DOCTOR WHO’s 50th Anniversary Plan Underwhelms

Three Doctors, a recast, a wax statue and a tin dog = “The Five Doctors”

Wow, talk about dashing dreams!

In the run-up to 2013, the 50^th anniversary year of DOCTOR WHO, fans were giddy with anticipation of all sorts of spectacular celebrations — multiple TV specials and tributes and great programming, not least of which would be a huge, thrilling multi-Doctor story bringing in as many of the surviving Doctors as possible.

Well, some kind of multi-Doctor story is still a (vague) possibility (and fading fast), but all that other stuff? Not so much. According to the BBC, all dedicated fans will be seeing is one anniversary story airing on Nov. 23 and the previously announced “docu-drama” from Mark Gatiss on the origin of the show, AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME.

Tah-dah! And that’s it.

Oh, we will still get the second part of series seven, kicking off in April, but after the anniversary show, there’s just a Christmas Special and then 2013 is over. No beginning of series eight, no additional Doctor stories at all. In fact, series eight isn’t even officially confirmed! One would hope the least the Beeb could do is not torture fans by delaying the announcement of the next series. But no, it appears the BBC is content to be cruel again.