The Time Meddler on DVD (4th Feb 2008) Full extras listed

[Pip Madeley]

According to the BBFC! Fantastic news, I'd love to see what they've done with the prints - I know they're not in the best of condition... I hope they've got Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves in for the commentary.

(cheers Milky)

[Dirk Gently]

I'm quite looking forward to this. We haven't had a Hartnell for ages.

[Pip Madeley]

We haven't had a Hartnell for ages.

Not since you met Jessica Carney at that convention?

[Antony Cox]

This is great news - one of my fave Hartnells!

Apparently it's un-VidFIRE-able but I'm sure it'll look spangly anyway.

"What do you think this is - a space helmet for a cow?"

[Perry Vale]

Apparently it's un-VidFIRE-able but I'm sure it'll look spangly anyway.

Apparently so, although as I recall, some of the episodes *are*, but they'd likely take the choice to leave them all the same so as not to 'jar'.

About bloomin' time we had a b&w release!

From the VHS RT article 19 July 2002.....

As noted in the introduction, the prints of 'The Time Meddler' are relatively poor compared to the other two stories in this release. The BBC copies of episodes one, three and four all contain edits, notably the entire introductory sequence where the Doctor and Vicki discover Steven in the TARDIS at the beginning of episode one. Fortunately, collector Ian Levine has unedited copies of episodes one and three, so these were used to patch in the sequences missing from the BBC prints.

Because of the poorer quality of the images, it was decided not to VidFIRE this story at the present time.

[SiHart]

This should be a good release. I'm wondering if the technology they use has moved on enough in the five years since it was last released to rstore the story enough to be able to VidFire it now. It's possible it may have done.

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

I'm wondering if the technology they use has moved on enough in the five years since it was last released to rstore the story enough to be able to VidFire it now.

Well I've asked the question but I'm not hopeful of an adequate answer. I've referred it to the VHS article in a hope of avoiding the ubiquitous reply of not talking about future DVD releases.

[Wayne]

I'm generally a quite a big fan of the Hartnell era, but of the surviving complete stories yet to be released, the only ones i don't really don't like are this one, 'The Romans' & 'The Gunfighters'.
I'd much rather have seen any of the other Hartnell's released, personally. I won't be buying this one. It's far too twee for my liking.
Still, they've all gotta come out sometime, & the sooner this is out, the quicker the next one will be in the pipeline. There's positivity for you!

[Dirk Gently]

Well I've asked the question but I'm not hopeful of an adequate answer. I've referred it to the VHS article in a hope of avoiding the ubiquitous reply of not talking about future DVD releases.

And the answer is:-

"No, I'm afraid that the judgement call we made on 'The Time Meddler' was still that the prints weren't good enough to be VidFIREd.

The point of VidFIRE is to try to reproduce the original video look of the programme. When the underlying material is clearly poor quality, soft, grainy film, it's a pointless exercise.

Steve"

So no, it appears no more work has been done.

[Simon R]

I really like "The Time Meddler". It's got really high production values and is a very solid story that no one ever really mentions. There's far worse Hartnell's they could be releasing!

[Si Hunt]

It seems odd to bring this one out now. Why not "The Ark" or "The War Machines" and leave time for them to improve VidFIRE enough to use it on "Time Meddler"?

Si.

[Dave Tudor]

That's a good point. 'The Time Meddler' always seems to be high on most wanted or rumoured releases lists, and I'm never quite sure why. OK, it's not a bad little story, if a little slow, and there's much to enjoy, but there are better (in terms of story and archive quality) complete Hartnells yet to be released - I, for one, would like to see 'The Romans' on DVD sooner rather than later.

At the end of the day, though, it is a welcome 60's release, although, personally, I do think they've missed a trick by not putting it in a box set with 'The Space Museum' and 'The Chase'.

[Antony Cox]

It seems odd to bring this one out now. Why not "The Ark" or "The War Machines" and leave time for them to improve VidFIRE enough to use it on "Time Meddler"?

Si.

It seems unlikely they'll ever be able to VidFIRE TTM due to the lack of quality with the source material. The only way it'll happen is if a better copy of it turns up....

[Phillip Culley]

I hope they've got Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves in for the commentary.

No O'Brien, but Purves is there, along with Verity Lambert, Donald Tosh and Barry Newbury...

[Larry]

This should be a good release. I'm wondering if the technology they use has moved on enough in the five years since it was last released to rstore the story enough to be able to VidFire it now. It's possible it may have done.

Si xx

well Si, what ever the condition of the quality of picture I'm sure the R.T will of done their usual fantastic job.

For me I'm thrilled at the prospect of The Time Meddler, being released it is not only my favourite Hartnell, story but one of my all time favourites of both old and new series. I just hope that this will be the first of several Hartnell releases we see in 2008.

[Wayne]

I do think they've missed a trick by not putting it in a box set with 'The Space Museum' and 'The Chase'.

I don't. I like the other 2 stories! Butterworth/Meddling Monk sucks.

[Logo Polish]

I don't. I like the other 2 stories! Butterworth/Meddling Monk sucks.

Wouldn't that imply you also think they've missed a trick, as that would have meant a release you'd have preferred to buy?

[Pip Madeley]

Apparently so, although as I recall, some of the episodes *are*, but they'd likely take the choice to leave them all the same so as not to 'jar'.

Quite right:

Steve Roberts
Re: Time Meddler
Thu Nov 01 2007 11:57:50
010.180.037.029

Ep1 is fine, but at least one of the others is absolutely awful - very soft and grainy. Yes, I suppose we could have done a mix of VidFIREd and non-VidFIREd episodes, but I took the decision not to.

Steve

[Perry Vale]

Shame. I did ask this question (if they'd mix the VidFIRE) to Steve Roberts about three years ago on the RT forum, but got no answer as it was deemed speculation.

[Wayne]

Wouldn't that imply you also think they've missed a trick, as that would have meant a release you'd have preferred to buy?

Maybe, but i'd much rather buy 'em seperately. It's bad enough that i'm having to buy 'Warriors of the Deep'.

[Jason Thompson]

It seems odd to bring this one out now. Why not "The Ark" or "The War Machines" and leave time for them to improve VidFIRE enough to use it on "Time Meddler"?

Si.

VidFIRE is fine, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, as the saying goes. If the source material is poor then it's a sort of show stopper. If I recall correctly, they didn't vidFIRE episode 3 of Planet Of Giants, not because the episode was originally transmitted from film, but because the quality of the print was so bad the vidFIRE would simply make it all look even worse.

Surely it's better to get the stories out on DVD than hold them back in the hope that processing technology might improve to the point where it can be vidFIREd?

[Pip Madeley]

The lack of VidFIRE doesn't bother me too much, I can live without it. I love the fact that Tomb wasn't processed, I prefer the filmic look.

[Pip Madeley]

According to Tenth Planet, The Time Meddler will be released on February 4th and will have an RRP of £12.99 - meaning it'll be a 'Special Value' edition (low on extras).

[Andrew Curnow]

Other than the two companions, are any of the rest of the cast alive? Not sure about Alethea Charlton, but I'd guess she'd be the only one. Maybe there just wasn't enough mileage in extras for this one.

[Logo Polish]

Alethea Charlton died in 1976. Very young, she was only 43 at the time, by my understanding.