At long last... America will finally get the first season of the new Doctor Who television series, according to a press release on the official Doctor Who website. The US-based Sci-Fi Channel, owned by NBC Universal, has secured a deal to broadcast the 13 episodes in America starting in March, beginning on what Outpost Gallifrey believes is likely March 17 (the week after the season finales of the popular "Battlestar Galactica" and two "Stargate" shows), at 9:00pm Friday nights, and it will likely conclude at some point in mid-to-late June in time for Sci-Fi's summer premieres of those shows. The press release notes that Sci-Fi has an optionfor series two, likely to be acted upon after initial ratings come in.

In conjunction with the announcement, the press release also mentions the delay of the US DVD release of the first season, now rescheduled for July 2006 to follow the final broadcast of the show's first season. While no official announcement had recently come, speculation persisted that the DVDs had been pulled from their original February 14 release date. However, interestingly, the release of the DVD set is listed in Canada on Amazon.ca for February 14, perhaps indicative of a possible Canadian release on that date and having the US release follow five months later.

Also, missing from the announcement is any indication of the status of the classic Doctor Who series. BBC America previously pulled the broadcast of the classic series, opting not to renew broadcast rights (only two stations in the US currently show it, on long-term broadcast contracts) to sell both series together. It is likely that a new offer was made to Sci-Fi without the classic series, but the status of the 'old show' remains to be seen.

Date, Timeslot Notes: Where are we getting the March 17 date, people are asking? That's the week after the end of the current 'back ten episode' seasons of the "Stargate" and "Battlestar Galactica" series currently running on Sci-Fi, and we're told this will follow immediately. As Sci-Fi is preempting "Stargate Atlantis", what this means for the other shows on that night is anyone's guess -- i.e. whether or not "Stargate SG-1" or "Battlestar Galactica" continue in reruns or are pulled from the schedule -- but it's potentially an attempt to continue the ratings Sci-Fi currently has, as the channel has several shows now in production (including the sci-fi drama/comedy series "Eureka") that it might pair the series with; we simply don't know at this point.

Whither "Confidential"?: There is no official word on any potential airing of the "Doctor Who Confidential" documentary series that aired along with the UK run of the program (on BBC Three), though it is extremely unlikely that this was part of the package purchased. However, Sci-Fi is known for one-shot documentaries to introduce new shows, and some footage from the Confidential series could potentially be used if such a documentary were considered.

Press Clips: The Sci-Fi Channel has posted its news story about the acquisition; other reports have come from a variety of locations includingBBC News, United Press International, The Futon Critic, IF Magazine, TV Squad,Chicago Tribune, IGN Filmforce, Now Playing Mag, Cinescape, Gateworld, TV Shows on DVD, Addict3d,CBBC News, Entertainmentwise, Short News, Comingsoon.net, The Register, Dark Horizons, Hollywood Reporter, Web India, New Kerala, Menafn, Sci-Fi Online, Access Hollywood, Zap2It,Worldscreen, Digital Spy,
Morons.org, About.com. Also, the Associated Press has distributed the story and it's shown up so far in dozens of online editions of US print newspapers (all the same story, so we won't link them here).

The press release is below. Outpost Gallifrey will continue to keep you posted on this developing story.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Rich Kirkpatrick, and the literallyhundreds of eager fans who've written into Outpost Gallifrey about the news... we suggest you visit our Forum, where the discussion has been running wild all day!)

For reasons that have yet to be made clear, the release of the Series One Boxed Set in the US and Canada, originally scheduled for February 14 as announced by both the official Doctor Who website and Doctor Who Magazine, has been postponed. No explanation has been given, but Warner Home Video, the distributors of the discs, had not released any information on their distributors' site, and inquiries to BBC Video have gone unanswered. The TV Shows on DVDwebsite reports that they were informed by a BBC PR rep that there were "complications" with the set. We hope to have more information about a rescheduled date on this soon.

Canada got the new series tonight... and several of our readers noticed that the CBC network wasn't noted as a co-producer this time, but rather was noted with a "special thanks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation" notice. Meanwhile, Billie Piper hosted the show in much the same way Eccleston did, wearing a red Roots hoodie with "Canada" on the front, and at one point explicitly thanking the viewers for making Series One a success.

The Daily Mail has comments from a BBC1 spokesman on the ratings triumph for the BBC on Sunday: "We are delighted that the audience turned to the BBC to be entertained this Christmas. It has been a wonderful climax to the year for Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing. And once again EastEnders proves to be the jewel in the Christmas schedule."

Tomorrow's Times notes that "science fiction has overtaken reality shows as space-and-time travel becomes the new hit formula on TV. David Tennant’s first appearance as the Doctor in the Christmas Day episode of Doctor Who was watched by 9.4 million viewers, beaten only by BBC One, with more than ten million switching on to EastEnders. In America, entire channels are devoted to big-budget space dramas. Now digital technology has made convincing sci-fi epics affordable on British budgets. ITV is responding to Doctor Who with Primaeval, a 6 million, six-part epic about scientists who travel into prehistoric times through black holes. The team behind Walking with Dinosaurs is creating the graphics. Next year the BBC will follow up the success of Red Dwarf, the sitcom set on a spaceship, which has spawned four million DVD and video sales. A new BBC Two sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive consciously echoes its predecessor, the channel’s highest-rated sitcom with eight million viewers. ... The resurrection of sci-fi has surprised some. Senior BBC figures were sceptical about Doctor Who, believing a revival would fail to reach a mass audience despite a much bigger special effects budget for the 13 million series. In fact there is a large international audience for British sci-fi. The new Doctor Who has been sold to 12 countries, including South Korea and Australia."

The Times also notes that a "pre-Christmas mini-revival that pushed ITV1's audience above BBC One has not stopped Britain's leading commercial broadcaster losing viewers this year, denting its prospects of pulling in advertising in tough conditions. The BBC, which is usually strong over the holiday, has featured shows such as Dr Who this year."

Tomorrow morning's Daily Record says "Thank you David Tennant. The new Doctor Who triumphed over the Sycorax in a rattling good Christmas special. And he did so in a woollen dressing gown and striped winceyette pyjamas and made them sexy - according to a highly scientific poll of females in and around my house. Now, if I can manage a regeneration of my own,by losing four stones and 15 years while regaining a luxuriant head of hair, maybe those aforementioned females will consider me in my night attire to also be 'hot.' As opposed to a sad old git schlepping around in dressing gown and PJs."

More comments on the ratings success of "The Christmas Invasion" are atThe Guardian, The Telegraph, Digital Spy, and the Daily Record. Meanwhile, BBC News has a feature on "Entertainment Year in Pictures 2005" with shots of Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Mustafa Hirji, Brian Newall)

Showtime Arabia has apparently become the latest broadcaster to acquire the new Doctor Who series. The satellite service, which is owned by Viacom, will begin airing the first series on its StyleUK channel starting this Friday, 23 December, showing two episodes per weekend, one on Friday and one on Saturday. Showtime Arabia is broadcast throughout the Middle East. (Thanks to Phil Lentz)

Our friends at TV Shows on DVD have unveiled the cover illustration for the forthcoming February 14 release of the Complete First Series Boxed Set in North America (US and Canada). The box cover uses roughly the same illustration as the large box in the UK release this past November, but at a minimal amount of shelf depth. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (With thanks to David Lambert at TVShowsOnDVD for letting us know!)

The UK version of the New Series Boxed Set, as previously reported, contains several errors, including the inability to play the entirety of "World War Three" from the episodic option. UK viewers are asked to call the BBC help line at 0870 241 0624 prior to returning their discs; they will send a replacement disc as available. Meanwhile, Outpost Gallifrey has been informed that the Australian version of the boxed set has been recalled by the manufacturers because they hold the same problems; there is currently no word about when they will be re-released, although current information indicates it is likely in early January.

Doctor Who has been nominated in the television drama category at the annual South Bank Show Awards (sponsored by ITV's long-running Sunday night arts series), which cover all areas of the arts such as music, film, television, etc, in the UK. BBC News reports that the nominees for TV drama include Doctor Who, Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky (BBC Four / Two) and Elizabeth I (Channel 4). Billie Piper has also been nominated in the TV Drama category for "The Times Breakthrough Award". The awards ceremony takes place at London's Savoy Hotel on 27 January. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

The BBC has just launched the 2005 Drama Awards where viewers can vote online for their favourite dramas of the year, according to the official Doctor Who website. "With categories including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Villain and Most Desirable Star we're hopeful that Doctor Who might be up for a couple of awards. Voting closes on Friday 6th January 2006, with results revealed on Monday 16th January 2006. There's also an end-of-year quiz, with a selection of goodies to be won, so why not head over now and let them know what you think." You can vote at the Best of 2005 Site.