Doctor Who: Why the Wait for Series Ten Will Be Worth It

When it was first announced that the next season of Doctor Who would not air until Spring 2017, it was quite the disappointment. This delay, however, may well be a positive for Series Ten.

As summer turns to fall, there are certain things that we begin to look forward to. The leaves turn brilliant shades of orange and red. Pumpkin everything appears on the shelves of your local grocery store. The baseball playoffs are right around the corner. And the beginning of the next season of Doctor Who is on the television. Well, aside from this year.

While the delay until Spring 2017 may be disappointing, it may also actually be a positive for Doctor Who in the coming season. Instead of focusing on the drawback of not getting to see the Doctor and his new companion begin their adventures together, let us look at the reasons why we should be looking on the bright side.

First, this delay will allow Peter Capaldi to get healthy. He needed surgery after injuring his meniscus membrane, and if filming were to commence in the beginning of the Spring, he may not be at full health. While some incarnations of the Doctor have not exactly been optimal physical specimens, Capaldi’s incarnation is a man of action. That movement needs to be there in order for the Doctor to have the right effect.

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Next, this delay should allow for a better season overall. Doctor Who is in the midst of a great deal of change, with the aforementioned new companion coming in, Steven Moffat beginning the transition of turning the show over to Chris Chibnall, and the uncertainty of whether or not this will be Capaldi’s final season. Giving the writers, and even Moffat and Chibnall, some time to adjust to the changes will help create a better program.

Finally, this break could even help Doctor Who survive over the long term. As perhaps the most recognizable, and popular, show on the BBC, it is in the network’s best interest to have a higher quality program. All too often we see a show start off well, only to slide in quality as it is beholden to a set schedule. The ability to be flexible with that schedule only helps the show be the best that it can be.

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Maybe instead of decrying the delay for Series Ten of Doctor Who, we should be embracing it. Should the next season be as strong as Series Nine, then the it will be well worth the wait.