No Doctor Who Season 10 until 2017!

It's official, Steven Moffat will be leaving Doctor Who after season 10 - which won't air until spring 2017.

We knew Moffat was leaving, that was inevitable. Russell T. Davies, who was responsible for rebooting the series in 2005, was showrunner for four years. Moffat has been showrunner now for four years. What shocked me was the added news that there's no Who in 2016? With only one exception - the Christmas special.

Maybe it's because I'm an American that I find putting off the next season for over a year very strange. Here in the States our networks run pretty steady schedules. Even the shows from the last ten years or so that air new shows in the summer and/or that only have 10-13 episodes per season still have a steady airing schedule. (Us old folks remember back in the day when all seasons had 22-23 episodes and ran from September to about May. June through August were repeats.) 

Here in the States if you start changing a shows schedule that's usually a sign that it's not doing well and won't last much longer. I don't believe that's the case with Doctor Who. BBC stated that due to the Olympics and several specials they have this year, they decided it would be better to delay Doctor Who's next season.

BBC also made the announcement on Twitter today that Moffat's replacement will be Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall.

Steven Moffat will step down as Head Writer & Exec Producer after S10… Chris Chibnall to take over! pic.twitter.com/iMhNoEAegy

— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) January 22, 2016

Netflix: January Comings & Goings!! (Listed - Not a slideshow)

New to Netflix - January 2016
(What's leaving Netflix is below)

January 1
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Along Came Polly (2004)
American Girl: Grace Stirs up Success (2015)
Angry Birds Toons: Season 1
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009)
Bring It On: In It to Win It (2007)
Catwoman (2004)
The Celebrity Plastic Surgeons of Beverly Hills: Season 1
Constantine (2005)
Forensic Files: Collection 2
Friday Night Tykes: Season 1-2
The Good Road (2013)
House of Wax (2005)
How to Change the World (2015)
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006)
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Journey to Le Mans (2014)
Loins of Punjab (2007)
Meet the Fockers (2004)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Nanny McPhee (2006)
Piku (2015)
Pooh’s Heffalump Movie (2005)
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The Rundown (2003)
Shout Gladi Gladi (2015)
Smokin’ Aces 2: Assassins’ Ball (2009)
Something New (2006)
Stephen Fry Live: More Fool Me (2014)
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle: Season 3
Swordfish (2001)
The Tale of Despereaux (2008)
Under Arrest: Season 1: “Put Some Clothes On”
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
The Wedding Date (2005)
The Whole Ten Yards (2004)

January 2
30 for 30: Four Falls of Buffalo
I’ll Have What Phil’s Having: Season 1

January 3
Sofia the First: Season 2

January 4
Blunt Force Trauma (2015)
Training Day (2001)

January 5
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 10
New Girl: Season 4

January 8
Adult World (2014)
Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 2
Tom Segura: Mostly Stories (2015)

January 10
Dos Hermanos (2010)
El Hombre de al Lado (2009)
Esperando La Carroza (1985)
The Marziano Family (2011)Rosario Tijeras (2005)
Un Oso Rojo (2002)

January 11
Littlest Pet Shop: Season 4

January 12
The Ladykillers (2004)

January 13
Parks and Recreation: Season 7

January 14
The Testimony (2015)

January 15
Degrassi: The Next Class: Season 1
The Last Five Years (2015)
Moonwalkers (2015)
Occupied (2015)
The Overnight (2015)
Sirens: Season 2

January 16
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)

January 17
Z Nation: Season 2

January 19
Curve (2015)

January 20
Drone (2014)

January 21
When Calls the Heart: Season 2

January 22
Sharknado 3 (2015)

January 23
Chelsea Does (2016)

January 25
From Dusk Till Dawn: Season 2
Turbo Kid (2015)

January 28
Frozen Planet (2011)
Frozen Planet: On Thin Ice (2011)
Frozen Planet: The Epic Journey (2011)
The Making of Frozen Planet (2012)

January 29
Ever After High: Dragon Games

January 31
Words and Pictures (2013)


Leaving Netflix in January 2016


January 1:
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Almost Famous (2000)
American Psycho (2000)
American Psycho 2 (2002)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Coach Carter (2005)
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Corpse Bride (2005)
Coyote Ugly (2000)
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior: Season 1
Four Brothers (2005)
Gladiator (2000)
The Graduate (1967)
Grandma’s Boy (2006)
Harriet the Spy (1996)
Heartbreakers (2001)
The Hours (2002)
The Italian Job (2003)
Jackass: The Movie (2002)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version (1962)
The Longest Yard (2005)
The Machinist (2004)
Max Steel: Seasons 1-2
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
The Patriot (2000)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Rambo: First Blood (1982)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Rambo III: Ultimate Edition (1988)
The Rescuers (1977)
Risky Business (1983)
Rocky (1976)
Rocky II (1979)
Rocky III (1982)
Rocky IV (1985)
Rocky V (1990)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Serpico (1973)
Sesame Street: Animals and Nature: Season 1
Sesame Street: Classics: Vol. 1-2
Sesame Street: Cookie and Friends: Season 1
Sesame Street: Creativity and Imagination: Season 1
Sesame Street: Elmo and Friends: Season 1
Sesame Street: Everyday Moments: Season 1
Sesame Street: Music and Dance: Season 1
Sesame Street: Numbers and Letters: Season 1
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Trading Places (1983)
Trekkies (1999)
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Zoolander (2001)
January 4: Animation apocalypse
The Aristocats (1970)
Dumbo (1941)
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Pocahontas (1995)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Tigger Movie (2000)
January 8
The Lying Game: Season 2
January 14: 
Reality purge
Bad Ink: Season 1
Beyond Scared Straight!: Seasons 4-5
Dance Moms: Collection
Duck Dynasty: Collection
Hoarders: Collection
Intervention: Collection
The Kennedys: Season 1
Pawn Stars: Collection
Storage Wars: Collection

The Husbands of River Song - Finally! River Song is back!

It is not a secret that I have not loved the past couple of seasons of Doctor Who. The episodes have been okay for a one time viewing but I'm used to wanting to watch a Doctor Who episode again right away. That hasn't happened in 2 seasons... Until now.

"The Husbands of River Song" is funny, smart, fast-paced, heartwarming and heartbreaking. Peter Capaldi and Alex Kingston are just as compelling together as Matt Smith and Alex were. (Well, maybe Smith takes first place but Capaldi was great.) This episode had that... You know it's hard to put into words, other than saying that it had that Doctor Who feel again. (Video of Alex about returning below.)

The 9th season has not been a total loss. Comparatively to the 8th season, there are a few episodes that I will most likely go back and watch again. Namely the last episodes of the season. Especially, Heaven Sent and Hell Bent - both wonderful performances by Capaldi. "Husbands" I've already watched twice.

[SPOILERS]

The hook in "The Husbands of River Song" was wonderful to see, yet so heartbreaking. Magnificent chemistry between them, romantic, yet sad due to what we all know will come afterward. Also for River fans like myself it's especially sad because now the odds of another River story are slim to none.

Immediately after this episode I watched the end of "Forest of the Dead." I wanted to see if they truly matched up. I had never thought of River knowing, or having any sense that her death was coming. There were a couple of small continuity issues between "The Husbands of River Song" and "Forest of the Dead" but nothing major.

Night of the Doctor: Last Night

In "Forest" River says "You came to my door..." which obviously didn't happen. She also says "This means you knew all along..." Which at first I thought was a continuity issue, for after "Husbands" that would not surprise River. But then I realized it can be forgiven for context. In "Husbands" she thinks the Doctor won't be able to save her, where it's River's choice not to be saved in "Forest." So, for me it works. 

There was the blinding continuity issue with the mini-epsiode Night of the Doctor: Last Night until River says how the Doctor kept canceling their trip to the Towers, "Remember, when there was two of you?" That line was said off-camera and I wonder if it was Moffet's "oops" moment and was done in ADR (the re-recording/correction of audio) specifically for continuity. I'll have to look closer on my next viewing.

Oh, yes. There will be another viewing of this episode. Probably several viewings.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all a very happy holiday weekend, from all of us at Thoughts from a TV Geek!

Remember to spend time with friends and family BEFORE binge watching your favorite shows. 

Star Trek Beyond Trailer #1

The first trailer for Star Trek Beyond has been released! I haven't been excited about this movie, especially with the new Star Wars on it's way. But this looks good.

Apparently there was a version of the trailer allegedly leaked earlier today. So Paramount decided to go ahead and release the official first trailer.

The movie isn't due out until July 22, 2016 but it couldn't hurt Star Trek Beyond getting publicity with producer and former director J. J. Abrams' release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens this weekend.

Peter Jackson to direct an episode of Doctor Who!

No word as to when the next season of Doctor Who starts filming but it looks like season 10 will have an episode directed by Peter Jackson.
 


 Check out the video Peter Jackson posted to his Facebook page.




Best part:
"I’m the Doctor." 
"Who?"
"Correct."

When is a 23 episode TV season simply too much? Does a shorter season equal better programming?

 
One of the problems with some of the main network shows (ABC, NBC, CBS) is that they run their shows for upwards of 23 episodes a season. That may have been prudent back in the day - you know, the ancient times with only three channels and no remote control - but today it may be to their detriment. At the very least to the detriment of good quality programming .

An example is Once Upon a Time. An average season is about 23 episodes. Most seasons have an amazing beginning, fantastic ending, and filler in the middle. When I watch Once Upon a Time, after about episode four or five I realize it's already dragging, and there's a ton of excess story-lines that quite obviously is to fill up the season. I find myself fast forwarding through a good 70% of almost every episode until about episode eighteen-ish. That's when the main arc of the season picks up steam again and we're on our way to that fantastic season ender. My point being that if Once Upon a Time had ten episode seasons it would be an outstanding show. 

Now you could argue that this is more true with fantasy genre shows, especially when you look at some of the most popular fantasy shows on television today - The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who - it does seem to be true that less is more. However, even some of the more critically acclaimed dramas like Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire, along with top streaming shows House of Cards, Transparent and Orange is the New Black have formats of 10-13 episodes a season. It makes for better programming because writers aren't worried about a story arc lasting twice as long as it probably should. This is nothing new. Arguably, one of the best HBO series there's ever been, The Sopranos, had short seasons (except the last one) back when American television had never heard of such a thing.

Needing a short season isn't the case with every show out there. There are shows that can handle 23 episode storytelling. Most of them are procedural style shows or sitcoms that aren't focused on one main story arc.