From: ira2p@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Iain Robert Asplin)
Subject: Re: Sci-Fi Channel Preview Show
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 05:15:02 GMT

In article <e2VoRB1w165w@cybernet.cse.fau.edu> ekho@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (amanda rothman) writes:
>ira2p@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Iain Robert Asplin) writes:
>[stuff deleted about the sci-fi preview]
>
>
>> One other thing, someone has posted that a local fan club is saying
>> that SFC will be showing Tom Baker stories res rather than Hartnell ones.
>> Judging by that clip I saw and something Dorn said in the special,
>> that all shows would be shown from their first episode to their last,
>> I would tend to doubt this.  We'll find out Friday morning hopefully.
>> If anyone out there is either getting the channel via cable or through
>> their own satellite dishes, please post something ASAP on how SFC is
>> going to be treating Doctor Who, i.e. commercials, which Doctor, 
>> trailers, etc.
>
>  As I'm sure those with the Sci-fi Channel know now, at noon today (fri) 
>"Robot", the first Tom Baker Doctor Who episode was shown (or at least, 
>the first half-hour... I had to leave for work at 1, so I don't know if 
>they broadcasted the next part.)  I must say that I am slightly 
>disappointed for two reasons.  #1- The quality/type of commercials being 
>shown.  I realize that they are paying a lot of S.F. Channel's budget, 
>but these are the type which give me the excuse to run to the refrig! ;)
>Oh, oh! <g>  Bad news!  #2- At noon, they were showing "The Doctor
>Who Hour", but from 12- 12:30 was the episode, and from 12:30 to 1 was a 
>"cliffhanger" show.  The show (what I saw of it) was interesting, and 
>had good effects at points (as well as having a young Leonard Nimoy 
>playing a wee part in it! :), but I don't consider it part of the Doctor 
>Who Hour.  Just so I know, did I miss the next 1/2 hour episode after the 
>cliffhanger, or will it be shown on Mon. noon?
>
>  Well, enjoy, and... Stay Safe!
>
>              Yours in Time and Space,
>
>                 Ekho (Killer Queen, Dynamite with a Laser Beam)

Actually, I think the change to TomBaker stories makes a lot of sense
for SFC, as a series in color is more likely to catch the attention
of a browsing viewer. Also, since I have all his stories on tape in
episode form anyway, it gives me a chance to twist the arm of my local
cable company before we start getting episodes I don't have in episode
form.   

As for the logo in the corner, well, although it will annoy, I  do think
it at least makes the channel look more professional (and I haven't
even seen the channel yet, who am I to talk?).  With the commercials
in the show anyway, the idea of a perfect copy of the episodes is
already ruined.  And I have found over the years that the only way to
ensure a perfect copy of anything, even from PBS airings, is to not
use television as a source.   Use home video.  You can get one as nearly
perfect as you can, but none of my recordings from TV can match up with
the home video versions, not even the ones I've taped at SP speed.

So, I guess the upshot of this is it probably won't annoy me as much
as it may annoy others.



Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho