Wiped Episode Discoveries

[Candlelight]

Every time I see new posts in this thread I get all excited that there have been new discoveries.

And every time it turns out Ian Levine has just said something that makes him look bonkers again instead.

This makes me sad.

Meanwhile when I see new posts in this thread it makes me excited that Ian Levine is on the tirade again. And I'm never disappointed.

While Levine can be unintentionally amusing, some of us actually do care about the missing episodes. The comedy can be fun, but some of us would rather have those episodes!

We ALL want the episodes back. Until we have the next batch of good news we have to settle for The Ian Levine Show.

 

[Mr Awe]

^ It's a very distant runner up though!

 

[sidious618]

Yea, I find when the thread first becomes active again, my heart skips a beat with hope, but, generally before I have time to click the thread, I come to my senses and realize it's gonna be more Highly entertaining Ian Levine Kardashian antics

Kardashian isn't nearly as whiny.

 

[inflatabledalek]

Levine is funny, but he does feel like how most of the Little Britain characters felt by the final season of that show, he's got one joke and it's been more than run into the ground by now.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I thought he knew about them for a while? At least thats what he said...

This was exchange over three days in June;

17 June: The rumour now reaches the height of 90 episodes recovered – the name ‘Omnirumour’ starts to float around. Ian Levine made a few tweets: “You all need to get real. I was told that if its true it's Ninety. And 90 missing Dr Who episodes ARE REALLY NOT TURNING UP” and ”Absolute Last Word. I spent 35 years looking for episodes since I saved The Daleks from being destroyed. I am convinced none have been found” and “Look,I DO believe no episodes have been found,based on what certain people told me at the BFI. But I suppose they could have lied to my face”


18 June: Ian again on Twitter wrote: “To answer loads of comments online, the rumour I heard from an impeccable source was eight thousand BBC film cans containing ninety missing Who episodes which would complete 21 missing stories. Plus duplicates or most of what exists. Leaving 16 missing but however amazing that may sound, however much we all wish for it to be true, I now don't believe a word of it. But it's 90 if true.” Ian also spoke of another rumour at the same time: “But I do know if that guy Pianist believes only 3 stories have been found, which I knew 6 mths ago, if true it's only the tip of the iceberg” and “He is claiming only 3 full stories have been found. But if the rumour is true,21 missing stores have been found. He's wrong.” Ian later indicates which episodes are NOT in the collection: “Okay everbody - as I don't believe it,or was lied to, the 16 eps still missing were Masterplan-9 Mission-1 Ice Warriors-2 Wheel-2 Invasion-2”


19 June: BBC America joins the fun with their own article. At the same time, Ian Levine suddenly changes his view on the rumour with a handful of rapid fire tweets: “I have just seen "three tons" of evidence that tells me it's all true. Saying no more. Apart from I now believe it again.” and “I've just been given proof that backs up the entire story,from 2011. So yes I now really believe he has found 90 missing episodes” and “I am so f*cking speechless, I have no idea how I am going to sleep tonight. I was utterly wrong, but I was lied to, yes barefaced lied to.” and “Just three serials is a bad joke.There are literally three tons of film cans and that's just from 2011. I have the actual proof” and “Right now I'm holding on to the proof + not leaking it publicly. But I assure you I have proof of 3 tons of film cans arriving.” Bleeding Cool ran an article on this, and also mentioned on 17 September 2011 a large shipment of films arrived in Liverpool from Zambia via Nigeria. The shipment was addressed to a man called Phillip Morris.

The most he knew would've been at the start of 2013 but I doubt he would've had proof.

Well, on the Planet Mondas forum, he says otherwise:

Oh gimme a break.

I have known for four years.

I saw shipping manifests in February 2011.

The Radio Wiltshire e-mail was two years ago. I had already known and discussed it with my friends a good two years before that e-mail surfaced.

Indeed, it is perfectly possible that DWO's rumour came from the same source - this has been going on for an awfully long time, and cloak and dagger guarded secrets have been kept for far longer than they should have been.

THERE HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY THAN THIS.

He also says that he's pretty certain that Morris has had 90+ episodes in his possession, and that since the last two years he's possibly found them all.

 

[Candlelight]

He also says that he's pretty certain that Morris has had 90+ episodes in his possession, and that since the last two years he's possibly found them all.

It makes no sense that there are 81 episodes still to be returned. Unless Enemy and Web were released as a test and the rest are being worked on but if so it's being kept damn quiet.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Reading further into his Mondas forum posts (and it is a chore, I have to say), there's a conspiracy theory going around that the rest were offered, but the price was too low, and are holding out for more money. And that, according to other sources, 20% of the episodes Morris found are in a very, very bad condition, maybe irreparable.

Honestly, I don't know. I just hope whatever's going on, will lead to the episodes getting released sooner rather than later.

 

[Candlelight]

Reading further into his Mondas forum posts (and it is a chore, I have to say), there's a conspiracy theory going around that the rest were offered, but the price was too low, and are holding out for more money. And that, according to other sources, 20% of the episodes Morris found are in a very, very bad condition, maybe irreparable.

Honestly, I don't know. I just hope whatever's going on, will lead to the episodes getting released sooner rather than later.

Planet Mondas is a place I'd love to visit but I'd just want to smack most of the people there. Some of the theories I hear coming out of the woodwork drives me bonkers.

Personally, saying there's 81 episodes sitting in Phil Morris' wardrobe is a bit much.

Saying there are 7 more (the much-touted Marco Polo discovery) is more believable, though again someone would have to explain to me why it's taken so long to release.

 

[Mr Awe]

Reading further into his Mondas forum posts (and it is a chore, I have to say), there's a conspiracy theory going around that the rest were offered, but the price was too low, and are holding out for more money. And that, according to other sources, 20% of the episodes Morris found are in a very, very bad condition, maybe irreparable.

Honestly, I don't know. I just hope whatever's going on, will lead to the episodes getting released sooner rather than later.

Again, I wish Morris would categorically deny this if it's not true. Sure, Levine wouldn't believe it but most of us rationale people would know not to get our hopes up. Morris is letting this fester . . . unless it's true.

Mr Awe

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Its just become an ugly business, it seems. But only IF Morris has this many episodes, which I agree would be curious, at best, as to why would that number be kept hidden for this long.

 

[Candlelight]

Reading further into his Mondas forum posts (and it is a chore, I have to say), there's a conspiracy theory going around that the rest were offered, but the price was too low, and are holding out for more money. And that, according to other sources, 20% of the episodes Morris found are in a very, very bad condition, maybe irreparable.

Again, I wish Morris would categorically deny this if it's not true.

Why? Why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why should he???

If every dickhead comes out with some new rumour every fives minutes and Phil had to respond to each and every one, he would never get any work done!!!

 

[Rarewolf]

It makes no sense that there are 81 episodes still to be returned.

It's not just about Doctor Who though. He's openly stated he has other BBC material. If he's not returned that, whats to say he's not holding on to more Doctor Who?

One of these was the only known copy the second episode of popular UK double act Morecambe and Wise. He returned a ruined copy to see if any one could recover anything from it, but after several attempts they had to give up - it was too far gone. He then says he thinks he has another copy!

They could have spent a fortune restoring a poor copy whilst all the time he had a better one.

The thing is he knows there is great interest in the Doctor Who and a few other gems. He knows the BBC will make a lot of money out of them. But what about the other 90% he's rumoured to have discovered, that would never see the light of day? Securing a deal for the whole collection rather than letting the BBC pick and choose the highlights would seem a good reason to hold the Doctor Who to ransom.

 

[diankra]

It makes no sense that there are 81 episodes still to be returned.

It's not just about Doctor Who though. He's openly stated he has other BBC material. If he's not returned that, whats to say he's not holding on to more Doctor Who?

One of these was the only known copy the second episode of popular UK double act Morecambe and Wise. He returned a ruined copy to see if any one could recover anything from it, but after several attempts they had to give up - it was too far gone. He then says he thinks he has another copy!

They could have spent a fortune restoring a poor copy whilst all the time he had a better one.

NO!!! [Kirk to Khan mode on!].

He passed over the copy he found. They tried out possible last ditch strategies to recover it and eventually gave up. He now says he's pretty confident that he'll be able to recover a second copy. Until it is actually found and checked out there is always an outside chance that it will also turn out to be too far gone. Hopefully not.

But no, he has not kept a good copy up his sleeve while letting the BBC, etc, waste time on a dud one. Why on earth would anyone do that, unless they're a top level member of the Brotherhood of Evil Gits (who's got a few idle moments to fill after doodling rude cartoons on Vladimir Putin's rejected application for membership)?

 

[Mr Awe]

Reading further into his Mondas forum posts (and it is a chore, I have to say), there's a conspiracy theory going around that the rest were offered, but the price was too low, and are holding out for more money. And that, according to other sources, 20% of the episodes Morris found are in a very, very bad condition, maybe irreparable.

Again, I wish Morris would categorically deny this if it's not true.

Why? Why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why should he???

If every dickhead comes out with some new rumour every fives minutes and Phil had to respond to each and every one, he would never get any work done!!!

Why? It's very simple, so the rumor doesn't fester. And, who said anything about "each and every one"?! One good, clear categorical denial would do a lot of good.

Mr Awe

 

[diankra]

Not strictly on-topic here, but the thread which was discussing the BBC's more serious 1960s/70s sister series to Doctor Who, Out of the Unknown is now moribund, so mentioning here that is getting all its surviving episodes released in September, with slightly earlier releases for the terrifying children's serial The Changes, and the SF Play for Today Red Shift.
That's something we thought we'd never see, what with much of OOTU being adapted from stories by classic SF authors whose work had since been reoptioned by film producers, but it's obviously been worked out. Leaves only Doomwatch unreleased from the BBC's first golden age of SF (oh, and that short-lived and little surviving Counterstrike, though you think the BBC might try to market it by an early role for David Jason).

 

[Rarewolf]

He passed over the copy he found. They tried out possible last ditch strategies to recover it and eventually gave up. He now says he's pretty confident that he'll be able to recover a second copy.

I was simplifying things. But regardless if he's pretty confident he can locate a 2nd copy of such a rare item, that certainly suggests there's more out there.

Into the Unknown, is getting all its surviving episodes released in September

Trying to gauge the fanbase to see if its worth aquiring more, perhaps?

 

[diankra]

Remotely possible, but there's not much OotU that's it's remotely realistic to recover - some from seasons one and two, but I believe that if seasons three and four were sold overseas, then it was on colour VT, and no film copies were made.
Survival breakdown for the four seasons is:
Season 1: 10 exist out of 12 (mostly recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978 along with the early Doctor Who stories)
Season 2: 4 exist of 13, so nine there which might possibly be found.
Season 3: 1 exists out of 13, plus fragments of another. This is the season where the Daleks make a guest appearance in the final episode, but it may not have been sold overseas (because the previous clients weren't set up to run colour VT), and doesn't look to have be transferred to film by Enterprises (presumably not enough sales interest in season two).
Season 4: 5 exist out of 11. Again, this season doesn't seem to have been copied to film, though there was some sales interest in the video tapes, as apparently one of them was lost when the original tape was sent to an overseas broadcaster and never returned.

So bluntly, if there are any to be found, certainly by Morris, it'll be the 11 missing episodes from seasons 1 and 2; and if there was a fall off in sales for season 2, it might only be the pair from season 1 (one of which is scripted by Terry Nation from a Bradbury story, but apparently wasn't very successful, while the other is supposedly the best of the entire original run).

 

[Candlelight]

It's great to hear they're finally getting released.

I mean, they're all on YouTube but an official release would be nice too...

 

[diankra]

It's great to hear they're finally getting released.

I mean, they're all on YouTube but an official release would be nice too...

Really? The first three have been, the same three that leaked onto VHS back in the 80s, but hadn't spotted any more out there.

 

[Candlelight]

It's great to hear they're finally getting released.

I mean, they're all on YouTube but an official release would be nice too...

Really? The first three have been, the same three that leaked onto VHS back in the 80s, but hadn't spotted any more out there.

They're pretty much all online. Half have burnt in time code so it looks like they were lifted from a BBC screener at some point such as this one.