From: ph9991_manfr@rivers.acc.uwrf.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho
Subject: Re: what was ytv doing?!!
Date: 17 Dec 92 19:58:53 -0600
Distribution: rec
Organization: University of Wisconsin - River Falls

In article <1992Dec17.4153.15327@dosgate>, "dale clayton" <dale.clayton@canrem.com> writes:
>  I just saw the first episode of "The Pyramids of Mars" on YTV. What I
> want to know is: WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT??!!
> 
>  The episode started with the now usual credits, but right after there
> was this *intrusion*. There was this sort of promo put in between the
> opening credits and the real story. However, that was not all. At the
> end of the episode they again inserted some sort promo between the last
> scene (cliff-hanger) and the end credits. What's going on here?!!!
> 
>  One other note: I've been watching YTV's showing of DW the past couple
> of nights (I usually just pull a tape these days). I cannot believe how
> much time YTV edits off. For example, last night I noticed the last
> episode of "Planet of Evil" ran 24 - 25 minutes. YTV must have chopped
> at least 3 - 4 minutes out!! (commercials) And they finished 5 minutes
> before the hour!!! What's going here?!!!
> 
>  If I didn't have DW on tape (recorded from a better source years back),
> I'd be _really_ P.O.'d. I can't believe what an amateur outfit YTV is!
> Where did YTV get that copy of "PoM" from anyway?!!
> 
> Amazed,
> DaleC.
> 
> PS: I now wish YTV would just cancel DW. It would spare grief and even
>     maintain dignity to both themselves and DW.
> --
> Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
> World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044


Calm down DaleC.
An episode of "Doctor Who" is not a full half-hour long, but is in fact
supposed to be about 25 minutes long, and if memory serves, "Planet of
Evil" part 4 falls just a wee bit short of the full 25.  You didn't
get any edits in "Evil."

However, YTV, by your reports, has indeed stumbled upon a very interesting
little phenomenon in "Pyramids of Mars."  They seem to be using the old
Time/Life Television copy of the episode.

In 1978 Time/Life bought Seasons 12 to 15 and converted them to NTSC 
standard themselves and began syndicating this across America.  This
serial format is very alien to American television, and also commercial
breaks needed to be added in, so they made some changes.
On the first episode of a serial, they would do this little "cut-in"
you described and give you a sort of preview of the whole story.  Then
the episode would run with commercial breaks included, and then
"end" by simply having the diamond logo recede away from the viewer when
the cliffhanger hits.  They then cut away again and give you a glimpse
of the next episode, then cut back to the natural credits, ending with
a special "Introduced by Howard DaSilva" credit, the American narrator
for the intro/promo clips.
The interior episodes would rerun the cliffhanger reprisal as normal,
but with a little narration from DaSilva voiced-over into it.  The
end would be as I described before.
the final episode would end as a normal episode would end.  

Sometime in the early Eighties, Lionheart Television took over all the
British programming syndication from Time-Life (including "Fawlty Towers"
and "Good Neighbors" among others).  By now, "Doctor Who" was being
shown almost exclusively on PBS stations, who do not need to worry about
commercial breaks, and thus Lionheart started syndicating the unedited
episodes.
A few missed their toothcomb however, and "Pyramids of Mars" Part One is
one of them.  You should find the other three parts to be normal.
The others that you'll notice this in are all four parts of "The Brain
of Morbius" (which STILL doesn't have sound FX on part one), and a few
of the Key to Time episodes (though by this time, Season 16, the narration
had been dropped).  

When Lionheart came to make their "movie" format shows, they also let
one of DaSilva's narrations slip through on "Underworld," which goes
like this, "the signal from the missing ship grows stronger as the
crew plummets to the Underworld."  
They also didn't get a full soundtrack copy of "Brain" Part One to use
in this either!

Also, they are still using the original Time-Life conversions (unedited
copies), but this means that the color is somewhat faded on these
episodes, especially noticeable in film sequences.  Compare any broadcast
of "Pyramids" you've seen to the CBS/Fox video copy and you can see what
I mean.  This also affects the other shows Time-Life originally converted,
like "Good Neighbors" and "Monty Python's Flying Circus."

As the only "Who" copies available to any stations in North America are
marketed by Lionheart Television, don't blame YTV, as these are the only
copies Lionheart markets.  Complain instead to Lionheart or their "Friends
of Doctor Who" club.  

Steven.K.Manfred