It just keeps getting worse and worse for fans of Doctor Who. Though season 11 was pretty enjoyable overall, it ended on a rather underwhelming note with tonight’s finale. And to add insult to injury, the BBC also revealed today that season 12 has been delayed.
Yes, though we’d heard rumors that the next run might be arriving a little late, we finally received confirmation today that Jodie Whittaker and her TARDIS team will be off the air following the New Year’s special until 2020. There’s no word yet on when in 2020 the next season will premiere, but fans are understandably pretty upset that there’ll be no new Who in 2019 – aside from the aforementioned special.
Taking to Twitter, they’ve begun to share their reactions and you can see just a sampling of what folks are saying down below:
"Series 12 is on its way and will be returning to BBC One in early 2020." #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/oNkBl9R5ad
— Ross Jardine. (@JardineRoss) December 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/dandonnan/status/1071850132054990851
Wow, no #DoctorWho for the whole year of 2019 😰 This sucks!
— Zach (@StormMotion54) December 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/Elliot98Taylor/status/1071850045186682880
It just means it’s our fandom duty to create art, comedy, videos and fill 2019 with all our fan created stories and ideas.
Come on Fam, we can do this!! #DoctorWho https://t.co/guO0QxkSqQ— OoohThings!CommissionsOpen (@CuriosityRocks) December 9, 2018
The new series not being screened until 2020 is a disgrace and won’t do the programme any good. #doctorwho
— Nick (@Reddevilfox) December 9, 2018
WHAT??? WHAT??? WHAT??? We have to wait AGAIN… and we only got 10 eps… mmm, do you not want the good Doctor to survive???!! #DoctorWho
— Vicky (@Vicky_Water_) December 9, 2018
So, from 2017-2019 inclusive, 13 whole episodes of #DoctorWho. *sigh*
— Alastair Horne (@pressfuturist) December 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/jsbalek/status/1071849755804864513
Having a gap year this early in Jodie's era is an absolute foolish thing to do tbh. Bad move, BBC #DoctorWho
— 🐦Shawn🤷♂️Lunn🐦 (@shawnlunn2002) December 9, 2018
What?!?!? We only get a super-short season and then have to wait an entire year for new #DoctorWho. That's not cool. Not at all! https://t.co/332f7fdRC9
— Chase March (@chasemarch) December 9, 2018
Oh well. I guess I'll take 2019 to just rewatch a lot of older episodes. #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/ogCI3Vnw7M
— Chris 🎬 (@ChrisCarpineti) December 9, 2018
Again, these reactions are perfectly understandable, especially given the disappointing finale, but at the same time, it’s probably better to give showrunner Chris Chibnall and his team the time they need to put together a new season rather than have them just rush one out in order to meet a pre-determined date. At least, that’s how the BBC probably feels, but it’s not likely to ease the frustrations of viewers.
In any case, at least we have the New Year’s special to look forward to, which might just feature the return of the Daleks if the trailer for it is anything to go by. True, Chibnall has already told us not to expect any classic monsters this year, but it’d certainly be a nice surprise for Doctor Who fans to see them make an appearance on January 1st, and would also help ease the blow caused by the news of the delay.