If you're even a mild fan of the BBC's hit sci-fi drama Doctor Who, you'll probably know that the television show is going to go through something of a dormant period next year. It's suspected that only the first seven episodes of Season Seven will air when the programme returns in the Autumn season, and that gap alone will be nine months longer than usual. However, I'm of the opinion that this break in broadcast will be what brings the show back into the public eye, more so than ever before. Why? Think about it- with such an iconic British franchise off our screens for such a time, children and series newcomers everywhere are going to be wondering when their favourite new show is returning, and this will instantly build anticipation for the new series in a way that could not be acheived with spoiler-filled trailers placed at the end of the past Christmas Specials to give away some of the story details of the Spring-aired new run. Now, it'll be left up to kids, fans and critics alike to guess at the nature of 'the Fields of Trenzalore, the fall of the Eleventh and the Question' for nearly a year's worth of time, and even then we may not find out the true answers to the teasers presented in 2011 finale The Wedding of River Song until Season Seven Part Two airs in Spring 2013 or the 50th Anniversary run airs later that year. I'd mention just how much the aforementioned landmark year will probably do in Who's favour, but back to 2012: with the show off screens for nearly an entire year, it will be up to BBC Worldwide to bridge the gap in some way, and already now we're getting inklings of all the exciting ways they intend to do this. In March, dedicated fans can head over to the Cardiff Millenium Centre for the first fan-orientated new series convention since the show's return in 2005, an event specifically aimed at those wanting to find out what goes on behind the scenes and how to enter the television industry. Better yet, BBC Worldwide have confirmed that this is by no means going to be the only Who event on offer next year- I'd wager another Prom and live show could be in the works, seeing as they're telling us there'll be more stuff aimed at both kids and older fans. On top of that, the company has today announced a series of video games due to be released via PlayStation Network and Microsoft Windows for the PlayStation Vita (the project's lead console), the PS3 and PCs. This new games franchise will be akin to the Adventure Games, but this time focus on the adventures of the Doctor and River Song in time and space, starting with the first episode The Eternity Clock in Spring 2012. I'd not previously had the intention of buying a Vita, however this announcement has certainly made me consider it, as I'm sure it will for many fans, and if this strategy does/doesn't pay off I'd be surprised if the Wii and Xbox 360 don't get in on the action by year's end. Again, this will ensure that the show is constantly kept in the public eye whilst it is off air, thus building more anticipation for its actual return on telly. Furthermore, we've got the show now filming from February onwards, which means that when the programme does return next Autumn, it is barely ever going to be off air in the lead up to the fiftieth anniversary, meaning that the last couple of months of 2012 will basically plunge us straight into the first days of a golden age for Doctor Who, the likes of which is likely to never have been seen before or perhaps ever will be again. I'd be surprised if the marketing campaign for Who, something which has been notably lacking this year apart from the fantastic Prequels, didn't pick up again next year too, perhaps with the return of cinema trailers and the show's identification with the BBC Christmas idents. Add to all of that a wealth of novels such as Magic of the Angels (a World Book Day Quick Read) and many more adventures, the consistent releases of the classic DVD range, an online role-playing game called Worlds of Time, and further development on the proposed movie adaptation, and we are in for one heck of a year. So, don't see the time Doctor Who will spend off air in 2012 as a negative: instead, let's relish it for providing the ultimate chance for BBC Worldwide to make the brand into the ultimate franchise, besting it in every possible way on countless occassions so as to give it the biggest audience possible by the time its fiftieth anniversary finally comes around. On Christmas Day, we can truly say that while it's the end for now, the moment has most certainly been prepared for...
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