As the BBC announces that the sixth series of Doctor Who is set to be aired in two parts, we gauge the web’s reactions to the news...
Typical. We take our eye off the latest television news for one day, disconnect from phones, PCs, pads and pods, and some of the biggest Doctor Who news to break in months sneaks right under our noses.
As followers of TV's most famous Gallifreyan will no doubt already know, the BBC revealed over the Bank Holiday weekend that the next series of Doctor Who will be split into two chunks, with one part due to air next spring, and the other to follow on in the autumn.
This reportedly came about as a result of writer Steven Moffat's desire to write an entire new story arc for the Doctor, which will conclude with a potentially huge cliffhanging plot development at the end of the spring. We can, therefore, expect seven episodes in the first half of 2011, and a further six towards the end of the year.
Understandably, this news has led to considerable theorising over what exactly this big plot development may be. Red top paper The Sun ran a story on Bank Holiday Monday that suggested Amy Pond may about to be killed off ("Amy Pond may be EXTERMINATED", ran the typically frenzied headline).
If this is the case, she'll be the first assistant to lose her life since Adric in 1982, though The Sun's track record for accurate Who-related rumours isn't a great one, and should probably be taken with enough salt to preserve a donkey.
Here's a brief round-up of a few of the latest thinkings and opinions from the Twittersphere on the cleaving of the next series of Who ...
sleekituk
My main hope for next year's Doctor Who is that they get Graham Harper back on board, sorely missed IMO.
Kesomon
@steven_moffat - In spring, I'll squee gleefully. Or strangle you. Prolly both.
thoughtcat
Can't Steven Moffat calm down and just write more great standalone episodes without shattering the game and changing the earth?
WHOFAX
Series 6 will be split in half to double the amount of premieres and finales. Series 7 will be a weekly series of 13 finales
CraigRanapia
WTF. #DoctorWho getting the split series treatment? Want to send any Daleks round to Steven's house...
ElenaCPizarro
Bravo to Steven Moffat for splitting next year's #DoctorWho seasons (series) spring and fall. Spread the goodness out over the whole year!
bonkoif
I do hope they keep Amy around for next season. She's possibly better than Rose. And not just because she's a redhead.
TheYoungLiar
#DoctorWho Series 6 will be split into two series, with a big cliffhanger at Episode 7. This is good.
steven_moffat
Back from Edinburgh. Back to the script. Blimey.
So, what are your thoughts on the Doctor Who season break news? Is the hiatus a good thing, or does the thought of it leave you itching with impatience? Have your say in the comments.
