The BBC Is Taking The Doctor Who Season 11 Leaks Very Seriously
2 minutes ago
The anticipation surrounding the eleventh season of Doctor Who is getting the better of some people. Fans got their first glimpse at Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor in last year's Christmas special, which heralded the exit of the Twelfth Doctor played by Peter Capaldi. With the anticipation building, last week, Whittaker's first Season 11 scenes as the Thirteenth Doctor began to circulate. Now, the BBC is taking some action of its own.
In fact, the BBC is taking the matter to court. The broadcaster is requesting that a clerk at the California federal court issue a subpoena to the mobile community, Tapatalk. The move is being made in the hopes it will lead to the BBC unraveling the identity of the person or persons who leaked the footage, per Variety. While the cat is out of the bag in some respects, the BBC taking this action could dissuade potential leakers from acting in the future.
Doctor Who has always had a large and devoted following. And every time there is a new incarnation of the Time Lord, fans' excitement over the next season only ramps up even more. As was the case with the last season of Game of Thrones, pirated clips or full episodes tend to leak out ahead of popular series' official release. Time will tell if BBC can prevent Doctor Who from leaking to the extent experienced by the HBO series.
The move toward legal action is a huge step towards curtailing leaks. The news of the scene leaks come as Doctor Who's eleventh season is months away from premiering on the BBC. When the show returns, it will have a new Doctor, along with several other new cast members. There will also be a new showrunner and many other behind-the-scenes changes. Time will tell if any of Doctor Who's other upcoming moments will be leaked despite BBC's best efforts.
Given how seriously the BBC is taking the leaks, it should have an impact in curbing future incidents. There is also the matter of whether BBC's request for the subpoena will go through. Sometimes the threat of legal action is all it takes. For now, it is up to Doctor Who fans to enjoy what is left of the wait before Season 11 premieres and unveils all its magic. One thing is for sure: it will not be as long of a wait as it was yesterday.
The next season of Doctor Who is set to premiere this fall on BBC America. No exact air date has been released at this time. For new upcoming and returning television shows, you can watch while trying to stay out of the heat, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.
