Howling:Regeneration spoiling

Why is it whenever the actor who plays the doctor is leaving the show, everybody finds out well before it. WHat I mean is when the doctor regenerates, why isn't it a surprise anymore. All the actors who have played the doctor in the revived series have all had their departures made public long before they actually leave. Christopher ecclestons departure was spoiled by the bbc when the unquiet dead aired. The bbc for gods sake. David tennant told everyone I think at the end of 2008 or start of 2009, about a year before his doctor regenerated. Matt smith's departure was known from at least may to the public. I remember seeing the ninth doctors regeneration back in parting of the ways and being as gobsmacked and confused as rose was in that scene from when he started telling about it to david tennant appearing and then the cliffhanger. I was utterly shocked. I miss that surprise. Why is it when the actor who plays the doctor is leaving, the actor (i.e. christopher, david, matt etc.), the head writer (i.e. steven moffat, Russell t davies etc.) and everyone else involved in the making of the programme and their respective families cannot keep their mouths shut until the episode has aired. It would have been nice to have seen matt and jenna in the Christmas special with all the usual danger their lives have and then out of the blue something happens that injures the doctor so much he has to regenerate. Of course most people would then see by how he is reacting and what he says that he will probably regenerate but at least it would be a surprise as you would only find out in probably the last 10 or 15 minutes of the episode. Whereas like I said with the other three there was weeks, a year and six months notice prior to the switchover. Its not right. --Coop3 ☎  17:07, July 14, 2013 (UTC)


 * Yeah, they could try and keep that stuff more under wraps, like how they did with Jenna's first surprise appearance in Asylum of the Daleks (or so I'm told). But I suppose it provides a buffer period so there isn't a major backlash from us fans. Imagine if they tried pulling something like the One-to-Two or Five-to-Six changes and have the regeneration mid-season. —BioniclesaurKing4t2 - "Hello, I'm the Doctor. Basically, . . . run." 21:37, July 14, 2013 (UTC)

Part way through a season without announcement would be the best way to do it. Firstly, there is the element of surprise leading to a more emotionally charged moment (people like having "all the feels"). Secondly, it then means that the audience is more wary of any future danger the Doctor is in, because they won't know when he will regenerate again, since the previous regen wouldn't have been announced and wouldn't come at the most logical time (the end of the series) meaning the next one won't have to be either. This increases the sense of danger the Doctor faces, meaning the stakes are higher, meaning the episode is more powerful. And finally, having a regen part way through a series would mean the new actor would have a chance to show off what they can do before a big, end of series break, minimising the backlash from the community as they are familiarised with the new actor immediately. But I guess, at least with Matt, it was kinda hard to keep the regen under wraps considering his new hairdo for that movie he's doing! Imamadmad (Contact me) 13:14, July 15, 2013 (UTC)


 * If there's a mid-season regeneration, everyone will probably complain that "their favorite Doctor" or something didn't get a big finale to go out on, thereby increasing the backlash regarding the departing Doctor, meaning that everyone would be too busy complaining to notice what the new Doctor was even doing. Plus, the BBC would probably "accidentally" send everyone the entire series on crystal-clear Blu-Ray before it even began airing (sorry, just had to). Or, they could have the Doctor fully regenerate into a new body just prior to a summer-long mid-season break (no "To Be Continued" while still during the golden explosion), but in a Part 2 episode after the break he could collapse and thereby undo the timeline that caused the regeneration, thereby making it entirely null and void (maybe he liked that old body better; or, it could possibly be used as an excuse to give the Doctor a female regeneration?). —BioniclesaurKing4t2 - "Hello, I'm the Doctor. Basically, . . . run." 01:03, July 16, 2013 (UTC)

Mostly, I think it's because of ratings. I've always had this idea that the three episodes the public will watch more than others are Daleks, Christmas, and regenerations. A new Doctor is a very big event (like how "The Eleventh Hour" was iPlayer's most requested episode.) If it happens by surprise, they'll have missed the chance to let everyone know to increase ratings. The reason Matt Smith's was announced is because of a leak, as was Eccleston's. I do think Tennant announcing it wasn't necessarily the best idea, though. In fact, if the media didn't love jumping the gun all the time, we might have actually be surprised this year. That is, unless the BBC announced it for extra ratings, which they probably would. Gallifrey102 ☎  11:52, July 16, 2013 (UTC)