For the season 6 premiere, on BBC America they had that little part prior to the opening sequence with Amy explaining the entire reason for the show. This part wasn’t there in the BBC UK version.
I hope they don’t leave this in moving forward. I know they’re trying to get more American viewers and this is intended to help with that, but I kinda like the way the beginning of the episode flowed into the theme song.
I agree with you on that it really seem out of place for Doctor Who.
I really can’t believe that someone at the BBCA thinks that by doing this they could increase the viewers. I expect something like that from Syfy.
I’m more curious to see if they had edited for the US. I know they said that it “limited commercial interruptions”, it seems to me to be the same amount or more.
Usually the run the whole show on the release date, then cut it for the reruns.
Does any one know?
I thought that was weird too. I guess they are thinking if you’ve never watched before then it would be helpful - though it does make it seem like the show never existed before Amy and the 11th Doctor…which I don’t like.
Unfortunately, even though we hardcore types are the audience that keeps any long-running franchise alive, it’s the casual viewers who keep the ratings up. That’s why Star Trek was altered in the 2009 film, that’s why Stargate was cancelled and so forth. Any opportunity to make a genre show more accessible is always welcome to me in that regard.
Anyone here old enough to remember back when PBS had the show? Before the show started and then after they had a guy discussing and critiquing the merits of the episodes.
I remember watching the show on PBS but I do not recall that. You sure it wasn’t your local channel, it is public broadcasting after all.
I don’t recall that either. It sounds like a local add-on.
Hmm Could be. I got PBS from Watertown/Rochester New York at the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L4dJ8n64HE
You know, the opening prologue has kind of grown on me. At first I thought it was unnecessary, but now I kind of like it.
I think my favorite part is “He comes from somewhere else.” It’s a gross over-simplification of the Doctor’s origins, and yet, it still sums up all you really need to know.
Sure, the Doctor was from the planet Gallifrey, and his people were the Time Lords and he fought in the Time War and so on, but do you really need to know all of that to enjoy a new episode of the show? No. I like the idea that the Eleventh Doctor has put his past behind him.
In a way, it’s like turning the clock back to the very beginning of the show. In the William Hartnell era, no one had ever heard the words “Time Lord” or “Gallifrey”. All anyone knew was that the Doctor was a wandering exile cut off from his people and home planet.
If the little blurp sequence at the beginning brings in more Who viewers, I’m okay with it.