The BBC is a television station unlike many others. Instead of being a privately owned corporate entity, it is a government agency, paid for by licensing fees by the citizens of the United Kingdom. With that being the case, when the government is looking to cut costs, the BBC is one area that will get brought up in conversation.
We have already seen the BBC face cuts, as the BBC laid off more than 1000 workers a couple of months ago. Naturally, there may be concern that further cuts would be coming in the future, as the government looks to cut costs. Perhaps that thought was in the back of Steven Moffat’s mind when he stated that the BBC was the only place that could have created Doctor Who.
There may be some truth to this statement. On the surface, the adventures of a man in a police box, travelling through time and space with an ever changing cast of companions would not have seemed likely to become a success. Yet, that is exactly what Doctor Who was when it began, becoming an iconic show beloved by everyone.
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If there was a risk in creating Doctor Who the first time, there may well have been an even greater risk when the show came back in 2005. At the time, Doctor Who had been on hiatus for over a decade and a half, with an entire generation having minimal knowledge of the show outside of reruns and various homages in other television shows. Yet, there it was, anchoring the Saturday night schedule upon it’s return to the airwaves.
With the continued, and even increasing popularity of Doctor Who, it would likely be a difficult sell to have decrease funding for the station. Add in shows like Sherlock, Downtown Abbey and Orphan Black, and one would think that the BBC would be safe. At least, that appears to be what Moffat was trying to say when he pointed out that the network is the only place that would have given Doctor Who a chance, in both instances.
Steven Moffat seems to be attempting to save the BBC, and potentially, Doctor Who, with his statements. Hopefully, these will make an impact upon the powers that be.