River Song would be ever so cross.
The BBC is doing major damage control after a collection of "Doctor Who" scripts from the upcoming eighth season have leaked online. The five scripts, which are said to include the extra-long season premiere entitled "Deep Breath," mysteriously popped up online seven weeks ahead of the show's scheduled return.
In an official statement, the BBC stated:
BBC Worldwide is currently investigating a security issue around "Doctor Who" Series 8 where unfinished material has inadvertently been made public. We deeply regret this and apologise to all the show's fans, the BBC and the cast and crew who have worked tirelessly making the series. We would like to make a plea to anyone who might have any of this material and spoilers associated with it not to share it with a wider audience so that everyone can enjoy the show as it should be seen on 23rd August. We know only too well that "Doctor Who" fans are the best in the world and we thank them for their help with this and their continued loyalty.
Though BBC hasn't commented on it officially, it's being reported that the leak has been traced to a BBC Worldwide headquarters in Miami, where the episodes were being translated and subtitled for Latin American audiences.
Season 8 will be the first to star the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi. The hotly-anticipated season premiere runs longer than a standard hour-long episode, and insiders are saying that Capaldi's take on the character combined with Moffat's oversight are creating a somewhat "darker" take on the protagonist than audiences might expect after the antics of Matt Smith or David Tennant. A teaser trailer for the new season (watch it below) was recently released featuring a voiceover of what sounds like a Dalek or possibly even the creator of the Daleks, the wicked mad scientist Davros.
Showrunner Steven Moffat is known to jealously guard the show's secrets, having spoken out many times about the need for surprises in storytelling -- particularly the brand of storytelling that "Doctor Who" does. To avoid spoilers leaking online early for the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," he famously arranged for the special to debut simultaneously around the globe, even though it meant some countries were saddled with air schedules far out of primetime.
Likewise, Whovians (aka "Doctor Who" fans) have proven surprisingly loyal to Moffat's desire to keep spoilers off the Internet. In 2013, when some retailers accidentally mailed out copies of the Season 7 DVD/Blu-ray set ahead of the season finale's airing, Moffat implored those who got to see it early to refrain from telling anyone what happens in the episode. Those Whovians were happy to oblige, allowing audiences around the world to see it unsullied.
