Posted in: BBC, Current News, Quibi, TV | Tagged: doctor who, youtube

Yes, Doctor Who Fans: The BBC/YouTube Deal Is a Very Good Thing

With the BBC announcing it is producing programming for YouTube, Doctor Who fans are speculating about what that could mean for the show.

When the BBC announced that it would begin producing content for YouTube, there was a bit of excitement amongst Doctor Who fans. In their single-mindedness, fans started speculating that YouTube, and by extension Google, might become the next co-production financier for Doctor Who. After all, YouTube has more money than any of the studios, networks, or streamers, and has more viewers globally than any other streamer, let alone the UK-exclusive BBC iPlayer. Viewing figures have proven that teens and young adults in the UK watch more YouTube than they do the BBC or normal television. If we leave aside the fine print that the BBC is primarily aiming at attracting young viewers in the UK, Doctor Who on YouTube is an interesting thought. Come to think of it, the Time Lord already has a second home on YouTube. It has since the late 2000s. If you want to think about YouTube as a second home for the series, the moment has been prepared for it, so to speak. But let's think about it.

There's already an official Doctor Who channel on YouTube. It went from showing clips from the new series to compilations of scenes from the classic series and the new series. It also started streaming short original content like the mini-episodes that led to the 50th Anniversary Special "The Day of the Doctor", including "The Night of the Doctor", which featured Paul McGann's return to series canon to regenerate during the Time War. Since then, the channel has featured original interviews, deleted scenes, commentary videos, and has become the home of the monthly Whoniverse talk show. It is the go-to place for everything Doctor Who. Outside the UK, there is an official YouTube channel dedicated to streaming full episodes of the classic series.

The Reunions Fans Have Craved!

There's also more original content that suggests a model for future material: for the last few years, writer and producer Pete McTighe has been writing short mini-episodes to promote the classic series Blu-ray box sets that brought back companions and Doctors from the classic series in standalone stories. You can't get geekier than that.

You can't get more fan service-y than this. YouTube has been a safe space for these pastiche sequels to the original series featuring returning Doctors and companions that hardcore fans have been craving for ages. They certainly cost a lot less than the actual TV series and serve as Easter eggs or extras for those who care.

The BBC has already been creating original Doctor Who content on YouTube. It seems to fill a niche, and if you look at the comments, fans have no complaints. It's all fan service, and the channel knows what it's here for, beyond promoting the show and its tie-ins. The budgets for these mini-episodes are very, very low, and belie the low-budget charm of classic Doctor Who. They prove the show doesn't need huge budgets; it just needs good writing and likable characters the fans can invest in.

Now, the issue is that YouTube is a streaming platform and not broadcast television, so contracts and agreements might not be the same. The modern series is still considered a major source of income for licensing to international broadcasters and streamers, and putting the seasons on YouTube might take away from earnings. It's complicated.

However, as these mini-episodes prove, there is nothing stopping the BBC from producing new stories featuring past Doctors and companions. It's really just about the budget and resources available. Pete McTighe has talked about whether there will be a budget allocated for future mini-episodes to promote the sales of future classic series Blu-Ray box sets. Rights and contracts are complicated and way beyond our ken to figure out, but it's really about how much the BBC wants and how far they want to take things in this Brave New World. Doctor Who already has an ecosystem on YouTube. It's just a matter of how much they want to build it out.

How Would New "Doctor Who" on YouTube Work?

That's the big question. The BBC is talking about embracing the creator economy, nurturing the next generation of creators for the social media influencer era. Do YouTube viewer attention spans allow for half-hour or 44-minute episodes of a drama? Streamers on Twitch have streams that can run for four hours or more. Would 10-minute bite-sized chunks of serials work? After all, in television dramas, seven to ten minutes is a single act or a story. YouTube offers an endless number of possibilities for Doctor Who. It's likely that the upcoming CBBC animated series of Doctor Who aimed at young kids will be on YouTube as well as iPlayer. The big question is how much content the BBC is willing to allow the world outside the UK to watch on YouTube?

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!