Anatomy of a Finale

Saturday, 12 December 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Heaven Sent: The Doctor, as played by Peter Capaldi (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgway)The BBC have published the scripts for the final two episodes of series 9 of Doctor Who.

The scripts for Heaven Sent/Sell Bent, by Steven Moffat, are now available to download from the BBC Website.

Also released are some storyboards from the series conclusion Hell Bent, showing part of the process employed in bringing the script to life.

Other scripts available from the site include the opening stories of this series, the script for Face the Raven, and scripts from series three.





FILTER: - Production - Series 9/35

France 4 announce Series 9 launch date

Tuesday, 8 December 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Magician's Apprentice (Credit: BBC / David Venni)Viewers in France will get to see the latest adventures of the Doctor and Clara straight after Christmas this year, as France 4 confirm that the series premiere, The Magician's Apprentice, will air on Saturday 26th December at 8:50pm.

The series premieres three months after the UK, with French viewers getting to see the episodes in their native French dub earlier than in recent years - Matt Smith's first series aired from February 2011, Series 6 from May 2012, Series 7 from May 2013 and then Series 8 from March this year (the channel did of course air The Day of the Doctor on the 50th Anniversary!).
En exclusivité en France depuis 2005, France 4 vous fait voyager une nouvelle fois à travers l’espace et le temps avec la 9e saison inédite de la série culte britannique Doctor Who. Après une année fracassante dans la peau du Docteur, Peter Capaldi revient avec, à ses côtés, Jenna Coleman et des invités-vedettes, dont Maisie Williams de Game of Thrones.

Le Docteur et Clara, désormais partenaires, ont construit une relation dynamique d’égal à égal. Le lien qui les unit est plus fort que jamais, et ils ne boudent pas leur plaisir et les émotions que leur procurent le temps et l’espace. Ils sont sur le point d’embarquer pour leurs plus grandes aventures et vont devoir batailler contre des fantômes, les Vikings et le mal ultime... les Daleks.

Avec sa british rock’n’roll attitude, le Docteur est prêt à se dresser contre tout monstre menaçant l’univers. Missy est de retour pour le tourmenter une fois de plus ; les Zygons inspirent la peur en se transformant en clones humains ; et un(e) nouveau(elle) venu(e) évolue sur une vague cosmique…

La 8e saison de Doctor Who, la plus regardée de toutes sur la BBC, a remporté d’élogieuses critiques pour son nouveau tandem. Avec, au programme, un duo traversant des moments de suspense intense, et des épisodes stand-alone impliquant de l’innovation narrative, la série bouscule le prime time et offre un voyage cinématographique à travers le temps.

« Au casting de cette 9e saison, ­ figure un vaste panel d’invités : la magnifique, la drôle, la folle Missy est de retour ; l’exceptionnelle Maisie Williams campe un personnage qui mettra au défi le Docteur de manière inattendue et bien sûr, Osgood reviendra d’entre les morts, mais le Docteur risque bien d’être surpris et ferait mieux de ne pas se ­ fier à sa première fan.

Cette saison sera aussi démente que passionnante : nous allons repousser les frontières avec le plus expérimental de tous les épisodes de la série. J’ai en effet réservé quelque chose de spécial pour le Docteur, mais je ne peux pas vous en dire plus, seulement que c’est du jamais vu dans la série ! » (Steven Moffat, scénariste et producteur exécutif)



An exclusive in France since 2005, France 4 lets you travel through space and time once again with the unprecedented ninth season of the British cult series Doctor Who. After a sensational year as the Doctor, Peter Capaldi returns with Jenna Coleman at his side, and guest stars including Maisie Williams of Game of Thrones.

The Doctor and Clara have now built a dynamic partnership of equals. The bond between them is stronger than ever, and they do not shun the pleasure and emotions that time and space give them. They are about to embark on their biggest adventure and will have to fight against ghosts, the Vikings and the ultimate evil ... the Daleks.

With his British rock'n'roll attitude, the Doctor is ready to stand up against any monster threatening the universe. Missy is back to torment him again; the Zygons inspire fear by transforming into cloned humans, and a new meeting operates on a cosmic wave.

The eighth season of Doctor Who, the most watched of all on the BBC, has won rave reviews for the new partnership, with the duo in the programme traversing moments of intense suspense and standalone episodes of narrative innovation, and the prime time series offering a cinematic journey through time.

"The cast of this 9th season had a broad range of guests: beautiful, funny mad Missy is back; exceptional Maisie Williams portrays a character who will challenge the Doctor unexpectedly, and of course Osgood will return from the dead - but the Doctor could well be surprised and had better not rely on his first fan.

This season will be crazy and exciting; we will push the boundaries with the most experimental of all episodes of the series. Indeed, I booked something special for the Doctor, but I can't tell you more, just that is is unprecedented in the series!" (Steven Moffat, writer and executive producer)




FILTER: - France - International Broadcasting - Series 9/35

Heaven Sent - Official Rating

Tuesday, 8 December 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Heaven Sent - Official Ratings
Doctor Who: Heaven Sent had an official consolidated rating of 6.19 million viewers.

The rating issued by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, or BARB, includes all those who watched the programme within one week of transmission. It does not include those watching online via iPlayer

Doctor Who was the 7th most watched programme on BBC Television, and 4th overall on Saturday, overtaking Pointless Celebrities which was ahead in the overnight reports.

The episode finished at 27th in the chart.

Strictly Come Dancing topped the ratings for the week with 11.55 million viewers. Once again the top ten was dominated by the latest series of I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here taking seven of the top ten places.




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Hell Bent - AI:82

Monday, 7 December 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who: Hell Bent had an Audience Appreciation or AI score of 82.

The Appreciation Index or AI is a measure of how much the audience enjoyed the programme. The score, out of a hundred, is compiled by a specially selected panel of around 5,000 people who go online and rate and comment on programmes.

The most appreciated programme on Saturday evening was the BBC two repeat of the comedy Dad's Army, which scored 88




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Australian overnight ratings for Hell Bent & final ratings for Face The Raven

Monday, 7 December 2015 - Reported by Adam Kirk
Hell Bent has debuted in Australia, averaging 534,000 viewers in the five major capital cities. The story was the highest rating ABC drama of the day and the tenth highest rating program of the day overallThese ratings do not include iview, regional or time-shifted viewers.

Meanwhile, including time-shifted viewers, Face The Raven averaged 657,000 consolidated viewers in the five major capital cities. With 175,000 extra viewers it was the highest time-shifted program of the day (the second highest time-shifted program only had 135,000 extra viewers) and the tenth highest rating program of the day overallThese ratings do not include iview or regional viewers.




FILTER: - Australia - Broadcasting - Ratings - Series 9/35

Hell Bent - Press Reaction

Sunday, 6 December 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Press reaction to Hell Bent is in and Radio Times thought the episode a definite hit. "If I was left unmoved by the predictable and, to my mind, tedious events of Face the Raven, episode 12 certainly does push my buttons. It touches me in unexpected ways; it convincingly opens up a well of sorrow and, yes, several times I had a tear in my eye. The first being when the Doctor strums “a sad song” on his guitar, a blues version of a familiar Murray Gold theme. “What’s it called?” “I think that it’s called Clara...” That really got me."

The Guardian called the episode "A psychedelic, head-spinning finale that piled twist upon revelation on top of rug pull." It highlighted the way the story treated the Doctor's home planet. "Moffat’s take on Gallifrey grows richer and more intriguing. We’d always presumed the place to be a fusty, ceremonial place, sort of a sci-fi House of Lords, watching over the universe from a considered distance. And as long as they’ve featured in the show, they’ve always been liable for corruption. But this Gallifrey is an altogether darker construction."

Digital spy however, thought the conclusion to Clara's story misfired. "'Hell Bent' is at points thrilling and affecting - and as ever is blessed by two sensational lead performances from Capaldi and Coleman, who not only anchor but pretty much carry the entire hour. But given that it brings Coleman's time on the series to a close, it's the shaky climax that people will remember, and unfortunately that could end up overshadowing the episode's (many and various) good points."

The reaction in Mashable was also mixed "The show gives us several vague answers to the question of who the hybrid is. We'll get to that. But the finale itself is a hybrid — both brilliant and unfocused, neat in some ways and messy in others. It manages to simultaneously build on and undo the finer points of the two near faultless episodes that proceeded it."

MTV disagreed "Doctor Who gave Jenna Coleman’s Clara not only the best Companion exit in the long history of the series, but one of the most unabashedly gleeful lady power moments on television". Den of Geek thought the final scenes of Clara were firmly aimed at the fans. "Moffat's almost winking at people here. Some haven't liked how Clara became more like the Doctor. Now she's nicked a TARDIS from Gallifrey, and is running in her own way from the Time Lords. Doesn't sound familiar at all, that."

io9 believed the ending saved the episode. "The plot of the episode (and the season) felt severely half-baked, to say the least, and great moments intermingled freely with a certain amount of WTF. But that ending? Was the greatest. That ending retroactively made the whole thing great." Meanwhile IGN called it "a great finish for the character. "

Finally Tv.com said it was "a very satisfying ending to a season that featured a few minor hiccups, but was an otherwise enjoyable and strong season in the TARDIS"

You can read the Doctor Who News review in our reviews section.




FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

Hell Bent - Overnight Viewing Figures

Sunday, 6 December 2015 - Reported by Marcus
4.8 million viewers watched the series nine finale, Doctor Who: Hell Bent, according to unofficial overnight viewing figures.

The episode had a 21.5% share of the total Television audience.

Doctor Who's figure was slightly inflated by the late running of Strictly Come Dancing which was top for the day with 10.5 million watching. ITV managed 7.7 million for I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! which was ahead of The X Factor which had 6.8.million viewers.

On the overnight figures, Doctor Who was 5th for the day, behind Pointless Celebrities which had 5.5 million.

Final figures will be released next week based on the exact running time of the episode and the number watching within one week.




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Publicity: Hell Bent

Monday, 30 November 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A roundup of publicity for the Doctor Who series finale for 2015, Hell Bent.

If you took everything from him, betrayed him, trapped him, and broke both his hearts...how far might the Doctor go?

Returning to Gallifrey, the Doctor faces the Time Lords in a struggle that will take him to the end of time itself. Who is the Hybrid? And what is the Doctor’s confession?

Writer / Steven Moffat
Director / Rachel Talalay
Producer / Peter Bennett

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Hell Bent: Known Broadcast Details (note: many schedules don't currently reflect the 65 minute running time)
United KingdomBBC OneSat 5 Dec 20158:00pm
United States of AmericaBBC AmericaSat 5 Dec 20159:00pm EST(2:00am GMT)
CanadaSPACESat 5 Dec 20159:00pm EST(2:00am GMT)
Asia PacificBBC EntertainmentSun 6 Dec 201510:00am SGT(2:00am GMT)
New ZealandPRIMESun 6 Dec 20157:30pm NZDT(6:30am GMT)
AustraliaABCSun 6 Dec 20157:40pm AEDT(8:40am GMT)
Europe (Benelux)BBC FirstTue 8 Dec 20159:00pm CEST
United KingdomBBC TwoFri 11 Dec 20151:45am(British Signed Language)
South AfricaBBC FirstSat 12 Dec 20156:00pm SAST
IndiaFXSun 20 Dec 201511:00pm IST
FinlandYLE2Mon 21 Dec 20156:05pm EET
DenmarkDR3Fri 8 Jan 2016~8:00pm CET(unconfirmed broadcast)
GermanyFOXThu 21 Jan 2016~10:00pm CETcurrently billed at 9:45pm (dubbed into German)






FILTER: - Publicity - Series 9/35

Face the Raven - Official Rating

Monday, 30 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who: Face the Raven had an official consolidated rating of 6.05 million viewers.

The rating issued by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, or BARB, includes all those who watched the programme within one week of transmission. It does not include those watching online via iPlayer

Doctor Who was the 11th most watched programme on BBC Television, and 4th overall on Saturday. The episode finished at 30th in the chart.

Strictly Come Dancing topped the ratings for the week with 11.77 million viewers. The top ten was dominated by the latest series of I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here taking six of the top ten places.




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK

Heaven Sent - AI:80

Monday, 30 November 2015 - Reported by Marcus
Heaven Sent: The Doctor, as played by Peter Capaldi (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgway)Doctor Who: Heaven Sent had an Audience Appreciation or AI score of 80.

The score is lower than average for the series, reflecting the unusual nature of the story, which saw Peter Capaldi alone for most of the story.

The Appreciation Index or AI is a measure of how much the audience enjoyed the programme. The score, out of a hundred, is compiled by a specially selected panel of around 5,000 people who go online and rate and comment on programmes.




FILTER: - Ratings - Series 9/35 - UK