I keep looking at it longingly in Smiths, but then realising there are other things I want slightly more.

I didn't buy The Invasion of Time either.

I'm so lame!

'The Edge Of Destruction' was a special 2-episode story, set entirely in the TARDIS, which had to be slung together and performed live on air because the sets weren't ready for the next story. It was the 3rd DW story, straight after the 1st Daleks one.

Yes, I know.

I don't read DWM for nothing.

I'm sure you know.

I was just saying all that for the benefit of the other ladies and gentlemen, who may not have known.

But there's no-one else in here.

Oh yes there cocking well is.

The pilot differs in many respects, but the BBCV of 'An Unearthly Child' has been discontinued. This means (a)you can't verify changes if you don't have a copy, (b)second hand dealers are on to you.

The entrance into the TARDIS, you may note, is very odd given that it's pitch black and there is a lot of random noise and shouting. Some of the script differs, but largely it's a slower and less confident version of the first episode proper. Mind you, I haven't bought the tape to see if they've cut it down from the version shown on BBC2 in 1991. Should do really, given that I love 'Edge Of Destruction'.

Cuts are possible in Dr Who vids. 'The Romans' was chopped, albeit accidentally. There are so many different prints of early episodes, most of them messy re-cut foreign copies. Here the mistakes usually arise.

Anyone spotted other edits?

Since a lot of the early DW stuff was done live on air, chopping about with the copies will probably improve them.

<sniff>

I don't have any of the First Season I don't think.

Or do I? I can't remember now.

FWIW, Doctor Who was *never ever* transmitted live - it was always recorded.

The urban myth that it was live seems to have gained currency because so many of the early stories contain dialogue fluffs, missed cues and so on that were never removed or reshot due to constraints of time and budget - remember, we're talking about the days when videotape editing meant physically cutting the tape with a razor blade!

I'm going to miss Gary Gillatt.

Garry Gillat

(laughs)

Shouldn't have shot my mouth off earlier. I've bought the vid of @edge Of Destruction'. Haven't got past the first show. Too busy.

I remember now that the 1991 repeat was cut down to remove said 'black-out' sequence before the final sequence. It's in the archive copy and is obviously a section which wasn't completed, because it was shot in real time and there were no visual effects ready.

Will comment later, unless people want to swap libellous stories about DWM/DWB editors, past and present. We can do.

Are you then, Gary Russell?

For some reason I always wanted to see Edge of Destruction, because when I was younger I read that the Doctor attacks someone with scissors.
Looks a bit shit now though, to be honest.
I don't like DWM much either - don't you find it a bit, hmmm, so-so?

No, not at all. It's got soul, and character. How many other sci-fi mags can claim that?

It's also incredibly well written and designed.

>Are you then Gary Russell.

1992, the contents of his car boot. His merchandise was refused.

Oooh, I say.

Hey, I used to read the Skaro fanzine - is that still going?

I'm not sure.

Last time I saw it was about 1995.

Last time I saw Skaro was issue 13. I think they all defected to a regular salary at DWM.

Which is agreta shame. Skaro was held in disdain by a lot of fans for no apparent reason. Even when I wasn't particularly paying attention to Who stuff, I'd always pick up a copy. It generally inspired me to dig vids out.

Much missed,.

Doctor Who may never have been transmitted live, but that didn't stop every bloody convention guest ever saying "oh it was all live then, you know" in response to any question displaying the vaguest semblance of intelligence.

And if you want a good, vibrant, thriving DW fanzine, go to http://www.stanley115.freeserve.co.uk/ - you won't regret it.

'The Feast Of Steven' went out live, didn't it? Christmas Day 64, Hartnell pissed on air?

No, believe it or not, that was planned.

Didn't they park the TARDIS in Liverpool?

Sorry to skip back - I tried to post this last night but couldn't for some reason - but on the subject of fanzines what's DWB like these days? I dug out a couple of old ones recently and they were pretty good - a couple of excellent articles by Paul Cornell. It's gone all professional now hasn't it? And covers all TV SF? Is it any cop any more?

It's now called Dreamwatch, and has been 'professional' for years and years. It covers everything, and is a bit rubbish.

DWB's byline was to call itself a telefantasy mag with an emphasis on Dr Who, "obviously". Noticed the new issue had 300 words on the series.

Stinks to high heaven these days. Lost it after the 30th anniversary when the 'Dreamwatch' plan was being hatched. A far cry now from great Cornell articles like 'Dissent Is Good' and the 'Forgotten Era' article on pre-Sixties telefantasy.

Re:'Feast Of Steven'. But the toast to camera wasn't planned, was it? I;ve always read that the production crew were very embarassed by that, rather than the 'Z Cars' nonsense.

Never seen it obviously.

Well, you're probably right, actually.

Bloody Hartnell.