Say Something Nice: Internet Fandom
Guest contributor Cam Holmes examines current Doctor Who fandom on the net.
Doctor Who fans are some of the most passionate and dedicated within the world of television. The global appeal across all demographics invites new followers on a daily basis to join in the discussions and debates revolving around a science fiction series which continues to endure and succeed like no other before it. Yet I can’t help but think that something seems amiss. From the outside looking in, I sometimes wonder if the popularity and quality of the show is somehow being skewed and misrepresented by those capable of shouting the loudest. I am sure it is a topic which has been covered before, but allow me to expand further.
Fresh Blood
If there’s one thing that Doctor Who thrives on, it’s the ability to reinvent itself time and time again. One might even be able to call it a broom. A broom with a range of handles. A broom with a range of handles with a range of brushes. A broom with a range of handles, a range of brushes and cared for by a different handler every few years. You get the idea.
But how long is too long for any one of those parts to remain the same? It’s all subjective of course, but I believe that the nature of the show lends itself to some potentially unfair critique being thrown in the direction of the cast and crew. From the various polls and discussion threads I have visited, it seems that Clara’s extended tenure on the show has been met with a majority of generally favourable opinions on the web. But you can’t spend very long on Doctor Who’s Facebook page or other social media comments sections without seeing the other side of the story.
I can only report on what I have seen, but ‘Top Comments’ have an uncanny ability to be generally negative in nature and are usually going to be what you see first on arrival. They’re not always going to be on the subject at hand, either. For example, news of Toby Whithouse’s return last month was plastered with remarks regarding Clara’s length of time on the show. I believe that Jenna Coleman is getting a particularly hard time of it. Her appearance in specials have somewhat split up her time as companion despite only starring in one-and-a-half series to date.
Despite appearing to be a generally popular character, the amount of calls for her departure being “long overdue” or claiming that the show will “stumble” if she stays any longer seem disproportionate to her fans voicing support. While this has focused on Clara, it applies to other members of the team – past and present. Doctor Who is rather unique in how vocal its fan base can get away with being in willing members of the production team out… and how much hyperbole we can throw in to the mix.
Every year it seems time to say goodbye to a cast member or a showrunner – no matter how well the show is performing. We all have every right to like or dislike any aspect of the show, don’t get me wrong. But I personally see the continual desire for fresh blood, and particularly how those desires are expressed, to be on the whole unbalanced and ill-judged. One often cited reason is “falling ratings.”
By The Numbers
The oldest excuse for the book for the show ditching a particular disliked aspect is the claim that millions are turning off and the show is somehow in danger of cancellation if said aspect is not removed. It was genuinely surprising how much doom-mongering took place throughout Series 8 – not at all helped by The Mirror’s “ratings flop” article.
After nine years (now going on ten) and eight series, modern Doctor Who is now part of the furniture on BBC One. While those involved in its production may come and go, the revived show itself is no longer new. However, there is no denying that its global audience continues to grow and the World Tour was a great insight in to how our sci-fi show is accepted abroad.
Nevertheless, the ratings back home are always going to be important and debated just as much as anything else. So what was the verdict on Series 8? Director of BBC Television Danny Cohan praised the series for performing “exceptionally well” after bringing home an average of 7.26m and a Live+7 audience of 8.31m while audiences continue to adapt to new ways of watching their favourite shows.
So is 7.26m the lowest series average of the revived show? Yes, it is. Is that a bad rating? Of course not. Was it statistically likely? Very much so. Has Doctor Who yet to drop 1m off the average over its eight series run? Nope. So if millions are turning off, then millions are turning back on to take their place. Of course we also have the much talked about live vs timeshift debate which was very much highlighted when underwhelming ratings across the board were delivered for Christmas 2014. BARB has since reported that the week of December 22nd had the lowest reported share of live viewers since 2006. 14.2% of viewings were time shifted. Compare that to 2.2% of Christmas 2006 and it’s easy to see how times are changing with the technology being made available to allow it.
Live and overnight figures will still be important for years to come, but Doctor Who isn’t haemorrhaging viewers at the rate that some Internet ‘warriors’ would have you believe. BARB still hasn’t fully delivered on its promise to capture ratings across more devices and more times and the BBC Trust is currently consulting on how the BBC can continue to adapt to audiences shifting to different models. iPlayer and BBC One+1 look to be big parts of that. I for one am grateful that we have a broadcaster taking steps to accommodate the year that we live in.
No matter how many times it is claimed that Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman or Steven Moffat are “killing” the show – this simply isn’t the case and I wish so many people wouldn’t try to state it as a fact. The slow decline of the ratings is exactly what we saw for the first three years of the RTD era and I suspect this discussion would have been put on hold if Series 8 had performed as anomalously as Series 4 (which still manages to contain some of the lowest figures of the series).
At some point, yes, it will need an injection of fresh blood. But that doesn’t automatically mean an upswing of overnight and final viewing figures. For all we know, it could lower them at a quicker rate – or make very little difference at all. We should be especially pleased that we at least have that option available to us if, heaven forbid, we should enter that danger zone. But we’re not there yet, and Doctor Who continues to hold its loyal following at home for another year – while growing its overseas audience. Series 8 broke records in the US, Canada and other locations, you know.
So please, please, Internet… can we stop proclaiming that the sky is falling? It all builds to give the wrong impression about the show’s solid performance.
Say Something Nice
In a sea of top comments proclaiming the latest series to be the “worst yet” or “Moffat must go” or “Jenna must go” or “millions are turning off,” I invite you to spread a little more cheer about the show that we love. Even if the current state of Who isn’t entirely for you – there is surely something that you enjoy about it? I have genuinely encountered those who only comment when they have something bad to say – and I wish it wasn’t the case. Is it easier to criticise than praise in this faux digital status-quo which has emerged or is it all just in my head? Who knows? Well, you might – so let me know.
Being a part of the Cardiff premiere last year was a very special thing for me. Stood and sat between American, Canadian, German and Japanese fans, all ranging from laughing and crying throughout ‘Deep Breath’ was a great testament to how this show can resonate with its audience. This was only multiplied tenfold as part of the World Tour. For a few hours, Doctor Who was easy to love and enjoy again. Whereas taking part in online discussions is often an uphill battle no matter which side you’re on.
Whether you’re loving or hating, just take a few moments to think about what you’re posting and how it may be interpreted. Show a little respect – for you never know who might be reading. Most importantly, no matter how grim it may seem out there, never be afraid to say something nice. It makes all the difference.
