BBC Conducts Bicentennial Inventory

The BBC has released the results of its bicentennial inventory check. Apparently, they have so little inventory they only have to count it every fifty years. The results of the last inventory, released in 1955, stated that they have 20 actors/actresses, 15 props, and 10 sets. This figure is often seen quoted on the internet by bored fans who have nothing better to do than rewatch every episode of Doctor Who and Sherlock until they can determine which episode a screenshot is from solely based on the lead actor's hair. The new inventory revises this figure to 23 actors and actresses, 14 props, and 11 sets. Alas, they still cannot find Matt Smith's eyebrows, which have been missing since 2010. They've also determined the missing episode count is actually 103, not 97. Nobody is entirely sure what is on those Enemy of the World DVDs. The leading theory involves a Metebelis 3 crystal and Jamie's wet dreams.

Enemy of the World and Web of Fear North America Releases

Details have come to light regarding the North American Blu-ray and DVD releases of The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. Both sets will cost US$19.98 and come with no special features. The Web of Fear will be released on April 22nd, while The Enemy of the World will be released on May 20th.

Recovered Episodes Screening

On Saturday the 22nd, Prince Charles Cinema in London will be putting on a screening of the two recently recovered Doctor Who serials. The Web of Fear and Enemy of the World will be shown back-to-back starting at 11:15am. Tickets go on sale this morning at 9am for £14. There will be a Q&A session with Deborah Watling and Frazer Hines following the screening.

The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear DVD and iTunes Release

The two just-discovered classic series episodes are being released on DVD and iTunes. Both stories have been remastered and specially enhanced frame-by-frame and are available on iTunes worldwide right this moment.

The Enemy of the World

On Earth in the near future, the Doctor and his companions are enmeshed in a deadly web of intrigue thanks to his uncanny resemblance to would-be 21st century dictator Salamander. He is hailed as the ‘Shopkeeper of the World’ for his efforts to relieve global famine, but why do his rivals keep disappearing? How can he predict so many natural disasters? The Doctor must expose Salamander’s schemes before he takes over the world.

 The Web of Fear

The TARDIS narrowly avoids becoming engulfed in a cobwebby substance in space. It arrives in the London Underground railway system, the tunnels of which are being overrun by the web and by the Great Intelligence’s robot Yeti. The Intelligence’s goal is to drain the Doctor’s mind; can the Doctor sabotage the device before the Intelligence’s plan comes to fruition?

Trailers and Clips for The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World

The official Doctor Who YouTube channel has released trailers and clips for the two classic series episodes whose recovery was announced earlier today.

Trailers:




Clips:

Official Press Release Regarding Found Episodes

Despite news leaking about the found classic episodes, the BBC have officially unveiled the contents of their press conference from earlier today. As reported earlier, 9 episodes from The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World were found in an archive in Africa. The find brings Enemy to completion, with Web still missing part 3.

The official press release includes no new information, but I've made part of it available below. The two episodes have been made available to iTunes users in the UK here and here. Part 3 of The Web of Fear has been specially reconstructed for release. Presumably, the stories will eventually be released on iTunes to the rest of the world and DVD.

Nine missing episodes of 1960s Doctor Who have been found at a TV station in Nigeria, including most of the classic story The Web of Fear.

The black and white story sees Patrick Troughton's second Doctor battle robot yeti in the London underground.

Also recovered is a complete version of Troughton's six-part story The Enemy of the World.

It is thought to be the largest haul of missing episodes recovered in the last three decades.

"It's thrilling," said Mark Gatiss, an actor and writer for the 21st Century incarnation of Doctor Who.

"Every single avenue seemed to have been exhausted, every now and then something turns up - but to have two virtually complete stories out of the blue is absolutely incredible."

The BBC destroyed many of the sci-fi drama's original transmission tapes in the 1960s and 1970s.

However, many episodes were transferred on to film for sale to foreign broadcasters. It is often these prints found in other countries that are the source of retrieved episodes.

In this case, 11 Doctor Who episodes were discovered, nine of which were missing, in the Nigerian city of Jos.

The find was made by Phillip Morris, director of a company called Television International Enterprises Archive.

Mr Morris said: "The tapes had been left gathering dust in a storeroom at a television relay station in Nigeria. I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words, Doctor Who. When I read the story code I realised I'd found something pretty special."

The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World Found

The results of today's press conference are still embargoed until midnight, but the Northern Echo has leaked the results (and subsequently pulled them). Apparently all of The Enemy of the World and part of The Web of Fear have been found in an archive in Nigeria. Apparently part three of The Web of Fear is still missing.

Both Patrick Troughton stories were uncovered by Philip Morris, director of Television International Enterprises Archive. They include the introduction of then-Colonel Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (better known as the Brigadier). The Web of Fear also includes the villainous Great Intelligence, recently brought back by Steven Moffat for Series 7. Both stories will be made available on iTunes and DVD.

FOUR decades ago, Dr Who’s encounter with the mythical Yeti left a generation of children terrified and enthralled. The six part serial Web of Fear became one of the best-loved serials of the Patrick Troughton era. Sadly, in the 1970s the well-travelled time lord faced an enemy far deadlier than the Daleks – BBC beancounters.

In an effort to save money, tapes of classic shows were wiped and recorded over. In a matter of months some of the Doctor’s greatest adventures were lost… seemingly forever. The Web of Fear is one of the most missed serials, along with another Troughton era adventure, The Power of the Daleks. But now all six missing episodes have been found – in a dusty storeroom in Nigeria.

The previously lost nine shows were among 11 traced to a television relay station and the find brings back to life an entire six-episode story, while another is almost complete. The newly found programmes – which introduce the character of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, better known to audiences as The Brigadier – will be available on iTunes from today and will later come out on DVD.

Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC.

The stories, The Enemy Of The World (1967) and The Web Of Fear (1968) and both starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, have now been remastered by BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm.

Mr Morris said: ‘‘I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words Doctor Who. When I read the story code, I realised I’d found something pretty special.’’

Only one episode of The Enemy Of The World – which featured Deborah Watling as companion Victoria and Frazer Hines, later to find fame in Emmerdale as Jamie – had remained in the archives, so the addition of programmes one, two, four, five and six have completed the story.

Fiona Eastwood, director of consumer products, BBC Worldwide, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with the recent discovery of The Web Of Fear and The Enemy Of The World and we’re very happy to be launching re-mastered versions of these treasured episodes to fans as we celebrate the 50th year of Doctor Who.’’

The BBC still had the first edition in the Web Of Fear story, and the new finds mean only number three is missing. The tale introduced Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart, who began with the rank of Colonel but later became Brigadier.

The missing episode has been recreated using 37 still images which were available and the original audio which survived.