Thursday, August 10, 2006

Official: "Who" Two on Sci Fi

UPDATED!!!

From Sci Fi Wire:

SCI FI Gets Who Season Two

SCI FI Channel and BBC Worldwide Americas announced a major licensing agreement for SCI FI to air the second season of the hit British SF series Doctor Who in the United States. The series will return to SCI FI on Sept. 29, kicking off with a two-hour premiere that will include "The Christmas Invasion" special in which David Tennant is introduced as the 10th Time Lord.

Billie Piper returns as the Doctor's feisty young companion, Rose Tyler, and together they will travel through time and space battling new and returning aliens and monsters.

Chris Regina, vice president of programming, SCI FI Channel, said in a statement: "Our audience has clearly embraced Doctor Who, and it has delivered a significant increase in viewers in the time period. We are looking forward to keeping the momentum going with David Tennant as the new Doctor."

Executive producer and lead writer Russell T Davies said in a separate statement: "We were delighted by the first season's success in the U.S. and can promise new thrills, new laughs, new heartbreak and some terrifying new aliens in season two."

Executive-produced by Davies and Julie Gardner, the second season of Doctor Who was the most popular program on Saturday nights when it aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom to critical acclaim.

UPDATE!

The Sci Fi Schedulebot has changed slightly. The new schedule for Sept. 29th shows Doctor Who beginning at 8 PM (ET/PT) and running until 9:30. And then a second episode running from 9:30 to 10:30, with the same programming block repeated immediately thereafter. Unfortunately, titles are still not listed on the grid, however this looks to be a clear case of "The Christmas Invasion" being shown uncut - though likely heavy on commercial breaks - followed by "New Earth".

The BBC Doctor Who website also announced the start of filming for Season Three and posted the first gallery of images featuring 10th Doctor David Tennant's new costume and new companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman).