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Member Since: 1/2006Last Seen: 11/28/2009

Aussie 'Doctor Who' Fans Set to Time Travel With BitTorrent

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:02 AM EST
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Australia has been the focus of much tech news recently, as the country struggles with its Internet piracy 'problem'. Thanks to the infinite wisdom of ABC, Aussie Doctor Who fans are left with a tough decision - wait until mid-January to watch the show's pivotal 'Christmas Special' - or pirate it with BitTorrent.

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8.7
{"commentId":4549427,"authorDomain":"redwolf"}
Red Wolf

The TV show Doctor Who, like many shows, has a 'Christmas Special'. This episode, unsurprisingly, will air Christmas Day on the BBC in the UK. In it the Doctor will have one of his trademark re-incarnations, a very important event for fans of the series. The problem for Australian viewers is simple - ABC who have the rights to the show think that Christmas Day falls on January 25th 2009 down-under, as this is the date it will air there, officially at least.

But of course, Doctor Who fans know about BitTorrent, the show has appeared in our most pirated TV show lists and was even subject to a major 'leak' of its own.

Thanks to ABC's short-sightedness, thousands of Australians will pirate this episode of their favorite show just minutes after it finishes airing in the UK and a month ahead of its official launch. It's not just The Doctor who is capable of time-traveling these days.

{"commentId":4549427,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"redwolf"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:03 AM EST
{"commentId":4578206,"authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
Division by Zero

I'm afraid I'm in the same boat.  They're not showing the Christmas episode here in the U.S. anytime soon and the BBC website won't let a U.S. resident watch the streaming video, so what's a Doctor Who fan to do?  With as many Doctor Who fans as are in the U.S. I really don't understand why they didn't air the Christmas episode on BBC America.  Fans would have flocked to it.  They really need to get with the program and realize that the times are a-changin' and they need to deliver the product when the viewers want to see it. 

At least the movie studios have finally agreed to release movies to PPV and DVD on the same day.

{"commentId":4578206,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:36 PM EST
{"commentId":4578258,"authorDomain":"redwolf"}
Red Wolf

And if you live outside the UK, you have no idea if your local distributor is going to carve it up like CBC did to
the final episode of the last season.

I haven't seen it yet. A friend already has and told me not to bother as it was a steaming pile of crap. The sooner RTD gets his sticky little fingers out of the show, the better.

{"commentId":4578258,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"redwolf"}
  • 2 votes
#2.1 - Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:45 PM EST
{"commentId":4578424,"authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
Division by Zero

I'm downloading it right now.  By this time tomorrow I'll have likely watched it and might post a review.

{"commentId":4578424,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:09 PM EST
{"commentId":4585727,"authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
Division by Zero

I finished downloading it last night and couldn't resist the urge to stay up to watch it.  I'll post a spoiler-free review later this afternoon. 

I have also clipped this to a few other groups.

{"commentId":4585727,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
  • 2 votes
#2.3 - Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:39 PM EST
{"commentId":4588036,"authorDomain":"redwolf"}
Red Wolf

Post a link back here when it's up, please.

{"commentId":4588036,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"redwolf"}
  • 1 vote
#2.4 - Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:27 PM EST
{"commentId":4588912,"authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
Division by Zero

I have posted my spoiler-free review here.

{"commentId":4588912,"threadId":"453271","contentId":"2245720","authorDomain":"divbyzero"}
  • 1 vote
#2.5 - Mon Dec 29, 2008 4:31 PM EST
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