pseudohistorian ([info]pseudohistorian) wrote,
@ 2007-06-21 04:42:00
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Current mood: peeved at misinformation
Current music:John Barrowman - Doctor Who Theme

You Knew Who You Were Then
It's bad enough that the CBC has waited this long to start airing the third series of Doctor Who in Canada, and haven't even bothered to start airing Torchwood (despite the fact they co-produce both shows), but this was the actual, verbatim description of "Smith and Jones" in Winnipeg's local TV listings on Monday:

Kudos to writers of the season-two finale for not making the new companion a substitute for Rose. This episode marks the beginning of the third season as well as the involuntary entrance of med student Martha (Freema Agyeman). The first - and very brief - time viewers met her was when she appeared in her wedding gown on TARDIS, much to the Doctor's horrified amazement.

Catherine Tate as Donna Noble Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones

Seriously, how many seconds of research would it have taken this anonymous copywriter to learn that these are two separate people?

And really, "on TARDIS?" (The listing's italics, not mine.) Did this person even watch the episode? Or the show? Ever?

I haven't had a chance to watch "Smith and Jones" yet (plans are to do so with [info]xandersgirl later this week), and I'm still relatively spoiler-free, but I didn't get that confused. Of course, it doesn't help that the CBC also aired "The Runaway Bride" and "Smith and Jones" in reverse order...

I've decided to cleanse my fannish palate with John Barrowman's rendition of the opening music. Feel free to do the same. :)


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[info]lampbane
2007-06-21 08:01 pm UTC (link)
It's bad enough that the CBC has waited this long to start airing the third series of Doctor Who in Canada

Well well well, don't we have a sense of entitlement? It's not done in the UK yet, and they won't start the US run until after that. So that's not really that bad.

Torchwood, though, is a weird one. Even BBC America has shown it.

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[info]pseudohistorian
2007-06-21 10:31 pm UTC (link)
Well well well, don't we have a sense of entitlement? It's not done in the UK yet, and they won't start the US run until after that. So that's not really that bad.

Even though my motivations are selfish (I want to see the show on TV, rather than having to download it), it's not a sense of entitlement so much as a sense that CBC isn't treating Doctor Who very well, for a network that has a hand in making it.

During the first series, Canada was getting the episodes within a week of their airing in the UK, and Christopher Eccleston filmed CBC-specific interstitials for every episode. Billie Piper did the same for "The Christmas Invasion," which aired here the day after it aired in the UK.

Foolishly, I thought the CBC would continue this excellent treatment of the show, especially since it also garnered high ratings for them...but then, NHL hockey came back. :/

Torchwood, though, is a weird one. Even BBC America has shown it.

Same complaint, really. They co-produce it, but don't seem to want to air it. *sigh*

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[info]ninthscompanion
2007-06-22 03:20 am UTC (link)
CBC aired a commercial tonight announcing that Torchwood will premiere here in the fall.

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[info]pseudohistorian
2007-06-22 03:28 am UTC (link)
Oh! Cool! Finally! :D

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[info]lampbane
2007-06-22 03:51 am UTC (link)
To be honest, it's probably because it's airing in the US now, and TV deals tend to get weird when you have to take both countries into account, and because there are people here who do get Canadian channels (my cousin is one), airing it like they used to, within one week, probably intrudes on some deal they made with Sci-Fi.

Just a theory.

And I don't have BBC America, since I have Cablevision and they're pure evil.

I downloaded them.

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[info]pseudohistorian
2007-06-29 02:29 am UTC (link)
TV deals tend to get weird when you have to take both countries into account, and because there are people here who do get Canadian channels (my cousin is one), airing it like they used to, within one week, probably intrudes on some deal they made with Sci-Fi.

Just a theory.

Fair enough...and it's a plausible one at that, given how often airing schedules in Canada are shaped by what is happening with various American networks. I fear, however, that the answer is much more homegrown--in the end, the CBC just cares more about its sports. The first series aired during the NHL lockout, so Doctor Who didn't have to worry about competing with Hockey Night in Canada. Now that it does, the entire hockey season wins out. :/

You have a point that the situation isn't that bad--this week's episode is less than three months behind the BBC--but to demonstrate the point I just made, Doctor Who will once again not be airing this coming Monday, in favour of a World Cup soccer match.

And I don't have BBC America, since I have Cablevision and they're pure evil.

Being unfamiliar with Cablevision, I'll take your word for it. :}

I downloaded them.

Perhaps BitTorrent will still become my friend...but not yet.

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