Doctor Who Lost In Time Collection question (1 Viewer)

What stories exactly are in this release? I'm a bit confused by the descriptions I have read of this DVD. I've compiled a list of what stories are on DVD so far for when I go to start buying them.

I've been told there are some stories that may never make it to DVD due to loss of masters or something. Is this true? and if so does anyone know which ones?

Many of the first two Doctor episodes were destroyed by the BBC to create more room. Some episodes were not destroyed, but many of the existing episodes are from copies that people saved/stole from the BBC; from foreign copies, ie from Hong Kong, Australia, etc. Try Outpost Gallifrey,(www.gallifreyone.com), they have a comprehensive episode guide.

About the Lost in Time set, it is mostly of stories that do not have all of the episodes available; For example only two episodes of The Crusade exist and they use audio commentary with photo stills to move the story along. Other stories are just the surviving footage usually only one episode.

Lost in Time is basically a collection of all the odds and ends of Doctor Who; the "orphaned" episodes from incomplete 1960's stories (except for those stories where the majority of the episodes exist, such as The Tenth Planet (three of the four episdoes exist) and The Invasion (six of the eight episodes exist)). These include the recently-returned episode from The Daleks' Master Plan. There are also various clips from otherwise missing episodes that have been unearthed from various locations over the years.

So none of the stories are complete stories. For instance, of the 12 (or 13) episode Dalek Master-Plan story, only 3 episodes exist. These are on the LIT set.

The good news is that we do have audio for all lost episodes, and you can buy offical BBC release CDs of the audio, with narration where necessary, to help you fill in the blanks in the story. They are well worth buying.

18 episodes, no complete stories (unless you count audio only, then two complete stories). No more than 3 full episodes from one story (plus some clips). It's the left over 60s stuff for the completists or TV fans of the era. There are some great episodes but I would definitely get the other DVDs first if you haven't seen them. Complete 60s stories on DVD are Dalek Invasion of Earth, The Aztecs, Tomb of the Cybermen and the Seeds of Death.

"Tomb Of The Cyberman" is a GREAT story! One of the first I saw on PBS, and made me a fan of the series. Patrick Troughton is my favorite Doctor!

I;m yet to buy any Who on DVD. I was sort of hoping for some sets, other than the "Key Of Time" (which I have taped, it was pretty great as well!)

If you're waiting on "season" sets, you'll be in for a long wait: it ain't gonna happen. It's totally against the BBC's release strategy for this title, and as we're only getting a few titles each year (that skip around across various eras), it will probably take some time before any seasons are completely released (apart from "Key to Time").

"Key to Time" only came about because the American distributor wanted a boxset to offer for the holidays, and as there were no UK DVD sets that year (they were still releasing special VHS sets in the UK), they just decided to bung all of the themed season 16 onto a set (with little/no remastering).

About the only "sets" you're likely to find, at least in the next several years, will be "themed" sets, and those will be of stories that haven't been released to DVD previously (for instance, a set called "The Beginning" with the first three Hartnell stories has been rumoured for this Christmas).

You're not likely to see any of the previously-released discs compiled into some sort of set, so if you want those stories, you should just go ahead and buy them.

I heard rumour of the E-Space trilogy getting a box though. False?

Martin.

Really? This was one I was considering picking up. Is it of lesser quality than the others? Is there talk of a more deffinative version?

I never expected actual season sets, I was hoping for more coherently themed sets based on the Doctors. I guess the problem with that is the Tom Baker set (in multi volumes, I'd hope) would outsell all the others. I was also hoping for a better deal, as the Who discs seem to be a bit pricy compared to other DVD's.

Guees I might as well make a list and start picking up the ones I want...

E-Space and Trial of A Time Lord are always rumored as being released as a set. When BBC America/Warners released the first DVD's there was a survey to decide what was to be released next. The E-Space Trilogy and Trial were on the ballot as one selection. Also the VHS was released as a box set. It is up in the air how these will be released.

The Key to Time set is OK, the quality is not as good as the others, but definitely watchable. No extras though.

Martin

No extras?? What do you call the commentaries and info subtitles then??

The Key To Time set is well worth getting.

Well, the Restoration Team didn't work on them, so whenever these stories come around for a UK release (probably several years down the road), you can expect the same quality of remastering and extras that you see on the individual releases.

Only problem there, though, is that when the UK decides to do a "new, improved" version of a story already in release, we tend not to get the "new" version in the US. Using the VHS range as a precedent, look at "The Deadly Assassin." It was released in the US before it came out in the UK and was heavily edited and in movie format (presumably, with the intention of getting a U certificate on eventual UK release). Some time later, the story was released in the UK in its unedited, episodic form (after the BBC decided to listen to fans who wanted uncut, episodic stories). Instead of re-releasing the uncut version of this title, the US has been stuck with the edited one ever since.

So, when Key To Time gets the "remastered" treatment, I'll be very surprised if the "improved" version ever makes it over here.

There's really no problem with the Key To Time set, IMHO. Not cut, good enough picture quality, and heck, there ain't enough Dr. Who out on DVD to be that picky!

Martin.

Huzzah!

re: Key to Time box

I love this set; the video is perfectly serviceable, and the commentary tracks are priceless. You also get Mary Tamm

So basically the Doctor Who release schedule is getting slower rather than faster. No special release in the year 2005. Amazing! So much for any positive impact of a new show.

Apparantly The Beginning, a set containing the first three William Hartnell stories originally slated in place of LIT, is coming out next January. There may not be a special release this year but that is deffinetly worth looking forward to.

I am looking forward to The Beginning. That will be one of the best, but why so slow. In the meantime, I've being picking up cheap tapes of stories I haven't seen for ages, and I don't replace tapes as long as they work fine. So it's their loss.

I have seen some of the doctor who stories but I'm not familiar with who did each part. Is this the 1rst doctor?

Yes William Hartnell is the first doctor.

A brief breakdown...

William Hartnell (No. 1, tetchy)
Patrick Troughton (2, space hobo, most efected by the furnace)
Jon Pertwee (3, dandy, first in color)
Tom Baker (4, long scarf, our hero)
Peter Davison (5, cricketer)
Colin Baker (6, ugly coat, crummy episodes)
Sylvestyr McCoy (7, "Time's Champion", mystery man)
Paul McGann (8, from "that naff American telefilm")
Christopher Eccleston (9, black coat, fast talker)
David Tennant (10, not sure yet)