Underwater Menace DVD Cancelled

BBC Worldwide has abandoned plans to release the second Doctor story, The Underwater Menace on DVD.

This month's Doctor Who Magazine reports that the plan to release the two surviving episodes from the story, alongside animated versions of the two episodes missing from the archive, have been cancelled by the BBC, following financial problems with the company contracted to provide the animation.

The Underwater Menace was first shown at the start of 1967, starring Patrick Troughton alongside Anneke Wills, Joseph Furst, Michael Craze and Frazer Hines. Following the episode junking which took place in the 1970's only Episode Three remained in the archives. This episode was included in the Lost in Time DVD Box set, released in 2004. However in 2011 Episode Two was recovered alongside the third episode of Galaxy 4.

It was planned to release the two existing episodes from the story, alongside animated reconstructions of the missing episodes, with BBC Worldwide telling Doctor Who News last December that they hoped to release the disc in 2015. However this has now been cancelled following financial problems at animation company Qurios which have seen the firm cease trading. It has not proved financially viable to find another partner to take on the animation and the BBC are reluctant to release an incomplete version.

Although a DVD release now seems very unlikely, it is possible the episodes may be released at some point in the future via some other means. A commentary track has been recorded along with bonus material intended for the DVD.

Until then, Episode Two of The Underwater Menace stands as the only classic Doctor Who episode, currently in the BBC archives, which has never had a release on DVD.