News Season 12 Classic Series Blu-Ray Announced

[Ar-Pharazon]

I have always detested his ‘most popular doctor’ status. It’s more that his shadows looms large, particularly in fandom, because of when and for how long he was in the role. As us younger kids come up the ranks, it’s something that will fade...eventually there will be an editor at DWM whose golden era is the wilderness years or Tennant, and things will change I expect.

That’s no disprespect to Tom, given how he is now, accepting his elder statesman of who role...but things weren’t always so peachy keen.

He was huge here in the U.S. due to most PBS stations never showing anything but Tom for years and years. I'd seen his entire run 3 or 4 times before they ever showed Peter or Jon. Then they went back to Tom until Peter had another season they could get.

 

[jaime]

He was huge here in the U.S. due to most PBS stations never showing anything but Tom for years and years. I'd seen his entire run 3 or 4 times before they ever showed Peter or Jon. Then they went back to Tom until Peter had another season they could get.

Yup. It’s like my dad never knew another form of biscuit existed until he got married and left home. Tom Baker is the Custard Cream of Doctors.

 

[Mr Awe]

He was huge here in the U.S. due to most PBS stations never showing anything but Tom for years and years. I'd seen his entire run 3 or 4 times before they ever showed Peter or Jon. Then they went back to Tom until Peter had another season they could get.

I saw so much Tom Baker early on that I almost had a Tom burnout for awhile. Not that I had anything against him. I think he's fantastic in the role and deserves the acclaim he receives. But, he was the only Doctor we had for so long and his episodes were shown over and over. When we finally got to see other Doctors, it was hard to go back to watch Tom. I'm referring to the 80s in the U.S.

Fortunately, I've recovered from that and I currently consider the Hinchecliffe/Holmes/Baker era as a whole to be the best era of Doctor Who.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I saw so much Tom Baker early on that I almost had a Tom burnout for awhile. Not that I had anything against him. I think he's fantastic in the role and deserves the acclaim he receives. But, he was the only Doctor we had for so long and his episodes were shown over and over. When we finally got to see other Doctors, it was hard to go back to watch Tom. I'm referring to the 80s in the U.S.

Fortunately, I've recovered from that and I currently consider the Hinchecliffe/Holmes/Baker era as a whole to be the best era of Doctor Who.

Yeah, I can certainly rewatch Tom now, as it's been decades since those PBS days, and I never got those 1 serial per DVD. Obviously any classic Who has the slower paced, cheesy and sometimes downright boring nature. I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

 

[Qonundrum]

Yeah, I can certainly rewatch Tom now, as it's been decades since those PBS days, and I never got those 1 serial per DVD. Obviously any classic Who has the slower paced, cheesy and sometimes downright boring nature. I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

I dunno. There's little that's as cheesy as a flying arm strangling people, complete with token ha-ha comedy music in the background. I struggle to find anything of those depths in Classic WHO (and, yes, there's cheese. "Shada" could start a really gouda sale on cheese, but none of that is in the same league as what some of the revived show has done. Though both classic and new Who have a primary audience of kids (despite being a family show). Cheese is still par for the course. Not my fault the show went from provalone to limburger.)

 

[Redfern]

Tom Baker is the Custard Cream of Doctors.

Of course, as we well know, cream rise to the top!
Too tempting a "set up" to resist.

 

[jaime]

Of course, as we well know, cream rise to the top!
Too tempting a "set up" to resist.

Yes, but custard creams tend to crumble and sink, with a sort of sludge at the bottom of your cup too.
Set ups. We love em.

 

[Redfern]

Yes, but custard creams tend to crumble and sink, with a sort of sludge at the bottom of your cup too.
Set ups. We love em.

Touche!

Being a "bloody Yank", my situation was very similar to Ar-Pharazon's. During the early 1980s Tom was the only material shown upon my local PBS affiliates for awhile. Only around 85did they start filtering in other "eras".

Just to show there's no hard feelings, the precious few serials I've seen with Patrick Troughton has really endeared me to his portrayal. As has been noted elsewhere, it was his approach that really cemented the notion of what the Doctor is and every performer since Pat owe a lot to him. Thus it makes me all the sadder so much of his material is still lost.

Tom may have been my "first", but of the "classic" era, Patrick Troughton rates equally.

 

[Mr Soak]

Yes, but custard creams tend to crumble and sink, with a sort of sludge at the bottom of your cup too.
Set ups. We love em.

I would have responded “so do dead fish.”

 

[starsuperion]

Touche!

Being a "bloody Yank", my situation was very similar to Ar-Pharazon's. During the early 1980s Tom was the only material shown upon my local PBS affiliates for awhile. Only around 85did they start filtering in other "eras".

Just to show there's no hard feelings, the precious few serials I've seen with Patrick Troughton has really endeared me to his portrayal. As has been noted elsewhere, it was his approach that really cemented the notion of what the Doctor is and every performer since Pat owe a lot to him. Thus it makes me all the sadder so much of his material is still lost.

Tom may have been my "first", but of the "classic" era, Patrick Troughton rates equally.

Isn't there a suspicion that someone has those copies of some of the missing episodes, and for some reason or another, releases them back to the BBC on a whim every now and then?? I seem to recall some news about that and intense fan discussions about some episodes that are missing, but suspected that "someone" (I forgot the name of the primary returner) actually may have them in reserve. Maybe they sell them back to the BBC when they need money?? I know there's some fans who have a blog, I'll try to find it again, who actively search old records and travel to other countries to see if they can find those tapes in storage and such. Pretty interesting story.

That would make a great TV series, like in the vein of those in the search of, where a camera crew follows some people on the hunt around the world for evidence of big foot or whatever the meme.

A tv series set around some knowledgeable people with clues to where they may find those lost tapes would be great to watch and follow.

They could title it "In search of Doctor Who, the hunt for the lost episodes."

I'd enjoy that, especially if they hit pay dirt once and awhile and we benefit from it.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

There are rumours that a certain person has many, if not all, of the missing episodes and likes to gloat over the fact that no-one else can watch them. * We can only pray for his demise and that his estate will sell the tapes back to the BBC. However, I wouldn't put it past him to specify in his will that he be buried with the tapes like a nerd version of some Egyptian pharaoh.

ETA: * Only if true and really not even then. It's just a TV show and the rumour is probably not true. It's been repeated many places, many times and acquired a cachet of believability that it doesn't warrant.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

There are rumours that a certain person has many, if not all, of the missing episodes and likes to gloat over the fact that no-one else can watch them. We can only pray for his demise and that his estate will sell the tapes back to the BBC. However, I wouldn't put it past him to specify in his will that he be buried with the tapes like a nerd version of some Egyptian pharaoh.

Even if true, I'm not above a little grave robbing for the cause.

 

[Nightowl1701]

At last reports, it does sound like Phillip Morris has ended his overseas searching and is now focused on tracking down and wooing private film collectors. The Web of Fear part 3 getting pilfered from that studio in Africa provided the first solid lead on that front. In the meantime, he's apparently going to unveil some non-DW finds this November at the BFI's 'Missing: Believed Wiped' event.

If that 'certain person' is who I fear it may be, though, the most recent animated release of a DW 'missing episode' has likely slammed the door on any possibility of him coughing up the episodes for any amount of money. He'll likely have the film cans cremated with him. Hell hath no fury like a fanboy scorned...

 

[Professor Zoom]

At last reports, it does sound like Phillip Morris has ended his overseas searching and is now focused on tracking down and wooing private film collectors. The Web of Fear part 3 getting pilfered from that studio in Africa provided the first solid lead on that front. In the meantime, he's apparently going to unveil some non-DW finds this November at the BFI's 'Missing: Believed Wiped' event.

If that 'certain person' is who I fear it may be, though, the most recent animated release of a DW 'missing episode' has likely slammed the door on any possibility of him coughing up the episodes for any amount of money. He'll likely have the film cans cremated with him. Hell hath no fury like a fanboy scorned...

Is there a name attached to this "certain person" or is it Voldemort?

 

[jaime]

Is there a name attached to this "certain person" or is it Voldemort?

It’s obviously Ian Levine being alluded to.
The closest I get to organised who fandom is this subforum, and even I guessed tha.

 

[Professor Zoom]

It’s obviously Ian Levine being alluded to.
The closest I get to organised who fandom is this subforum, and even I guessed tha.

Clearly not obvious, if I had to ask.

Ian Levine doesn't mean much outside of the UK.

 

[jaime]

Clearly not obvious, if I had to ask.

Ian Levine doesn't mean much outside of the UK.

He doesn’t mean much in it either.

I saw the stuff about his version of Shada in this subforum.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

It’s obviously [redacted] being alluded to.
The closest I get to organised who fandom is this subforum, and even I guessed tha.

It's an unsubstantiated rumour and might be completely untrue. If you can't prove it, you lay yourself open to being sued for libel or defamation. I had actually forgotten the name of the person in question and deliberately not sought to recall it. It would seem like very odd behaviour if the story were true. After all, as one's legacy, why wouldn't one want to gain the lasting respect and admiration of many thousands by "uncovering" the lost tapes. I'm going to assume the rumour is just frustrated speculation.

 

[Nightowl1701]

It's an unsubstantiated rumour and might be completely untrue. If you can't prove it, you lay yourself open to being sued for libel or defamation.

*blinks, wide-eyed* Well, that escalated quickly...

And this coming from the guy praying for that 'certain person's' demise!

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

*blinks, wide-eyed* Well, that escalated quickly...

And this coming from the guy praying for that 'certain person's' demise!

Only if the rumour were true, which it probably isn't, and not even then. To poor comic effect, I was alluding to whodom grasping at straws in the face of the fact that some episodes are almost certainly lost forever. Best to move on.