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March 24th, 2015 161 comments

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What Next For Doctor Who Classic DVDs?

Now that the majority of known episodes have been released on DVD, what would you like to see happen to the range?

Season box sets, Doctor box sets?

Early B+W episodes colourised (which would no doubt be hugely expensive), or should they stay as they are?

Animated missing stories? or do we already have everything we need?

Below are some examples of what individuals have achieved


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161 comments

  • Obsessed with Doctor Who Alex

    March 24th, 2015 - 11:12pm

    I think that the BBC are missing out on huge opportunities to resell the entire classic series collection by releasing 50th anniversary editions of the episodes as they have their anniversaries. This would mean another 50 years of dvds.

    I am how ever in love of this box set that Will Brooks does that you posted. I think maybe 50th anniversary box sets? I think splitting them up into multi story chapters and volumes per doctor would be wisest and make sense rather than doing the seasons. Will brooks inspired this idea.

    Reply
  • Clara oswald

    March 24th, 2015 - 11:09pm

    They should re release the dvd what have been deleted from the shops

    Reply
  • Doctor Rules

    March 24th, 2015 - 11:07pm

    The Underwater Menace
    The Crusade
    Revisitations 4 (Horror of Fang Rock, Earthshock, Ghost Loght
    Revisitations 5 (The Mind Robber, Pyramids of Mars, The Hand of Fear

    An animated Celestial Toymaker would be a lovely conclusion to the range.

    Reply
    • skaroman

      March 25th, 2015 - 8:07am

      I agree… apart from the Celestial Toymaker release. Unless another episode is discovered of that story, then animation would be worthwhile because I feel unbalanced watching a story that is 75% animated and 25% real.

    • skaroman

      March 25th, 2015 - 8:15am

      We still need:

      The Crusade (a clean-up of episode 1 with complete restoration as version on Lost in Time box-set was terrible, plus episode 3 and animation of episodes 2 + 4).

      The Underwater Menace (episodes 2 + 3 plus animation of episodes 1 + 4).

      The Web Of Fear SE – animation of episode 3.

      But what we really need are people going out into the world looking for more missing episodes!

  • Doctorfan

    March 24th, 2015 - 9:56pm

    My list; pyramids of mars special edition,dalek invasion of earth special edition,power of the daleks,web planet special edition,season 1,2,3,4,5 etc,daleks master plan,mission to the unknown,evil of the daleks,wheel in space,abominable snowmen,highlanders,underwater menace,fury from the deep finally the faceless ones.

    Reply
    • Doctorfan

      March 25th, 2015 - 8:05am

      Part 2;(completely special edition) pyramids of mars se,earthshock se,horror of fang rock we,web planet se, curse of fenric se and survival se.

  • Grand Moff Moffat

    March 24th, 2015 - 9:47pm

    Boxsets with entire seasons of Classic Who
    Missing episodes would be reconstructed.

    Wave 1
    Season 7
    Season 12
    Season 1
    Season 13

    Wave 2
    Season 11
    Season 14
    Season 5
    Season 21

    Wave 3
    Season 16
    Season 10
    Season 19
    Season 2

    Wave 4
    Season 2
    Season 6
    Season 22
    Season 18

    Wave 5
    Season 25
    Season 15
    Season 3
    Season 9

    Wave 6
    Season 20
    Season 26
    Season 17
    Season 23

    Wave 7
    Season 24
    SE Earthshock
    SE The Dalek Invasion of Earth
    SE The Time Warrior

    Reply
    • Grand Moff Moffat

      March 24th, 2015 - 9:56pm

      Wave 8
      SE Pyramids of Mars
      SE The Invasion
      SE The Silurians
      SE The Curse of Fenric

      Wave 9
      The 1st Doctor Collection: The Daleks, The Aztecs, The Tenth Planet
      The 2nd Doctor Collection: Tomb of the Cybermen, The Invasion, The War Games
      The 3rd Doctor Collection: The Silurians, Terror of the Autons, The Time Warrior
      The 4th Doctor Collection: Ark in Space, Pyramids of Mars, The Deadly Assassin
      The 5th Doctor Collection: Earthshock, Five Doctors, Caves of Androzani
      The 6th Doctor Collection: Attack of the Cybermen, Vengeance on Varos, Mark of the Rani
      The 7th Doctor Collection: Remembrance of the Daleks, Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Ghost Light

    • Sam Richard Bentley

      March 24th, 2015 - 10:25pm

      Curse of Fenric really doesn’t need a SE. It features lots of extras AND the directors cut, extended version. That’s a lot as it is!

  • Sam Richard Bentley

    March 24th, 2015 - 9:21pm

    As a guy who collects DVDs in general, I never plan to move to Blu-Ray or digital downloads. That being said, if company choose to stop producing DVDs – which I can’t actually see happening if I’m honest, not anytime soon anyway – I will keep a DVD player solely for my collection.

    I know people who still have VHS players, and I laugh at them for it – but in reality, I understand why. If they have something on video that they don’t want to fork £20 out for on DVD – then why not keep it? That’s what I’m going to do with my DVDs.

    So, if they ever do stop producing Who DVDs, at least I’ll still have my collection – maybe I’ll even stick the digital downloads on a disc and make a custom case for them!

    Reply
    • TimelordSupreme35

      March 25th, 2015 - 8:02am

      But you dont need to keep a dvd player as blu-ray players play dvds too

    • Sam Richard Bentley

      March 25th, 2015 - 8:54am

      But what’s the point in forking out for a blu-ray player, which are quite expensive, when I have a perfectly good DVD player as it is?

    • booboo

      March 25th, 2015 - 9:00am

      long term bluray will become the standard i think although its got a long way to go to be come standard in laptops, pc, etc

      as blurays presumably will always play dvds i cant see the point in using that format for classic who though

  • Quillam

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:37pm

    Some boxsets I would like released:

    The Rani Boxset (Mark+Time)
    The Dominators + The Mind Robber Boxset

    Reply
  • Bed G

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:36pm

    Season boxsets of episodes in new slim cases like the modern series’s have been rereleased in! I’d like a special edition version of Earthshock, Pyramids of Mars too. Plus, Invasion of the Dinosaurs and Shada with new CGI effects!
    Oh and Underwater Menace obviously!!!

    Reply
  • Cyberdevil

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:35pm

    I came up with this idea a few months ago of a finically viable way of representing the missing episodes.:

    I too was wondering what would be the best way of re-releasing the Lost In Time content with new restoration and extras.

    I would try and market it by releasing it in different volumes . Each set could be sold for £20 to £30 with the guaranty of at least one missing story completed in each set via reconstructions. In my set idea, every missing episode is represented, mostly via a feature in which the key points of the story are explained with reconstructed clips to bridge the gaps between episodes.

    Below is how I would release these episodes. Of course there may be one or two thing I have missed out on extra wise. Plus I may consider due to room moving Evil of The Daleks onto the third set, but this is what I would consider doing.

    Set 1 – Doctor Who – The Missing Episodes – The Hartnell Years

    Disc 1
    – The Crusades Episodes 1 & 3
    – The Crusades Episodes 2 & 4 (Full Reconstruction)
    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with reconstructed clips from Marco Polo
    The Making of the Missing (Part 1) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing stories Marco Polo & The Crusades
    William Russell Crusade Links, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Marco & Crusades)

    Disc 2
    – Galaxy 4 Episode 3
    – The Daleks’ Masterplan – Episodes 2 & 5

    Extras
    Galaxy 4 – Cut Down Recon
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with reconstructed clips from, Mission to the Unknown, The Myth Makers & the first 7 episodes of The Daleks’ Masterplan
    The Making of the Missing (Part 2) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing stories Galaxy 4, Mission to the Unknown, The Myth Makers & the first 7 episodes of The Daleks’ Masterplan.
    Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Galaxy, Mission, Myth Makers & The Daleks’ Masterplan)

    Disc 3
    – The Daleks’ Masterplan – Episode 10
    – The Celestial Toymaker – Episode 4

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with reconstructed clips from The Daleks’ Masterplan (Episodes 8 to 12) The Massacre, The Celestial Toymaker, The Savages & The Smugglers.
    The Making of the Missing (Part 3) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing stories The Massacre, The Celestial Toymaker, The Savages & The Smugglers.
    Lost In Time – Part 1 – The Destruction of Time – A documentary looking at the story of how and why missing episodes being wiped along with why what survived still exists.
    The Unmade Stories – Short Feature Looking at the Unmade Stories from The Hartnell Era.
    The Hartnell Years – Links from the VHS release
    Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For The Massacre, The Celestial Toymaker, The Savages & The Smugglers)

    Set 2 – Doctor Who – The Missing Episodes – The Troughton Years – Volume 1

    Disc 1
    – The Power of the Daleks (Full Reconstruction)

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with reconstructed clips from The Highlanders
    Surviving Clips, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Power & Highlanders)

    Disc 2
    – The Underwater Menace Episodes 2 & 3
    – The Underwater Menace – Episodes 1 & 3 Reconstructed

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with cut down reconstruction of The Macra Terror
    The Making of the Missing (Part 4) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing stories The Power of The Daleks, The Highlanders & The Macra Terror
    Fishy Tales – The originally planned documentary for The Underwater Menace DVD
    TUM Frazer Hines Intro, Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Menace & Macra)

    Disc 3
    – The Faceless Ones Episodes 1 & 3
    – The Evil of the Daleks Episode 2

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with cut down reconstruction of clips for The Faceless Ones & The Evil of the Daleks..
    The Making of the Missing (Part 5) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing stories The Faceless Ones & The Evil of the Daleks
    Lost In Time – Part 2 – A Bargain of Necessity – A documentary looking at the recovery of missing doctor who episodes and clips.
    Trailer Reconstructions, Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Faceless & Evil)

    Set 3 – Doctor Who – The Missing Episodes – The Troughton Years – Volume 2

    Disc 1
    – The Abominable Snowmen Episode 2

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with reconstructed clips from The Abominable Snowmen & Fury from The Deep
    The Making of the Missing (Part 5) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing and existing stories The Abominable Snowmen, The Enemy of the World, The Web of Fear & Fury from The Deep
    The Troughton Years – Intro links from VHS Release
    Trailer Reconstructions, Surviving Clips, Commentary, Photo Galleries (For Snowmen, Enemy, Web & Fury)

    Disc 2
    – The Wheel in Space – Episodes 3 & 6
    – The Wheel in Space – Full Reconstruction of Episodes 1, 2 , 4 & 5

    Extras
    The Making of the Missing (Part 6) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing story The Wheel In Space.
    Trailer Reconstruction, Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For Wheel)

    Disc 3
    – The Space Pirates Episode 2

    Extras
    The Missing Stories – Synopsis of stories with cut down reconstruction of clips for The Space Pirates.
    The Making of the Missing (Part 7) – A documentary looking at the making of for the missing story The Space Pirates.
    Lost In Time – Part 3 – Mission to the Unknown – A documentary looking at attempts to fill in the gaps of missing episodes and how these episodes affect fandom.
    Television Centre of The Universe – Part 2
    The Unmade Stories – Short Feature Looking at the Unmade Stories from The Troughton Era.
    Surviving Footage, Commentaries, Photo Galleries (For The Space Pirates)

    Reply
    • skaroman

      March 25th, 2015 - 5:15pm

      You sir, are a visionary!

      Please run the BBC, you are a genius!

  • The Sons of Skaro

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:21pm

    The Underwater Menace- remastered with animated eps 1& 2, commentaries and documentaries.

    The Crusade- remastered with animated eps 2 and 4. Commentaries and Documentaries.

    The Web of Fear- remastered with animated ep 3

    The Enemy of the World- remastered with commentaries and documentaries.

    Reply
    • The Sons of Skaro

      March 24th, 2015 - 8:22pm

      The Underwater Menace- remastered with animated eps 1& 2, commentaries and documentaries.

      The Crusade- remastered with animated eps 2 and 4. Commentaries and Documentaries.

      The Web of Fear- remastered with animated ep 3, commentaries and documentaries

      The Enemy of the World- remastered with commentaries and documentaries.

  • Dalek Smith

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:12pm

    I can imagine some more of the earlier releases getting special editions.
    Ideally I’d like missing episodes animated, would there be issues over cost of the animating process?
    Perhaps a poll system could be introduced on the BBC shop to see which stories people would most want to be released.
    And of course we mustn’t forget the one we all need, one we’ve been waiting ages for. Complete with extra features.
    I am of course referring to the gem that is……………

    Dimensions in Time.

    Reply
  • 100000BC

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:06pm

    I received the VHSs from an acquaintance who was collecting the DVDs. I started this around halfway through the DVD-bringing-out process and thus I have had many gaps which need filling since I recieved Terror of the Zygons on VHS. I have started collecting DVDs (not an extras fan, I’d be happy with vanilla releases for half of the price), but annoyingly there is just one orphan episode never released on VHS apart from the 2011 and 2013 discoveries: The Daleks’ Master Plan II. Also one or two of the soundtracks are missing from my collection.

    I think that they should release some DVDs featuring 2 or three classic missing stories (maybe 10-16 episodes’ worth with some orphan episodes per DVD) as FULL (not condensed) stills recons (maybe the odd animation if budget allows) with maybe a few DVD extras so that we can, in effect, have a full collection of 1960s Doctor Who. This could include:
    Marco Polo and The Crusade (animated?)
    Mission to the Unknown (animated?) and The Daleks’ Master Plan
    Galaxy Four/The Myth Makers/The Massacre/The Celestial Toymaker
    The Savages/The Smugglers/The Tenth Planet animated (I know TTP has already been released but the others in this set are entirely recons so this set is really for people who are as yet without TTP)
    The Power of the Daleks/The Highlanders/The Underwater Menace animated
    The Macra Terror/The Faceless Ones/The Evil of the Daleks
    The Abominable Snowmen/The Web of Fear animated
    Fury From the Deep/The Wheel in Space/The Space Pirates

    Reply
  • JellyBaby100

    March 24th, 2015 - 8:02pm

    I’m not sure about the season box sets – sure, they’d save space – but there’s just something about shelf upon shelf of grey-bordered Classic Doctor Who DVDs. I would like to see every lost episode animated though, though I imagine it would cost more than they’d gain.

    Reply
  • PedroPete

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:45pm

    I think the best thing would be licenses (or whatever) for the Loose Cannon reconstructions to be released in season boxsets with already released stuff.

    Dimensions in Time – I know this will never happen, but it would be good!

    Re-releases of series 1-7 with added extras such as Tardisodes, Attack of the Graske etc.

    Reply
  • VespiformsSting

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:24pm

    Simple solution to the colourisation issue release them for those who’d like to see ..and let those who aren’t interested not bother…..Id love for them to colourise my favourite XL5 episodes unfortunately they chose a none too memorable episode….

    Reply
  • booboo

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:24pm

    And of course we have the BBC archive Player coming

    technically they could upload every existing classic story and dvd extra which you could view at will

    Reply
    • the astronaut of death

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:32pm

      What’s the b bc archive player booboo?

    • booboo

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:42pm

      its like i player, but will (eventually ) hold virtually every BBC programme ever made, at least that was the idea

      Don,t know if it will be paper view, subscription or free

      You will be abale to, at any time, watch anything you want on demand

    • the astronaut of death

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:58pm

      That sounds great.

    • Anonymous

      March 24th, 2015 - 11:05pm

      Nothing was ever stated officially about the costs, although it was believed at the time of the last reports (2012) that it would be a one-off payment per programme. Things have been rather quiet as to what’s happening with it, the reports in 2012 were primarily as a result of the BBC finally finishing their cataloguing of all their programming (by comparing to Radio Times listings and internal notes for discrepancies, and later the iPlayer for more recent shows).

      There is the additional problem of actually “producing” the archive, it certainly is there, but very little of it was available in a digital format at first. In 2000 the BBC began the process of creating digital copies, which has presented its own issues. They finally passed the 50% point in 2010 and hoped with improving techniques it would be finished before the end of the decade.

  • VespiformsSting

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:21pm

    By the way as a collector of stills who thinks that the photo galleries make the dvds worth while on their own how about a massive photo gallery dvd utilising sound extracts, clips, photos, radio times cuttings from all the missing serials..Lost in Time was sadly devoid of photo galleries and so much has turned up.

    Reply
  • VespiformsSting

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:19pm

    Love to see black and white episodes colourised I was dead against it until I saw clips from a superb colourised Fireball XL5 episode and some colourised clips on one of the dvds now I think it’d be worth a bit of experimentation …

    Otherwise I say get David Bradley together with his fellow co-stars from An Adventure in Time and space and get remaking the missing episodes… Amazed they haven’t thought of it themselves….Marco Polo would be worth having a look at …and we didnt see enough of the guy who played Pat Troughton in that either – Power of the Daleks remade ??

    Reply
  • Trenzalore

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:06pm

    For those who collected the videos, was it frustrating having to collect them over again on DVD or did you just simply ignore the DVD’s?

    Reply
    • VespiformsSting

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:13pm

      My first dvd box set was a series called ‘space patrol’ bought to be played on a cheap 20 quid dvd machine – Id sworn I wouldnt update…even on that cheap machine the quality astounded me and Ive eventually replaced virtually everything in my vhs collection despite saying I wouldnt…all i need now are a few sci fi films to complete my set…the only downside binning hundreds of vhs tapes with umpteen shelves still full of ones I cant bring myself to bin even though all they’ll do is gather dust….

    • booboo

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:14pm

      i was really “anti dvd” to be honest, same as i was anti digital cameras, i didn’t buy any when they 1st came out but like many gradually replaced them all when i saw the benefits

      I’m not an “extras” person either, rarely watch them

      I bought every VHS the moment it it the shelves, must have cost a fortune

    • Trenzalore

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:27pm

      Interesting stuff. When I was younger video’s were just starting to be replaced. Santa actually got me my first DVD player made by an elf called ‘Tesco’.
      I only ask as its likely DVD’s will be replaced by something better and I would hate for my DVD collection to become redundant and end up as you say VespiformsSting, gathering dust.

    • Bed G

      March 24th, 2015 - 8:40pm

      It took me years to get a complete collection of VHS tapes. I now have the same for DVD purely because of the new material, commentaries, documentaries etc which made them worth buying again. Any new releases will be worth getting if they again add new material.

    • Anonymous

      March 25th, 2015 - 12:02am

      At least with DVDs there is a technical ceiling stopping them going any further quality wise.

      There are industry standards stopping them from moving to Blu-Ray or any such release as only the audio could be upscaled to “HD” for most episodes, the visuals could not.

  • Alphaomega

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:05pm

    B-b-but I already started my collection (about 10 years ago!) :O

    Reply
  • Trenzalore

    March 24th, 2015 - 7:02pm

    I really like the idea of ‘season’ box sets, the one in the video is a little like the Harry Potter Ultimate Edition box set’s, which are fantastic, including art cards and exclusive photos. Maybe they could do something like that, even including the target novels or script extracts.
    Also, its a bit late but I would have also liked if maybe all the classic spines, when lined up made something, I know its a bit frivolous but it would look brilliant.

    Reply
    • Andy Karakanna

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:12pm

      I really think you have something there. What a fantastic idea.

    • Sam Richard Bentley

      March 24th, 2015 - 9:13pm

      I don’t like it when the spines match up to make an image. I think it looks tacky, and if you’re missing an episode the image is ruined.

    • Trenzalore

      March 24th, 2015 - 9:44pm

      Well its what I’d like to see happen to the range.

  • StetsonDoctor

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:49pm

    It’s a difficult one, with times changing and new fans emerging all the time at the moment. I suppose the best thing they really can do is re-release ‘key’ episodes, like special editions but in a different format, with a ‘more attractive’ cover maybe?

    They could do more stuff like the DVDs they released in 2013 with one classic and nu who episode featuring the same monster/villain.

    Reply
  • Dem squiggles

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:43pm

    Release missing eps as recons

    Reply
  • Sam Richard Bentley

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:39pm

    What I would like to see is some Special Editions of The Mind Robber, Earthshock, Pyramids of Mars, Ghost Light and Dalek Invasion of Earth – you know, all the early released DVDs that don’t have the greatest features and don’t have the 2 Entertain logo on the spine (not a big issue that, but that’s simply the best way to describe the DVDs I mean).

    Maybe they could do a re-issue of the Lost in Time boxset? You know, without the episodes that have since been released? And maybe with some special features from the people who were part of the episodes? I don’t know how much else you could add to that boxset to make it a new selling point.

    Also, of course, The Underwater Menace – but I don’t think we need to go into that one too much, as it’s pretty obvious.

    I personally don’t feel that colourised episodes are something that would sell well. Don’t get me wrong, it’d be a nice touch – but one of the best things about the 60s episodes is the fact they are black and white! It adds a touch to them that makes them classic, and fun. I know I wouldn’t probably look into buying colourised episodes, but that’s just me.

    I’d only buy the Season Boxsets if they sold them empty – so I could put my already bought discs in there – I don’t want to feel like my collection is outdated, yet I don’t want to sell them at all, you know?

    Reply
    • Cyber lords

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:43pm

      Special Edition Blu-Rays. Please, improve the quality of Ghost Light.

    • StetsonDoctor

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:45pm

      I agree about the colourised episodes, I’d say leave the 60s episodes as they are. I mean, that Babelcolour trailer is good, but it doesn’t really feel appropriate for the era, if you get what I mean, almost feels ‘fake’ to me.

      And yes, although season boxsets would be primarily aimed at new collectors, I think it could cause an issue for older collectors, particularly those who own half of the reissues. If it were me, I’d want all the classics in the same format on my shelf.

  • Cyber lords

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:38pm

    Possibly, release ’em all on blu-Ray with recoloured black and white episodes

    Reply
    • booboo

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:41pm

      would bluray achieve anything though, but yes i would love to see recoloured stories

    • Cyber lords

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:42pm

      No, but in the near future they’ll stop selling DVDS. And then how are new fans supposed to get them?

    • StetsonDoctor

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:46pm

      But as they weren’t filmed in HD, I doubt Blu-Ray would improve the quality of the episodes?

    • VespiformsSting

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:34pm

      Its astounding how a larger tv screen gives new life to dvds.. recently got a large panasonic and stuff is simply amazing – the original Star Trek, The Avengers and of course old Dr Who…Ive watched Tomb of the Cybermen more than any other serial with the possible exceptions of 3 drs and Spearhead…Had the vhs on the day of its release back in the 90s after weeks of excited waiting and yet even after all this time there’s still stuff to be found watching on a larger tv with better sound…

  • StetsonDoctor

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:37pm

    Hmm…I adore that custom box set, they should definitely do those.

    Reply
  • the astronaut of death

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:36pm

    I would love colourised episode to be relesed !

    I think the classic episode look magnifisant in colour .

    But as for the Doctor boxsets I think they would be great , but they might be very expensive .

    Reply
    • booboo

      March 24th, 2015 - 6:38pm

      presumably the DVD’s have made their money so not sure any box sets would nee to be that expensive

  • GuyTheZygon

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:32pm

    First step should definitely be to see EVERY story released (only 20 remain now), so telesnap adaptations and/or animation for all missing episodes should be commissioned for DVD as a priority, before any Doctor box sets and the like.
    See the job thru guys, you are so close… to make new releases available only through other routes now e.g. online streaming, would be nothing less than a kick in the face to all loyal fans who have stuck with the DVDs even in the face of Blu-Ray etc: DVDs will remain a popular format for years to come; and due to the nature of the original video-recordings (the already Blu-Ray released Spearhead aside), there will be limited gain quality-wise (aside from spacesaving) in upgrading them.
    BBC Worldwide actually deserve far greater recognition than has been given for the superb consistency in design they have maintained throughout the classic DVD range – believe it or not this is the FIRST time it has ever been accomplished, the VHS releases had a truly nightmarish hotch-potch of different logos, changed seemingly on a whim by incoming designers, no consistency at all; same with the Target books – such a pity as the content was, by and large, excellent.
    Stick with the classic DVDs, stick with the same design – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! 🙂

    Reply
    • VespiformsSting

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:52pm

      Yes its a shame Chris Achilleos wasn’t kept on as TARGET cover artist……some of the later non-achilleos covers are dreadful…and then the logo and colour changes…the story numbers on the spine an unecessary addition , the Doctor’s face not appearing on all the covers…but when they first started it was great fun actually writing letters to TARGET to suggest books comment on the covers and so on and getting stuff back…including badges and all sorts of extras – and wondering what they were bringing out next….

  • Anonymous

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:16pm

    Now that viewing trends are changing quite dramatically, I’m not sure the BBC will invest any more money in these as DVD sales are dropping. Instead, we will probably get little treats streamed to us via the BBC You Tube channel. I already know people who no longer own DVD players…a mad world.

    I plan to sell my entire collection before they become worthless.

    Reply
    • Rufus

      March 25th, 2015 - 6:51am

      No don’t do it… I still got a VCR!

    • Anonymous

      March 25th, 2015 - 4:26pm

      Yes…I would say you are in the minority…and not typical of changing viewing trends…which was the point I was trying to make. DVDs will not be widely available within 5 years.

      Look at CDs…who buys those things anymore 🙂 Its all about streaming and demand services now and in 5 years, that will be the absoluter norm…whether that is a good thing or not is matterless becuase that’s where we are headed…a world without storage racks 🙂

  • The Ninth Doctor

    March 24th, 2015 - 6:16pm

    3 words THE UNDERWATER MENACE !!!

    Reply
    • VespiformsSting

      March 24th, 2015 - 7:38pm

      Nothing in ze world can stop us…..oh drat they cancelled the release…zounds…I will drains the atlantic ocean into BBC HQ until zhey release my genius plan to conquer ze world’

    • DisapprovingOwl

      March 25th, 2015 - 1:26pm

      In light of its removal from the release schedules, if you want to support the release of “The Underwater Menace” on DVD, there’s an online petition you can sign here: http://tinyurl.com/savethefishpeople

      Currently at over 1,750 signatures, including Anneke Wills (Polly), Mark Gatiss (current Who writer) and Tom Spilsbury (Editor of DWM).

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