From: ira2p@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Iain Robert Asplin)
Subject: Re: Dr Who
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 06:14:49 GMT

In article <9u3JrA9DBh107h@billapc.UUCP> baustin@billapc.UUCP (Bill Austin) writes:
>In <1992Dec7.042230.28487@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ira2p@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Iain Robert Asplin) writes:

>>>stories?  (I would doubt that the organization that destroyed it isn't the one
>>>that would be looking for it.  Dr-Who is a top program for quite a few American PBS
>>>stations.)
>
>>Handfuls of episodes turn up every now and then.
>>The most notable find lately was the recovery from te Archives of
>>a lost Patrick Troughton story, "The Tomb of the Cybermen."
>
>Yeah, I heard about that salvage.  Should be good if I ever get to see it.


Check it out on CBS/Fox video in the States.


>
>>There is now an office or branch of the BBC looking over the world for
>>any lost episodes of Who or indeed anything else the BBC has erased over
>>the years (and there is a lot of missing stuff from other shows too).
>>This is the result of a sort of promise BBC Video made with the fans
>>about the saled of the "Tomb" Video.  The fans kept up their end, and
>>the BBC seem to be now keeping up theirs, as the possible "Tenth" 
>
>Very interesting, an official attempt to reverse some of the damage that 
>they created.
>What was the deal?  If we sell x copies then we will ACK that it was
>something worth keeping??  I suppose that is reasonable enough, but
>it also sounds like a great way to sell things too.

Yes, that was the deal, but it didn't really matter.  "Tomb" was going
t sell 30,000 copies with or without that offer.


>By what means (average) do they find missing episodes?  Workers at the
>archive that took them home instead of 'burning' them?  
>Copies made and being tracked down..etc?

None of the missing episodes were "burned."  Their original videotape 
masters were all destroyed soon after broadcast as videotape was very
expensive at the time.  Black and white film copies were usually made
before this, however, and it is these that survived in the form of
sales of the episodes to foreign countries.  The BBC hadcopies of
several such stories, and slowly some others have returned from places
scattered around the globe.  "Tomb" turned up in Hong Kong.



>
>>Point of correction though, Doctor Who *was* a top program for quite a
>>few American PBS stations.  The numbers of stations carrying the show
>>has been dwindling rapidly lately, and I don't think it will be too long
>>before you won't be able to find it on any PBS stations.
>
>This will be very sad (as I'm not a cable supporter.. I rent tapes, and
>go to movies instead)
>I don't think that there is any immediate danger here at my local PBS 
>station (WOSU at Ohio State University).  It has year after year been
>*THE* top money bringer.  Nature, Nova, and Classic Movies rounding
>out the pack.
>
>>On the plus side, however, the new cable channel SciFi (science fiction
>>channel) is showing the Tom Baker episodes one a day at 12pm eastern time
>>these days...
>
>Er.. If it really comes to that (not being able to see Dr.Who on PBS)
>then I'll look into it.
>Is it available on sattelite?  (non-scrambled)
>
>>Well, I liked Sylvester a lot, and a lot of othe people seemed to too
>>as he is still the only Doctor to ever beat Tom  Baker in the annual
>>DWM poll.....
>
>Well, looks like I'm going to HAVE to like him at least this DEC.  
>WOSU pulled a fast one and refererences 'Latest' episodes for the rest
>of DEC.  Thats OSU_Speak for Sylvester.
>I can tollerate, and usually enjoy these episodes if I'm in the proper
>mood.  
>As for Sylvester beating out T.Baker, thats easy to explain <GRIN>
>Too many people like myself (that didn't like Slyvester, but loved
>Tom Baker) didn't participate in the poll.
>However, there must be *some* truth to Sylvester's popularity.  
>WOSU (I'm assuming that had a little choice) chose to break with
>Pertwee (which had been showing in [pretty close to] production order)
>in favor of what seems like a month of Sylvester.


December is pledge month, which is probably the reason for the Sylvester
showings, since his are the newest. 
I am curious, have you seen all twelve of his stories, or just the first
four?  If the latter is the case, you could be in for a surprise...


>Either that or WOSU had no choice, or they didn't know what they are
>doing.  (this is quite possible.. OSU rarely knows what its doing)
>If I HAD to break from Pertwee, I'd say that T.Baker would be a safe 
>universally acceptable 'top-Doctor' around here.
>baustin

I've seen the Tom Baker stories more times than is safely acceptable...
I want some *new* episodes!

Steven.K.Manfred