Week Three - Schedules

Saturday, 7 April 2007 - Reported by Marcus

The scheduled start time for Doctor Who moves back to 7.40pm for the transmission of Episode three, Gridlock, on Saturday 14th April.

The reason for the delay is that BBC One has Match of the Day Live's coverage of one of the FA Cup semi-finals in the usual Who slot. The last time Doctor Who followed on from FA Cup football was for the transmission of last year's second episode, Tooth and Claw, which achieved the highest ratings of the season. However, RadioTimes.com implies that if the football overruns then Gridlock will be delayed by one week. The programme is scheduled to be followed once more by Any Dream will Do, which features John Barrowman.

Because of the delay in Week 3, the programme will not clash with ITV1's transmission of their new search for a star show Grease Is the Word. Instead it will face another edition of the quiz show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?Doctor Who has always comfortably beaten this show when they have been placed against each other.

BBC Two goes back to the 1930s, showing the drama I Capture the Castle, about two young girls falling in love for the first time with two handsome American brothers. It stars Sinead Cusack, Tara Fitzgerald and Bill Nighy.

Also because of the later time, on Channel 4 only the first part Doctor Who faces the usual Born Survivor: Bear Grylls. The rest of the programme is up against a new series, Face of Britain, a study into the genetics of the British population.

Five is showing the 1991 film Curly Sue, a comedy about a con man and his adorable young daughter.

Doctor Who Confidential is on BBC Three at 8.25pm

FILTER: - UK - Series 3/29 - Radio Times - Broadcasting

New Zealand buys Series Three

Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - Reported by Anthony Weight

C21 Media reports that New Zealand broadcaster Prime TV, who have already shown the first two series of newDoctor Who, have purchased the screening rights to series three, currently being run on BBC One in the UK. According to the report, the channel's recently-signed deal with BBC Worldwide Australasia also includes the 2006 Christmas special, The Runaway Bride.

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - New Zealand

Smith and Jones AI Figure

Monday, 2 April 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Not only was the launch of the new series one of the most watched programmes of the week, it was also one of the most loved, with an Appreciation Index of 88.

This is the highest figure for a Doctor Who series debut, and has only been beaten by previous season finales "The Parting of the Ways" and "Doomsday", both of which which scored 89.

The programme was 4 clear index points higher than anything else shown on Saturday night.

The Appreciation Index, or AI, is a measure of how much the audience liked the programme. It is a score out of 100, based on responses from a carefully selected panel. The average score for drama on BBC1 and ITV1 is 77. A score in excess of 85 is regarded as excellent while a score below 60 is poor.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Sunday Ratings Update

Monday, 2 April 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who was top of the multi channel ratings on Sunday with970,000viewers watching the BBC3 repeat of Smith and Jones. The five minute breakdowns show the audience for the last twenty minutes shot over 1 million peaking at 1.06m. The share was 5.1% and beat one of the terrestrial channels, Channel 5.

This is by far the highest rating the programme has ever achieved on BBC Three. The previous high was 790,000 for the Sunday repeat of The Empty Child on the 22nd of May 2005.

Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 550,000 viewers, while another repeat of The Runaway Bride achieved 390,000 viewers.

Overnight figures for the entire week are now available and show that Saturdays BBC1 showing was the 9th most watched programme on British Television this week, only being beaten by the soap giants Coronation Street and EastEnders.

This virtually guarantees a top ten place in the chart when the final figures are released by BARB in 10 days time, one of the very few time in its history the programme will have achieved this. Final figures are much more accurate than overnights and include figures for those who recorded the programme and watched it within seven days. Doctor Who's final figure is usually half a million more than the overnight figure, which could see the programme rise to 7th place.

The Weakest Link Doctor Who Special was 23rd on the list.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

Series 3 Volume 1 DVD

Monday, 2 April 2007 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustration for the UK release of theSeries Three, Volume One DVD disc, due out on 21 May 2007. The disc includes the episodes "Smith and Jones," "The Shakespeare Code" and "Gridlock". Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover.

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - Blu-ray/DVD

Press reviews

Sunday, 1 April 2007 - Reported by Anthony Weight

Press reviews have started to appear in the Sunday newspapers for last night's third series opener of Doctor Who. TheSunday People's critic Jon Wise expresses disappointment with "Smith and Jones", stating that "The BBC'S biggest, brightest, shiniest and most overly-hyped flagship show - Doctor Who Really Cares Any More? - is back... What was once new and exciting is now boring and repetitive. It feels a struggle to have to engage with a new sidekick for the Doctor... While it was still easily watchable sci-fi fun, after two series this is starting to feel lazy and lame." The Daily Mirror's verdict from Kevin O'Sullivan is mixed: O'Sullivan feels that Freema Agyeman "is set to be just as popular as her smash-hit predecessor Billie Piper," while adding "there's no denying that energetic David Tennant doesn't deliver the goods."

The online version of The Stage entertainment industry newspaper carries a review by assistant editor Scott Matthewman, which also praises Agyeman. "Freema may have proved herself capable to be the new companion, but she has big shoes to fill. And it’s to the series’ credit that it openly acknowledges the Rose-shaped hole and makes it a virtue. By doing that, it helps set up what should be an interesting series. Bring it on!" However, Matthewman feels that the plot of the episode "doesn't stand up to close scrutiny. An MRI scanner, capable of being tweaked to kill everything within 250,000 miles? On an NHS budget? (Seriously though, it could kill everything on Earth — even from the moon — but Anne Reid plans to escape by hiding behind a screen?)".

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - Press

Episode 1 Overnight Ratings

Sunday, 1 April 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Unofficial overnight figures show that the first episode of the new series was watched by 8.2 million viewers, a 39.5% share of the audience.

The programme was the most watched on Saturday, beating the second placed Any Dream Will Do by 1.5 million viewers.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on ITV1 was watched by 4.7 million viewers.

The programme also had the highest audience share of the day.

The five minute breakdown shows the audience grew by over 2 million throughout the programme to peak at 9.1 million between 7.35 and 7.40.

Doctor Who was also top of the Children's Top Ten with 1.6 million viewers between the ages of 4 and 16. This was more than double the number viewing the second placed Harry Potter which had 0.7 million children watching.

On BBC3, Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 790,000 Viewers. It was the second most watched programme on multi channel TV, being beaten by Ford Football Special on Sky Sports 1.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 3/29

More Press Reviews

Sunday, 1 April 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Monday's newspapers have been busy reviewing the return of Doctor Whoto BBC One on Saturday.

Andrew Billen in The Times gives the programme 4/5 and describes how all his worries about Rose leaving were dispelled with the arrival of Martha, while Sam Wollaston in The Guardian declares "Doctor Who still rules". InThe Telegraph James Walton writes that Russell T Davies isn't running short of imagination yet.

The Express accuses Russell T Davies of ruining every Saturday night on which there's no Doctor Who, and gave thanks the programme was back with a "gloriously bonkers plot".

Most papers report on the show's "ratings smash".

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - Press

Welcome Back Doctor Who: Series Three Begins

Saturday, 31 March 2007 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

It's the end of March and Doctor Who is back today for its third series with the airing of "Smith and Jones" at 7.00pm on BBC1, starring David Tennant as the Doctor and introducing Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones!

The broadcast will be followed by episode one of the third series of Doctor Who Confidential at 7.45 on BBC3. There's also the first episode of the second series of Totally Doctor Who this coming Monday, 2 April at 5.00pm on BBC1. Meanwhile, BBC3 is repeating The Runaway Bride, last December's Christmas special, at 7.00pm on Sunday 1 April, followed by a repeat of the new episode at 8.00pm.

The following is a quick overview of the week's broadcasts along with some programme information from Radio Times. Welcome back, Doctor Who!

SMITH AND JONES
It's back and this time it looks like there may be two travellers - the Doctor and Martha, alias Smith and Jones. When Martha Jones finds herself on the moon, she meets a mysterious stranger called the Doctor, and her life will never be the same again. Starring David Tennant (The Doctor) and Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), with Anne Reid (Florence Finnegan), Roy Marsden (Mr Stoker), Adjoa Andoh (Francine Jones), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Tish Jones), Reggie Yates (Leo Jones), Trevor Laird (Clive Jones), Kimmi Richards (Annalise), Ben Righton (Morgenstern), Vineeta Rishi (Julia Swales), Paul Kasey (Judoon Captain). Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Charles Palmer.
Saturday 31 March, 7.00pm, BBC1
Repeats Sunday 1 April, 8.00pm, BBC3; Friday 6 April, 9.00pm, BBC3

DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL 3.1: MEET MARTHA JONES
Behind-the-scenes look at Doctor Who. The Doctor has a new companion, Martha Jones. By sheer courage and determination, she has wowed the Time Lord and been offered a place on board the TARDIS. Featuring exclusive footage from the new series and interviews with Freema Agyeman, who plays Martha, David Tennant and head writer Russell T Davies, the programme examines the development of Martha's character and the huge interest behind the casting of the new companion.
Saturday 31 March, 7.45pm, BBC3
Repeats Sunday 1 April, 8.45pm, BBC3; Friday 6 April, 9.45pm, BBC3

TOTALLY DOCTOR WHO 2.1
It's back with a twist as the children's companion series to Doctor Who introduces a new adventure to the mix. Barney Harwood and Kirsten O'Brien present a show celebrating the the latest adventures of the last living Time Lord. They look at anything and everything that Doctor Who has inspired children to create and do - from TARDIS-shaped garden sheds to new alien designs, from DIY special effects to new versions of the theme music. There's also the Companion Academy, in which eight young hopefuls who think they've got what it takes to travel with a Time Lord are recruited.
Monday 2 April, 5.00pm, BBC1
Repeats Friday 6 April, 6.00pm, BBC1; Saturday 7 April, 10.30am, BBC2 and 6.30pm, BBC1

THE RUNAWAY BRIDE
A repeat of last December's Doctor Who Christmas special starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
Sunday 1 April, 7.00pm, BBC3

FILTER: - Series 3/29 - Radio Times

Episode 1 Official Site Update

Saturday, 31 March 2007 - Reported by Marcus

Following the UK transmission of the first episode of the new series, Smith and Jones, the official BBC Doctor Who website has been updated.

There are links to a downloadable audio commentary on the episode with producer Phil Collinson and new companion Freema Agyeman, as well as several sounds from the new episode to download.

The site also includes a video podcast and an updated gallery as well as photos from the filming; fans can even download Martha's ID badge! There are also new teasers and trailers for the remainder of series three.

FILTER: - Online - Series 3/29

Previous 10 Stories

Week Three - Schedules

New Zealand buys Series Three

Smith and Jones AI Figure

Sunday Ratings Update

Series 3 Volume 1 DVD

Press reviews

Episode 1 Overnight Ratings

More Press Reviews

Welcome Back Doctor Who: Series Three Begins

Episode 1 Official Site Update

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