Video

Davros Box Set Release: A special video release, specifically for one of the major chain retailers in the UK (but, as stated by the Restoration team, definitely not Woolworths), of the five Davros stories already in release on BBC Video: Genesis of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks, Resurrection of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks. This is not an official BBC Video release, but instead was prepared by BBC Worldwide at the request of the retailer as a special. (Thanks to Nigel Potter)

Calling All Researchers!: Paul Vanezis of the Restoration Team has put out the following call for action: "I've had a message that Patrick Troughton episodes were screened on Channel 9, a CBS affiliate in Washington DC in the late sixties/early seventies. The report comes from someone who remembers seeing 'The Wheel in Space' after school (round about 4pm)and that Gilligans Island re-runs had just been introduced. The person also remembers that these programmes were replaced with an afternoon film some time later, one of which was 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon'. Are there any US TV researchers out there who have access to TV listings from around about then? We're talking about 1969, possibly 1970. It's also worth pointing out that I have contacted the TV station (now WUSA-TV) who say they did not screen the episodes and do not have any copies. Also, our scant records indicate that the series was not sold to this market at that time." If you have any information that can be provided to the Restoration Team, please visit the Restoration Team Discussion Forum.

UK TV Movie Video In Deletion: Says Steve Roberts of the Restoration Team, "UK fans should be aware that the VHS version of the McGann TV movie is about to be withdrawn and deleted. This is because the unedited DVD is shortly to be released and will have a higher certificate. BBFC rules currently don't allow a title to be available in two different certificated versions at the same time." The DVD will be out in the autumn in the UK; no word on Australia/New Zealand release. (A North American release of the TV movie in any format is unlikely.)

Australia Video Update: The Sunmakers will see release in September, with Four to Doomsday in November. However, at this stage, Roadshow has no plans to release Delta and the Bannermen, as BBC Worldwide have not made clearances for certain pieces of music, performed during the story, outside the UK market. The practical conclusion is that the story will not see video release in Australia (for the foreseeable future at least), with the only way of purchasing this story being direct from the UK. (Thanks to Jason Fraser & Dr. Who Club of Australia)

Blackstar Video Promotion: UK video retailer Blackstar is running a special Doctor Who promotion with reduced-rate Doctor Who titles selling for the low price of only £7.99. The stories on sale include An Unearthly Child (remastered edition), The Edge of Destruction/Original Pilot, Carnival of Monsters, Horror of Fang Rock, The Face of Evil, Nightmare of Eden, Time Flight, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Silver Nemesis and Battlefield as well as The Colin Baker Years and More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS. Click on the graphic to visit their site!

2001 UK Releases: "Delta and the Bannermen," originally scheduled for early March, is now due for release on March 26. Tenth Planet has arranged for a special pre-release on March 10; videos will be in stores on the regular date after that. A re-release of "City of Death" (Tom Baker) is planned for May 7, 2001. July 9, 2001 is the new confirmed release date for "The Sunmakers", the Tom Baker season 15 story. After that, the final unreleased Peter Davison story "Four to Doomsday" is on the schedule for September 3, 2001. The BBC's official website is now confirming our earlier report that "Colony in Space" and "The Time Monster," both Jon Pertwee serials, will be released in a package together on November 5, 2001 as "The Master Box Set". A possible Patrick Troughton clips tape and a compilation of episodes from missing stories remastered in better format is rumored to be planned for 2002. (Thanks to Doctor Who Magazine and the BBC Official Website for much of this info.)

North American Release Update: "The Tenth Planet" starring William Hartnell was released on May 8 (instead of being part of a twin release with "Attack of the Cybermen," it is being released separately here.) With the release of "Tenth Planet," BBC Worldwide Americas has officially put its VHS video releases for the remainder of 2001 on hold while they concentrate more fully on DVD (see section below), and so the planned releases of "The Daleks: Remastered" and "Attack of the Cybermen" have been held. They may be released in late 2001, but at this point are not on the 2001 schedule. (Thanks to our contact at BBC Worldwide Americas for the release information.)

Edge of Destruction - North America Re-release: The "Edge of Destruction, Original Pilot & Missing Years" tape has been re-released by BBC Worldwide in America; it is being spotted across North America at retail shops. Warner Home Video has reclassified this new release as E1578 (the older release # being E1497); to avoid the cost of printing new sleeves, the new catalog number is stickered on the back of the sleeves. The original version was released with substantial errors, including the broadcast version of "An Unearthly Child" and the syndicated master of "Edge of Destruction" rather than the home video master. (A good way to tell from the tape: the second episode of "Edge" on bad tapes is missing the lead-in to "Marco Polo".) (Thanks to Graeme Burk, Matt O'Grady, Steve Roberts, Steve Manfred and BBCWA.)