already seen it on YouTube, but it would be nice if, on the complete season two set, they included it either edited into the Christmas Invasion or as a supplement.

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