Wiped Episode Discoveries

[diankra]

Basically, we need to wait for the official press release at midnight. That will hopefully include details missed by the vanishing newspaper report as to whetehr there might be more, or this is definitely it, and whether anything else from other shows has been found (I'd assume Dad's Army would have been mentioned by now, but Out of the Unknown or similar might not ring any bells for a non fan journalist).

 

[Candlelight]

I see what happened now... someone said 9, was overheard as 90...

 

[Mr Awe]

^ Ha, yeah, it could be that simple.

 

[Leonardo T. Dragon]

One top flight serial fully recovered, another top flight serial only missing one episode(which will no doubt be animated by Qurios for a dvd release).

All in all a good day.

I couldn't have said it any better. This is a great 50th anniversary treat for the fans!

 

[StCoop]

Well that lasted about five minutes

The source of the episodes was apparently a batch of four stories sold to Benue-Plateau Television Corporation in Nigeria in 1974. (Abominable Snowman, Enemy Of The World, Web Of Fear and Wheel In Space.) So if there are any more episode to come it will be from those ones baring any other African finds.

Now let's try this abstinence thing again...

 

[JoeZhang]

Basically, we need to wait for the official press release at midnight. That will hopefully include details missed by the vanishing newspaper report as to whetehr there might be more, or this is definitely it, and whether anything else from other shows has been found (I'd assume Dad's Army would have been mentioned by now, but Out of the Unknown or similar might not ring any bells for a non fan journalist).

The Telegraph's full article popped up and then disappeared and said the same thing:

Doctor Who fans will raise a Sonic Screwdriver to archivist Phillip Morris, the Indiana Jones of film, whose ceaseless search for lost episodes uncovered two classic stories languishing in Nigeria, made available for download at midnight on Thursday via iTunes.

Viewers might wish the BBC had shipped more of its programming to Africa during the period in which it systematically wiped the jewels in its crown, given the magnificently-preserved condition of the two episodes, which have not been seen for some 45 years.

Morris found The Enemy of the World (1967) and The Web of Fear (1968), both starring Patrick Troughton as the second doctor, gathering dust at a television relay station in Nigeria, after tracking records of BBC overseas shipments.

But this mysterious Saviour of Sci-Fi declined to appear at a Soho screening of the episodes, sending a message from an unnamed distant land which read: “I cannot be with you as the search is endless. My work must continue.”

The six-part Enemy of The World, now complete with the discovery of five lost episodes, bursts with the energy of the Swinging Sixties.

you can read the rest in google cache:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...of-fear-recovered-after-45-years-8872220.html

In terms of price:

Asked whether viewers might also see the recovered episodes, without having to pay Apple £1.89 per episode or £9.99 to download the complete stories, BBC Worldwide said licence-fee payers had already enjoyed a chance to watch the programmes in the late 60s.

 

[StalwartUK]

Not long now. Not sure what to look forward to more now, the 50th Anniversary Special or some classic Troughtons!

Earlier this year (before the rumour business started) I joked that they may come across some missing episodes in time for the 50th anniversary. Guess some wishes do come true after all.

Also I've read around some places that there is "more to come" apparently. I wonder if there is any truth to that or is that just rumour BS?

 

[Brendan Moody]

That "my work must continue" business is interesting, as is the fact that he wasn't actually at the event.

Also I've read around some places that there is "more to come" apparently. I wonder if there is any truth to that or is that just rumour BS?

Well, from the leaked articles it sounds like nothing else is being announced right now, though they apparently didn't rule out further finds either. The people who were right about this when a lot of us were laughing at them have said there's other stuff located, and that there might be a staggered announcement. And more recently it's been claimed that recovery of further found episodes might depend on the money raised from the release of these.

 

[Candlelight]

Still wonder if William and Carol Ann's appearance (and Anneke's mystery screening) will still play a part...

 

[Brendan Moody]

Wills was at a screening of An Adventure in Space and Time. She tweeted a photo of herself with Mark Gatiss from that event.

Were Ford and Russell actually at the missing episode event? I've seen it reported both ways.

 

[diankra]

Just did a bit of checking and it seems the relevant Nigerian station bought seasons 1&2 (inc Marco Polo) BUT 8 years earlier. Could explain why it was mentioned in rumours but not today - it was a possible but no cigar.

 

[The Four Doctor]

still amazing that Enemy and Web survived the net for junking

 

[Brendan Moody]

Was it the same station, then? BroaDWcast (which may be in error) says it was different ones. Actually, there were apparently four Nigerian stations that ran Doctor Who: the one that bought all of seasons one and two; one that bought two individual stories from season two and one from season three (these were the ones that came back in 1985); the one that bought the four season five stories, two of which are now returned; and one that bought two stories from season six. Eventually, all the stations were incorporated under a national service, and their archives combined... in theory, anyway. The fact that new episodes are still turning up in Nigeria suggests otherwise. If they haven't found Marco Polo, possibly they thought they might because there was a chance the archive centralization left it in the same place as Web and Enemy?

 

[Rarewolf]

Wills was at a screening of An Adventure in Space and Time. She tweeted a photo of herself with Mark Gatiss from that event.

Were Ford and Russell actually at the missing episode event? I've seen it reported both ways.

They could have been at the same screening, after all they are both in it.

Enemy and Web have always been pivotal to the rumours, be it 17,42 or 90+. So their recovery doesn't disprove anything. If anything else I would play a hunch we might see Marco Polo by Christmas, but again that was always at the heart of it so wouldn't prove anything further.

Hopefully this is only the beginning. Just getting under 100 is amazing.

 

[diankra]

Was it the same station, then? BroaDWcast (which may be in error) says it was different ones. Actually, there were apparently four Nigerian stations that ran Doctor Who: the one that bought all of seasons one and two; one that bought two individual stories from season two and one from season three (these were the ones that came back in 1985); the one that bought the four season five stories, two of which are now returned; and one that bought two stories from season six. Eventually, all the stations were incorporated under a national service, and their archives combined... in theory, anyway. The fact that new episodes are still turning up in Nigeria suggests otherwise. If they haven't found Marco Polo, possibly they thought they might because there was a chance the archive centralization left it in the same place as Web and Enemy?

Could be: the sales I mentioned are to RKTV.. which might be BPTV in another language (French/English) or after a name change. If not there wee more sales in 1974 than previosly known

 

[Brendan Moody]

RKTV and BPTV are definitely different stations; one was based in northern Nigeria and one in central Nigeria, and BPTV didn't even exist when RKTV bought seasons one and two. There's more about them at the BroaDWcast link.

 

[Brendan Moody]

The episodes are now up on both US and UK iTunes. Links:


US Enemy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/doctor-who-enemy-world/id704921951
US Web:https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/doctor-who-the-web-of-fear/id704945256
UK Enemy: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/doctor-who-enemy-world/id704921951
UK Web: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/doctor-who-the-web-of-fear/id704945256

U.S. prices are $1.99 per episode or $9.99 per serial. UK are £1.89 and £9.99 respectively.

Mine are downloading now. Haven't bought from iTunes in so long I had to update my billing info, which felt like torture.

There's a trailer included with Enemy, which confirms that iTunes will be the only download platform for these episodes.

 

[Candlelight]

I can hear the bells of midnight...

 

[Relayer1]

I'll wait for the DVD's...

 

[N-121973]

I wonder what the coming soon trailer will be for on the 10th Planet DVD? Also is the Enemy of the World cover a slip case or can we buy it with the standard silver cover?