As the concept of a television schedule becomes more and more tenuous thanks to the ever-changing way in which audiences absorb their favourite shows, Steven Moffat has been chatting about the possibility of Doctor Who fans being able to binge-watch a whole series of the show.
Speaking to Digital Spy, Steven Moffat, who is stepping down as showrunner this Christmas, was asked what his response would have been if the BBC had requested to ‘drop’ the entirety of Doctor Who series 10 on iPlayer.
Moffat laughed:
“We hadn’t finished them! When ‘The Pilot’ went out we only had two more episodes ready. ‘The Doctor Falls’ was delivered two or three days before it went out on air. I would have said, ‘In your dreams!'”
Considering the possibility, he said:
“I would listen to wiser heads. I think television is changing massively. I think the idea of dropping a whole series and letting people find it, letting people watch it and binge it – I think it’s coming. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
“People are showing a marked preference for bingeing, we all are. I just binged my way through The Good Place. I just absolutely adored that. It just ran out instantly and I’m very resentful I have to wait now!”
Looking ahead to the future, Moffat added:
“I think the day is coming, I don’t see how it can be stopped. Because the audience are actually in control and the audience are demonstrating a preference.
“I think TV scheduling is going to disappear.”
But before all of that there’s the small matter of this year’s Christmas Special, Twice Upon a Time, which will see both Steven Moffat and the Twelfth Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi, depart the show.
The special will air on Christmas Day on BBC One… for now at least.