Even though it is a production of the BBC, the American branch of the television corporation, have traditionally missed out on the first run rights of the revived "Doctor Who" series. Well, not anymore.

Syfy, the former SciFi Channel, has lost the first run rights to the fifth season of the series to BBC America and the new season is likely to begin in Spring, 2010 shortly after its UK premiere. A similar approach was recently adopted by the network for "Torchwood: Children Of Earth" mini-series that concluded with 3.3 million viewers last month.

Although only half the audience that the show attracted in the United Kingdom, the five-part adventure has become BBC America's most successful series and a new series with a new Doctor should do well to replicate that success.

The network has already aired "Planet Of The Dead" and "Waters Of Mars" is expected to air in the fall in the UK before continuing through the festive period with the regeneration of David Tennant into Matt Smith.