The third instalment in a sensational series of stories celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is written by Marcus Sedgwick, multi award-winning author of Floodland, My Sword Hand is Singing and Midwinterblood.

Speaking to DWO Marcus, had the following to say on his upcoming title:

"Doctor Who is such an iconic part of British popular culture that any writer would jump at the chance to add something to the universe. Being the age I am there are really two Doctors that I love the most: Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee, and I was thrilled to write this new story about the Third Doctor. I hope fans recognise Jon in the pages of my story."

Synopsis:

The Third Doctor and Jo Grant are trying to track down the magical spear of Odin when they find themselves caught up in a vicious battle between two Viking tribes.

But one of the Vikings is even more dangerous than he appears to be.

Can the Doctor stop the spear getting into the wrong hands before it’s too late?

Eleven Doctors, eleven months, eleven stories: a year-long celebration of Doctor Who! The most exciting names in children's fiction each create their own unique adventure about the time-travelling Time Lord.

+  The Spear Of Detiny is released on 23rd March 2013, Priced £1.99.

+  Preorder this eBook on Amazon for £1.99.
+  Preorder this eBook from iTunes for £1.99.

[Source: Puffin Books]

BBC Consumer Products have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of Inferno: Special Edition.

Inferno: Special Edition
Featuring: The 3rd Doctor

An experiment gone awry sends the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) to a parallel universe where his friends and companions are members of a fascist regime in this thrilling and popular episode from the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who.

Inferno is the name of a project designed to drill into the Earth's core and release a powerful energy source called Stahlman's Gas; what's yielded instead is an insidious substance that transforms men into monsters.

The resulting chaos interrupts the Doctor's travel in the TARDIS and knocks him into an alternate Earth run by a military dictatorship, and where Project Inferno's progress threatens to bring about an apocalypse.

Special Features:

To be updated later today...

+  Inferno: Special Edition is released on 27th May 2013, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

+  Check Out the DWO Release Guide entry for this product.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]

March 26th 2013 will see Royal Mail celebrate the 50th anniversary of the world’s longest running science fiction series in TV history - Doctor Who - with the launch of a special set of 11 stamps.

The stamps will feature each of the actors who have played the role of the Time Lord over the last 50 years. The stamp design will see the face of each Doctor appearing out of the iconic swirling screen idents, made famous by the opening credits of the TV show. The first two stamps are in black and white, as the first two incarnations of the Doctor were broadcast in monochrome.

Featuring on the stamps are the present Doctor, Matt Smith, as well as David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton and the First Doctor, William Hartnell.

In addition to the 11 stamps featuring the Doctors, a five stamp miniature sheet will also be available. In the centre of the sheet is a stamp featuring the Doctor’s space and time travelling machine, the world famous Time and Relative Dimension in Space or the TARDIS as it is more commonly known. The remaining four stamps feature some of the Doctor’s most famous foes; a Dalek, a Cyberman, an Ood and a Weeping Angel.

Andrew Hammond, Managing Director, Stamps and Collectibles at Royal Mail, said:

“We are delighted to be able to celebrate this remarkable 50th anniversary. These stamps pay tribute to the brilliant actors that have played the Doctor over the years as well as the adversaries that helped make the show so popular.”

Fiona Eastwood, Product Development Director, BBC Worldwide Consumer Products said:

“The Doctor Who stamps are the perfect way to mark and celebrate the 50th anniversary of this much-loved programme. The collection is really impressive, and I am sure they will delight all Doctor Who fans.“ 

+  The stamps launch on March 26th 2013, but fans can pre-order today by registering at www.royalmail.com/doctorwho.

[Source: Royal Mail]

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Bob Baker & Dave Martin

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 22nd October 2012

Reviewed By: Sebastian J. Brook for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 28th October 2012

When a damaged spaceship containing beautiful humanoid creatures called Axons lands on Earth, The Doctor, Jo and UNIT are sent to investigate. In return for their help, the Axons offer the gift of Axonite, which would end world famine.

It all appears too good to be true - so what secrets are the Axons hiding on board their ship? And why is The Doctor's old enemy The Master involved?

* * * * *

This is a story that breaks new ground in a number of ways, but perhaps chiefly in some of the technological wizardry discovered and used at the time. The Claws of Axos is very much a product of its time, with the psychedelic nature of some of the FX and, ahem, costumes, but rather than leave the story behind in the 1970's, it carries through and is still as enjoyable today. 

When one hears the words 'Special Edition' attributed to a previously released Doctor Who DVD, you can't help wondering just how much more 'special' it can be.

The picture and audio quality is sharper and cleaner, perhaps not as noticeable as some of the recent restorations, but still worthy of note - especially considering the sheer amount of work that goes into them. But it is the extras, however, that make this edition particularly 'special'. As well as having the special features included on the previous release (Commentary, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Now And Then & Easter Egg) we are treated to over an hour of bonus material, with one being among the finest ever produced for the range. More on that later.

Disc 1

Special Features:

Commentary - Featuring Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Richard Franklin (Captain Mike Yates) and Barry Letts (Producer). There's great atmosphere between the trio, with Barry's soft, almost Mr.Kipling-esque tones, Katy's boundless energy, and Richard's gentlemanly manner. The pace doesn't really drop, and Letts takes the mantle of directing the commentary successfully.

Deleted and Extended Scenes - The original but annotated version of the studio recording which is included on this release in it's entirety. Text commentary is an optional extra. This is particularly special owing to the fact it includes the only surviving behind-the-scenes footage of Roger Delgado.

Disc 2

Special Features:

Axon Stations! - The feature kicks off with a great CGI sequence that literally pulls you into the process of how The Claws of Axos was made. Featuring interviews with Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Bob Baker (Co-Writer), Terrance Dicks (Script Editor), Michael Ferguson (Director), Derek Ware (Pigbin Josh), Paul Grist (Agent Bill Filer) & Bernard Holley (Axon Man). An insightful and amusing documentary - look out for Katy Manning's priceless description of the Axon ship! Kudos to the Director of the piece, Chris Chapman, who can add another string to his bow of inventive, engaging and ultimately successful additions to the Doctor Who DVD range.

Now and Then - Richard Bignell provides us with another of his location comparisons, contrasting the original footage from 1971 with that of modern day. In most cases, it's surprising at how little has changed in the 41 years since the story was filmed. Warmfully narrated by Katy Manning, we're taken through the chronological order of shooting locations.

Directing Who: Michael Ferguson on The Claws of Axos - A more focused insight into Michael Ferguson's role as Director for the story. Michael recalls some of the technical advantages and disadvantages with The Claws of Axos, as well as opinions of his fellow colleagues. There is some repetition of recollections, previously featured in the 'Axon Stations!' extra, but as a whole it's great to see and hear a more linear collection of Michael's memories on the show.

Studio Recording - A surviving example of how BBC studio drama's used to be made, featuring the complete unedited recording, with studio chatter, VT run-ups and recording breaks. This is definitely a feature for the hardcore fans, or those with an interest in media production. We just so happen to be both, so naturally loved it!

Living With Levene - As the opening line explains, Toby Hadoke spends the weekend with one of the most unusual figures in Doctor Who; John Levene (Sergeant Benton in the Classic Series). We're introduced to John's early work on the show as a Cyberman extra in 'The Moonbase' and then as a Yeti in 'The Web of Fear'. We're then incorrectly informed his next appearance was as Sergeant Benton in 'The Invasion' - [that should have been Corporal Benton] - but minor factual niggle aside, it covers Levene's life quite thoroughly and entertainingly. Hadoke, as always, helps guide the feature smoothly coupled with his knowledge of Doctor Who and obvious love for the show.

But this feature, which is a little out of the ordinary for a Doctor Who DVD extra, sets itself as the jewel in the Claws of Axos: Special Edition release. Whether deliberately or by accident, Living with Levene doesn't just tell the story of one man's brush with Doctor Who, but how that brush affected his entire life, and in doing so, creates a warm, touching and very real documentary, blanketed by the beautiful surrounding of Levene's hometown of Salisbury.

There's no denying that some of John's stories and recollections seem fantastical, but the irony here is that through Hadoke's numerous attempts to unmask the 'real' John Levene, one can't help feel that, akin to the movie 'Big Fish', what we have here is a larger than life man, who has truly lived a life larger than himself. One can't help being captivated by his infectious personality and obvious love for the life he has lived and lives.

This extra is well worth the price of the DVD itself, and could easily be enjoyed by a non-Doctor Who loving audience. It's wonderfully constructed and is arguably the finest extra ever produced for the Doctor Who DVD range. The production is of the quality of some of the BBC's renowned 'Wonderland' series, and sets a new bar for the (few remaining) future releases.

Coming Soon Trailer - 'The Legacy Box' is the subject of the trailer, and features both 'Shada' and the 'More than 30 years in the TARDIS' documentary.

Easter Egg - There's a rather informative Easter Egg on this release that has a rather amusing connection to The Claws of Axos.

As with previous releases there is the usual Photo Gallery, PDF Marerials, Subtitles and Info Text for those who want or need them.

The Claws of Axos: Special Edition ticks all the boxes for any fan of this story. The restoration, quality of extras and overall value for money definitely warrant the purchase - even if you bought the non-Special Edition first time round. With a few more Special Editions on the horizon as the end of the Doctor Who DVD range is in sight, this release sets a new standard that will have us double-dipping with no questions asked.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

BBC Consumer Products have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of The Ambassadors of Death.

The Ambassadors of Death
Featuring: The 3rd Doctor

When all communication is lost from Mars Probe 7 shortly after jt leaves. Mars and begins its trip back to Earth, a second craft is launched to investigate. As’ Recovery 7 docks in space, it ,too. loses all communication The Doctor and UNIT are given the task of investigating the mystery, as Recovery 7 returns to Earth.

It appears that no one can be trusted, as the space capsule is hijacked from its UNIT convoy With, military precision. What has happened to the missing astronauts? Could this be a secret-invasion from Mars, -or is the enemy much closer to home?

As the Doctor plans a daring space mission of his own, his assistant Liz Shaw goes missing. Who is working against UNIT in order to bring mankind into conflict with an alien race…?

Cleared Special Features:

•  00:01:27:01 - (DOCTOR WHO - THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH) (TRAILER)
•  00:13:05:07 - TOMORROW'S TIMES - THE THIRD DOCTOR
•  00:04:24:15 - THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH - PHOTO GALLERY
•  00:25:49:16 - MARS PROBE 7: MAKING THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH

+  The Ambassadors of Death is released on 1st October 2012, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: BBC Consumer Products]

AudioGO have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming Doctor Who CD release of Doctor Who and The Sea Devils.

Whilst visiting the Master, who has been exiled to a luxurious castle prison on a small island, Doctor Who and Jo Grant learn that a number of ships have vanished in the area. Whilst investigating these mysterious disappearances, Jo and the Doctor are attacked by a Sea-Devil, one of a submarine colony distantly related to the Silurians.

Soon they discover that the Sea-Devils plan to conquer the Earth and enslave humanity, aided and abetted by the Master. What can Doctor Who do to stop them?

Geoffrey Beevers reads this exciting novelisation of a classic "Doctor Who" adventure. 

+  Doctor Who and The Sea Devils is released on 7th June 2012, priced £13.25 (CD) / £12.29 (Download).

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: AudioGO]

2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of The Daemons.

The Daemons

Featuring: Jon Pertwee as The 3rd Doctor

In the peaceful village of Devil's End something very strange is happening. A professor is preparing to open a nearby burial mound and a local white has foresees death and disaster. Meanwhile, the new vicar looks suspiciously like the Master and he is using black magic to conjure up an ancient Dæmon.

Can the Doctor, Jo and UNIT stop their old enemy before he succeeds?

Special Features:

•  Commentary

•  The Devil Rides Out Cast and crew talk about the making of the story.

•  Remembering Barry Letts A look at the life and work of Barry Letts.

•  Location Film A mute amateur 8mm film shot in the village of Aldbourne during the location filming.

•  Colourisation Test The original colourisation test version of episode one from 1992.

•  Tomorrow's World An article on the technology used in the restoration.

•  Radio Times listings

•  Programme subtitles

•  Production information subtitles

•  Photo gallery

•  Coming soon trailer

•  Digitally remastered picture and sound quality

+  The Daemons is released on 26th March 2012, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: 2|Entertain]

2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of U.N.I.T Files.

The Third Doctor faces ravenous prehistoric monsters in deserted London, while the Fourth Doctor battles robot duplicates in a strange village – but are the forces of UNIT friends or foes? Find out in these classic adventures!

Invasion of the Dinosaurs

Featuring: Jon Pertwee as The 3rd Doctor

Returning to London the Doctor and Sarah find a city almost completely devoid of life. The civilian population has been evacuated in the wake of an unimaginable event: somehow Dinosaurs have returned to terrorise the Earth. 

Special Features:

•  Commentary 

•  People, Power and Puppetry - Cast and crew look back on the making of this story 

•  Billy Smart’s Circus - featuring Jon Pertwee 

•  Deleted Scenes 

•  Now and Then Returning to the filmed locations

•  Photo Gallery 

•  Easter Egg - Seek, locate and discover what happens when the Doctor meets the dreaded Floor Manager…

•  Production Information 

•  Subtitles

•  Coming Soon Trailer

•  Radio Times Listings Programme Subtitles

•  Digitally remastered picture and sound quality with Episode 1 in monochrome, and Episodes 2-6 in colour

The Android Invasion

Featuring: Tom Baker as The 4th Doctor

When the TARDIS lands in the sleepy English village of Devesham, Sarah thinks the Doctor has finally got her back home. But all is not as it seems…

Special Features:

•  Commentary 

•  The Village That Came to Life - Cast, crew and local residents look back at the making of the story, in this documentary presented on location by Nicholas Briggs. 

•  Life After Who – Celina Hinchcliffe takes her father Philip on a trip down memory lane to recall his distinguished career in British television and film. 

•  Photo Gallery 

•  Weetabix Advert - TV advert for a Doctor Who themed promotion for this breakfast cereal. 

•  Easter Egg - A ¼” location sound rushes recording of some of the story’s scenes being performed. 

•  Coming Soon Trailer

•  Radio Times Listings 

•  Programme subtitles & subtitle production notes

+  U.N.I.T Files is released on 9th January 2012, priced £30.63.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: 2|Entertain]

Manufacturer: BBC DVD / 2|Entertain

Written By: Malcolm Hulke

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 3rd October 2011

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 17th October 2011

The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) manages to get the TARDIS working... almost, and he and his companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) arrive on the planet Uxarieus in the middle of a feud between a band of Colonists and a division of the Interplanetary Mining Corporation. En route to sort out the dispute is an Adjudicator from Earth, who may not be all he seems either. Can The Doctor overcome killer robots, giant lizards, primitive tribesmen, prune headed priests and Gail from Coronation Street, save the day and get Miss Grant safely back to Earth, or will an old adversary win the day?  You can find out on this new single disc DVD release from BBC DVD / 2|Entertain, out now.  With all six episodes looking sharp and sounding great and some entertaining and fun extras to compliment the story, it's time to step inside the TARDIS for her first flight of the Pertwee era...

Commentary - It's a very busy commentary this time round as Toby Hadoke guides his six guests through the story. Katy Manning (Jo), Bernard Kay (Caldwell), and Morris Perry (Captain Dent and no relation to Arthur Dent) join up with script editor Terrance Dicks, director Michael Briant and assistant floor manager Graeme Harper to relive their memories of the adventure.  Vey enertaining, and Katy is always very entertaining to listen to.

From The Cutting Room Floor - Annotated edits and trims from the filming of the story; location filming and model filming trims are used.  You do get the idea of just how appalling some of the conditions on locations actually were.  Mud, anyone?  There's almost thirteen mintes of trims and edits and shots, and it does tend to drag on somewhat, unless you're a real fan of these things.

IMC Needs You! - As an extra, this deserves prizes for keeping you entertained and giggling at the behind the scenes view. From seas of clay in freezing temperatures, via very unusual TARDIS landings and a spectacular and funny animation inviting you to grow a moustache. Most of the same crew as in the commentary are here on-screen giving life to the trials and tribulations of IMC robots and the problems of getting them through an average doorway...

By far the funniest revelation from director Michael Briant is why the TARDIS behaves so oddly when she materialises; an effect that has sparked many a fan debate over the decades. Was the landing due to the Time Lords controlling the TARDIS, or because of the shaky rebuilt dematerialisation circuit the Doctor's put together? Nope. To find out what it is... you'll have to watch.

A very light, fun, and well handled twenty five minute look back at Colony In Space, and it tackles the problems of the shoot without crossing over into regret or bitterness. Great stuff. And kust when you think it can't get any better, Briant re-appears on screen to talk about realising the diminutive alien hidden inside the wall, and the poor actor trying to give a performance with his neck almost breaking...

Photo Gallery - A selection of stills in colour and black and white, featuring the story's production, design and some well known publicity shots set to some background music/atmospheres, and the noise of that battered old blue box arriving.  Some very interesting pictures in there, no mater how much you know about the serial!

Coming Soon Trailer - Dinosaurs! Styggron! More dinosaurs! Dopplegangers and replica pubs! Two Doctors, one amazing assistant (tip of the hat to the glorious, and much much missed Lis Sladen), an irreplaceable and also greatly missed Brigadier (another hat tip to the wonderful Nicholas Courtney) and UNIT soldiers. Lots of UNIT soldiers. But then this is... The UNIT Box Set. Out in January! Oh, and there's dinosaurs. Did I mention there's dinosaurs? And UNIT soldiers.

With the usual production notes filling you in on trivia and factoids via their onscreen subtitles, subtitles for anyone who many want or need them, and the Radio Times listings for the story presented in PDF format for those on computers to peruse, Colony is a slightly long, but very rewarding story with a wealth of great performances, and the ever watchable Roger Delgado as the first incarnation of The Master. The characters are well rounded, and The Doctor, Jo, and a TARDIS exterior that had definitely seen better days have a blast. Well worth buying.

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+  You can rent Colony in Space and many more Dr Who dvds today from LOVEFiLM, sign up now at www.lovefilm.com to see the full range. Join now and get a 2 week free trial.

Manufacturer: BBC DVD / 2|Entertain

Written By: Louis Marks

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 12th September 2011

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 31st August 2011

The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) is called on by UNIT to investigate a particularly murderous ghost; and from there he and his assistant Jo Grant (Katy Manning) are drawn into a web of time paradoxes, guerilla warfare and history changing events, all sponsored by those persistent perambulating pests...The Daleks! Can our intrepid hero, aided by UNIT, save Earth from World War Three and invasion by the cantankerous Kaleds?

Every now and again, something very special comes along on a Doctor Who DVD that stops you in your tracks and leaves you slack-jawed as to it's brilliance. This is one of those instances. This story has one of the most ambitious, well-done and ridiculously brilliant extras you could ever wish for...more of that in a moment.

The two disc set, from the BBC / 2|Entertain stable has the usual hallmarks of Classic Who as it is now presented; the original programme has been cleaned up and looks pin sharp and sounds clear and crisp, and there's a raft load of extras that really should not be missed. Incidentally, for those of you who like inane trivia, the original version of the story is the only one in Who history that keeps the sting (that's the electronic howl from the cliffhanger into the Who theme) on the recaps of episodes two and three.

Disc One:

Commentary - Anna Barry and Jimmy Winston (Anat and Shura respectively) talk us through the story with the late, great Barry Letts, and script editor Terrance Dicks. Also on hand to talk technicalities is vision mixer Mike Catherwood. The whole commentary is nicely paced, fun, and very entertaining to listen to.

Blasting the Past - Cast and crew old and new look back at the original story, it's strengths and weaknesses and what made it so successful. On hand are Katy Manning, Anna Barry and Jimmy Winston who were there at the time, being menaced by Rick Newby, who was inside one of the Daleks. Also contributing to this look back are Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks, John Friedlander (maker of monsters), and with further commentary from Dave Owen from DWM, new series writer Paul Cornell, Classic Series writer Ben Aaronovitch, and voice of pretty much everything these days Nicholas Briggs. Again, this half hour documentary has been handled with a lightness of touch that makes it flow very easily, and is very enjoyable to watch. It happily wallows in nostalgia without getting bogged down in it.

A View From The Gallery - Mike Catherwood and Barry Letts talk about the changing way Doctor Who was filmed and vision mixed over the years, as well as the technology then compared with now. This twenty minute piece shows just how well the two men know their craft, and can talk about it without getting monotonous. An illuminating little feature, that gives a clue into just how much technical expertise went into producing television in the 1970s.

Nationwide - A short piece from the BBC's flagship magazine programme of the time about a junior school that made the silly, silly mistake of winning the Radio Times writing competition...first prize: one working, crabby, angry Dalek. This report shows the somewhat smaller than expected pepperpot arriving at the school and the kids' reactions to it. Amusing nostalgia...you'll see the Dalek and nearly die laughing.

Blue Peter - Peter Purves is joined in the BP studio by the original TARDIS prop (looking in an absolutely terrible state!) and three Daleks to look back on his time during Doctor Who. Again, it's all amusing nostalgia, and a rare glimpse of how BBC Children's TV communicated to their audience over thirty years ago. Do wear sunglasses whilst watching this, as some of the fashions on display could easily burn out your eyes.

Coming Soon Trailer - Courtesy of the Time Lords remotely steering the TARDIS, The Doctor and Jo pitch up on the planet Uxarieus to face off with Reverend Magister, a walking prune, a rather violent IMC robot and some terribly unhappy miners. Colony In Space is next month's Classic Doctor Who release!

With the usual Info Text (which this month tells you where to spot edits and bloopers and gives an exhaustive rundown of Dudley Simpson's score for the show), a Photo Gallery and Subtitles for those who may want or need them, it's a great DVD...but wait...that's JUST Disc One!

Disc Two:

Day of the Daleks: Special Edition - New FX! New scenes! New Music! More Daleks! More Ogrons! More UNIT troops! New Dalek Voices! It's Doctor Who, Jim, but not as we know it!

Now although it's obviously the same story, it really doesn't feel like it. The team have done a stunning job in fixing things that could have been done better with more time and money (e.g: the Daleks' floating monitor has been stabilised, so it no longer looks like the start of "Victoria Wood As Seen On TV"), and they've tackled the big issues people have had with the show over the years - they've also addressed in the extras on the second disc.

The Making of Day of the Daleks: Special Edition - The producer of this Special Edition shows us what prompted the upgrade, what's been done, and how. Very entertaining and clever, this documentary showcases the level of love and interest that's gone into the package - even to the extent of making a brand new Day-era Dalek for help with filming some scenes! With contributions from all those involved, this is a must see, and gives a great insight into the level of dedication given to this revamp of a Classic story.

Now And Then - The latest in the series of "How much has it changed since we filmed Doctor Who there?" gives us an overview of what became Auderly House, and the tunnel, to see what, if anything, has changed. Toby Hadoke narrates the short piece.

The UNIT Family: Part Two - In the second part of this series, we get to see the strong "family" that was UNIT. Featuring contributions from the three UNIT regulars (including the much missed Nicholas Courtney), as well as Barry Letts, Katy Manning, and Derek Ware amongst others, this goes a long way to explaining the logic and thought into giving the Third Doctor a decent backup team. It also has some rather entertaining admissions and anecdotes from the cast and crew, which endears it no end to the viewer - Richard Franklin in particular being remarkably entertaining and witty.

The UNIT Dating Conundrum - Apparently, there are some people in fandom who want to know the dates/time frame of UNIT's involvement in Doctor Who. Why they would want to know such a thing is a matter for discussion somewhere else, but in case you are one of those people, Toby Hadoke tries to piece it all together using the very few dates there are to go on. Terrance Dicks, Ben Aaronovitch, and Dave Owen don't help at all, and by the end of it poor Toby is being carted off in one of those special dinner jackets with the wrap around arms.

The Cheating Memory - Steve Broster goes on a journey to try and find out why Day of the Daleks was so different in reality from the memory of his six year old self. A fascinating extra, with input from a psychologist as well as the usual talking heads featured on this DVD; namely Nicholas Briggs and Ben Aaronovitch. It is something that most Doctor Who fans can relate to, having memories of something being insanely epic, scary, and frightening when you were little, only to watch it again and feel yourself deflate as the second viewing doesn't live up to your memories of the first. A wonderfully worthwhile piece, and very enlightening.

Day of the Daleks: Special Edition is a masterpiece. With both the original and the frankly amazing redux of the story on the release, it's bound to keep all parties happy. The new version is simply stunning, and well worth the time, money and effort spent on the release. This is a must buy, a simply-cannot-miss DVD, and bears repeated watching to find just what's been changed and updated. It's not all CGI Dalek rays, there's some very subtle tiny touches as well that make the release even more enjoyable when you discover them.

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2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD release of Colony in Space.

Colony in Space

Featuring: Jon Pertwee as The 3rd Doctor

The Time Lords discover that the Master has stolen their secret file on the Doomsday Weapon and decide to send the Doctor to retrieve it for them.

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Jo to the desolate planet Uxarieus in the year 2472. There they become involved in a dispute between some beleaguered colonists and the crew of an Interplanetary Mining Corporation (IMC) spaceship over the ownership rights to the planet. 

The Doctor learns that the indigenous Primitives and their High Priests worship a large machine tended by a creature called the Guardian. 

Special Features:

•  Commentaries with cast and crew

•  Documentaries 

•  Photo Gallery

•  Coming Soon Trailer

•  PDF Material & Production Information Subtitles

•  Digitally remastered picture and sound quality

+  Colony in Space is released on 3rd October 2011, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: 2|Entertain]

Manufacturer: BBC DVD / 2|Entertain

Written By: Robert Sloman and Barry Letts

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 18th April 2011

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 20th March 2011

The epic, six part conclusion to Jon Pertwee's era of Doctor Who arrives with this double disc DVD from BBC DVD / 2|Entertain.  Disc one is the episodic version of Planet of the Spiders, complete with an optional commentary from Elisabeth Sladen, Richard Franklin and the now sadly passed away and much loved and missed Nicholas Courtney. All the info usual text is available and it's a great romp; one hundred and fifty minutes of classic science fantasy television.  The giant spiders of Metebelis Three are after the blue crystal The Doctor removed from the planet back in The Green Death, and will stop at nothing to get it back in their webby little legs...

Pertwee's swansong adventure is a long, but very entertaining affair.  It features every form of transport you can think of, and even some dashing about in the TARDIS - something or a rarity for this incarnation of the Time Lord.  The UNIT family are all together one last time, and it's a celebration of the Third Doctor, and all handled in precisely the way that had made the first colour season of Doctor Who work so well.  It's fun, exciting and worth every second.  You'll never look at those big spiders in your bathroom the same way again...

On disc two there's the extras, and something quite surprising.  There's a really nicely put together look back over Pertwee's time as the Doctor, and an equally warm feature with Barry Letts looking back on his time with Doctor Who; both of which show just how much work and love went into the show from start to finish.  Both featurettes have contributions from a variety of sources, including Jon Pertwee, Terrance Dicks, and of course Barry Letts himself.  There are also some great anecdotes from people like Mat Irvine on the spider props and the lesson of telling people what you need in good time; and from John Kane, the immensely likeable and gentle Tommy in the story, on his memories of Who and what he's done since.

Then there's the longest television trailer ever for a repeat run of Planet of the Spiders shown as one long story on a Saturday afternoon in December on BBC1 - the trailer just rambles on and on and on, with clips upon clips; it looked like the BBC had a lot of time to fill that Christmas!

And then, the surprising thing is... they included the abridged story itself!  The unrestored and very long edited together version is here too for your enjoyment, which slightly mystifies me, as there's no extra material as there was with the Battlefield release for example, but if you're a completist it's all good for the collection.

The story gets 10/10 for being suitably epic and wrapping up the UNIT years with panache and style, and the extras get 10/10 for leaving you with a warm glow that Doctor Who was genuinely loved and cared for during Pertwee's tenure as the Time Lord.

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2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the April DVD release of Planet of the Spiders.

What begins as innocuous research into ESP turns into a deadly mind battle, with the terrifying spiders from the planet Metebelis Three pitted against The Doctor, his friends and Time Lord K'Anpo. 

At a Tibetan-style spiritual retreat deep in rural England, a clandestine circle of chanting brethren unknowingly call upon the evil powers of the Metebelis Spiders, whose quest for the perfect blue crystal leads them straight to the Doctor. He must travel to the alien planet to meet the Great One, merciless ruler of her spiders and human slaves, who plans to take over Earth.

The future of the entire universe is in the Doctor's hands, but if he is to face the fear the Great One sees in his mind, then he must face the certainty of total destruction. Could this be the Time Lord's final death? 

Special Features:

Disc 1:

•  6 x 25 mins approx colour episodes with mono audio. 

•  Commentary - stereo. With actors Elisabeth Sladen, Nicholas Courtney and Richard Franklin, producer / director Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks.

•  Coming Soon - a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.

•  Programme subtitles.

•  Subtitle Production Notes.

Disc 2:

•  The Final Curtain – five years after its re-invention in colour and its rise to massive popularity, it was time for Doctor Who’s charismatic lead actor Jon Pertwee to move on… and with him the production team that had guided the show throughout that period. This documentary looks at the background to the Third Doctor’s swansong. With actors Jon Pertwee and Richard Franklin, producer / director Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks, designer Rochelle Selwyn, visual effects assistant Mat Irvine and actor and author Mark Gatiss. Narrated by Glen Allen. 

•  John Kane Remembers… – actor John Kane memorably played the gentle, slow-witted Tommy, reborn through the power of the Metebelis crystal. An accomplished writer and series creator, Kane now lives in France, from where he looks back on his memories of the story. 

•  Directing Who with Barry Letts – Barry Letts is perhaps most famous as producer of Doctor Who, but he was also responsible for directing some of the show’s best-loved stories. Barry looks back on his career as a director in this documentary. 

•  Now & Then – the latest instalment in our ongoing series takes a trip back to some of the locations used during production of the story. 

•  ‘Planet of the Spiders’ Omnibus Edition – the full-length omnibus edit of the story, presented here totally unrestored.

•  Omnibus Trailer 

•  Photo Gallery - production, design and publicity photos from the story.

•  Radio Times Listings in Adobe pdf format.

+  Planet of the Spiders is released on 18th April 2011, priced £20.42.

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[Source: 2|Entertain]

There’s no doubt that the appearance of Doctor Who on LOVEFiLM’s catalogue has gotten us excited – the chance to enjoy our favourites whenever we like (within reason) seems a good enough reason as any to get in a good mood.

And while the presence of Matt Smith’s recent outing is good enough for now, one thing that has caught our eye is the wealth of old episodes that LOVEFiLM has to offer.

We all know that the Doctor has been on fire since 2005 and we need little excuse to revisit any one of hundreds of moments from the run. However, it’s reassuring to know that if we need to recap an episode, catch up with one that we’ve missed or simply relive the excitement all over again, LOVEFiLM has it covered.

To have classics such as Jon Pertwee’s Inferno, Tom Baker’s City of Death, and Sylvester McCoy’s The Curse of Fenric available as well as other movies online whenever you want them, thanks to the LOVEFiLM Player, is a treat that we’re really looking forward to – even if it doesn’t come to fruition.

For now, of course we’re happy with whatever we’re given, and LOVEFiLM are allowing us to get our hands on copies of Doctor Who for a fraction of what it would cost to buy the box set, or even to rent it in the conventional way.

So, in truth, there’s no excuse for going without a Doctor Who fix thanks to LOVEFiLM, providing a fantastic TV back catalogue at a great price!

[Sources: Doctor Who Online; LOVEFILM]

Actor Sylvester McCoy has said he would be keen to return to Doctor Who for its 50th anniversary.

McCoy, who played the seventh Doctor from 1987 to 1989, said fans wanted a multi-Doctor story to mark the programme's golden jubilee in 2013.

He also suggested that earlier Doctors - played by actors who have since died - could be brought back using computer technology.

"They've got such imaginations, they could do anything," he said.

"Would I do it? Yes, I'd be delighted to," said the actor when asked if he would consider reprising his most famous role.

"I am a part of it, it hasn't ever gone away and I celebrate the 21st Century Doctors," he continued - a reference to his successors Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith.

The first Doctor Who show to feature more than one actor playing the titular Time Lord was The Three Doctors in 1972.

That saw William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee - the first three actors to play the Doctor on television - appearing on screen together.

"I know that the producers balk at it. All those egos in the same room would be very difficult to deal with," McCoy continued.

"But the fans are hoping that for the 50th anniversary, which is coming up, they might do something like that. It would be fascinating with all the technology if they could bring back Jon Pertwee and William Hartnell. That would be amazing - and I bet they could do it if they wanted to."

The 67-year-old Scot also joked that technology could be used to "make us thin again".

McCoy is currently appearing in London in the first stage adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's comic novel Decline and Fall.

He has also been cast as a wizard in The Hobbit films, expected to begin shooting in New Zealand in 2011.

[Source: BBC News]

2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the January 2011 DVD release of The Mutants.

The Mutants

Featuring: Jon Pertwee as The Third Doctor

The Time Lords send the Doctor and Jo on a mission to deliver a sealed message pod to an unknown party aboard a Skybase orbiting the planet Solos in the 30th century.

Solos is due to gain independence from Earth's empire but its Marshal is determined to prevent this. He arranges the murder of the Earth Administrator and, with his chief scientist Jaeger, plans to transform Solo's atmosphere into one more suited to humans. 

Ky, a young Solonian leader, is falsely accused of the murder and flees to the planet, taking Jo with him. The Doctor follows and joins them in an old thaesium mine. Ky turns out to be the intended recipient of the message pod, which opens automatically for him. Inside are stone tablets carved with ancient inscriptions...

Special Features:

Disc 1- Episodes

• 6 x 25 mins approx colour episodes with mono audio. 

• Commentary - stereo. With actors Katy Manning and Garrick Hagon, director Christopher Barry, script editor Terrance Dicks, co-writer Bob Baker, special sounds supervisor Brian Hodgson and designer Jeremy Bear. Moderated by Nicholas Pegg.

• Coming Soon (dur. Approx 1’) - a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.

• Programme subtitles.

• Subtitle Production Notes.

Disc 2 – DVD Extras

• Mutt Mad (dur. 20’ 43”) – cast and crew look back at the making of the story. With actor Garrick Hagon, producer Barry Letts, director Christopher Barry, co-writer Bob Baker, script editor Terrance Dicks and designer Jeremy Bear. 

• Race Against Time (dur. 37’ 38”) - Noel Clarke narrates a documentary looking at the representation of black actors in Doctor Who and on British TV as a whole. With writer and critic Bidisha, writer Stephen Bourne, actor Fraser James, and Doctor Who Magazine’s assistant editor Peter Ware. Narrated by Noel Clarke. 

• Dressing Doctor Who (dur. 27’ 04”) – three-times Academy Award winning costume designer James Acheson takes an affectionate look back over his earlier work on Doctor Who from his home in New Zealand. Narrated by Simon Ockendon.

• Blue Peter (dur. 1’ 35”) – Peter Purves takes a look at a collection of Doctor Who monsters prior to the opening of an exhibition of visual effects.

• Photo Gallery (dur. 2’ 56”) - production, design and publicity photos from the story.

• Radio Times Listings in Adobe PDF format.

[Source: 2|Entertain]