Doctor Who: Series Twelve won’t be seen by fans until 2020!

Once again, fans will have to go a full year without Doctor Who on television, as it’s been confirmed that there’ll be no new series until 2020.

On Sunday December 9th, 2018, it was officially confirmed by the BBC that there will be no new series of Doctor Who next year. Instead, Series Twelve will broadcast at some point in 2020.

I think many of us were expecting this, but it’s still disappointing to read it. We’ve been getting a lot of long breaks, and frankly, fewer episodes to show for it. We went from having thirteen episodes – not including specials – to twelve when Peter Capaldi became the Doctor. That decreased even further with Series Eleven, which went down to ten episodes. Even with an episode length that’s slightly longer, that’s still disappointing.

Lizo Mzimba, entertainment correspondent for the BBC, does have the following explanation of why we’re continuing to wait so long for each series.

"[While there is] a recognition that fans might want a series every single year, Doctor Who has almost uniquely complex filming requirements and a lengthy post-production period."

It looks like the New Year’s Day special Resolution will be the only episode that we’re getting in 2019.

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

A decrease in regular output

More from Winter is Coming

• For All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”
• Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2
• Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule Westeros
• Confirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025
• Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”

I can understand that reasoning. But here’s the problem: during the Russell T Davies era, from 2005 to 2008, we got thirteen episodes broadcast during the same time of year, more or less. Thirteen episodes, plus a Christmas special, without fail. I don’t know how they managed it, but they did.

2009 saw a gap year, giving us only a few specials. But not only was that understandable, due to the transition from Russell T Davies to Steven Moffat as showrunner. The new team needed time to get ready.

And that was understandable for the gap between Series Ten and Series Eleven. While we had Twice Upon a Time broadcast in between, excluding that, the gap between the two was eighteen months. I had hoped that the gap for the next series wouldn’t be quite so drastic. Perhaps it won’t be.

Still, it’s disappointing knowing we won’t be getting any Doctor Who on screen next year. Especially when you remember 2016, which gave us just one Christmas special. I hope that the next series will be worth the wait, at least.

Are you disappointed by this news? Or do you think the writers and producers could benefit from the extra time? Let us know in the comments below.