Favourite Classic Series DVD of 2006?

[Perry Vale]

So, as the last year of Classic Series dvd releases before the release rate is increased draws to an end, what was your favourite this time around? Does your favourite release make you feel animated?

Vote away, and tell us all why you voted. Did RSC do it for you, or the voice of Louise Brady perhaps? Or was it the chance to own Genesis Of The Daleks for the forty-first time?

Here's a reminder of some of the extras.....

The Beginning Boxset

'Doctor Who: Origins' A 54-minute documentary telling the story of Doctor Who, from the first vague ideas of a new Saturday tea-time show through to the transmission of the first story. Including a unique 1985 interview with the show's creator, the late Sydney Newman, in which he talks frankly about those early days.

'Creation of the Daleks' is a 17-minute documentary produced and edited by John Kelly, looking at the genesis of the monsters which would quickly become icons in their own right.

'Over the Edge' is a 30-minute documentary produced by Ian Levine and edited by Adi Denney which takes an in-depth look at 'The Edge of Destruction', a story often overlooked but which contains many important factors that would go on to influence the show right into the 21st century...

'Inside the Spaceship', again produced by Ian Levine and edited by Adi Denney, is a ten-minute piece looking specifically at the TARDIS through the eyes of the cast and crew.

'Masters of Sound' is a 13-minute documentary looking at the creation of the theme music and special sound effects for the show. Produced and edited by Kevin Davies, it is based on unused interviews with Dick Mills, Brian Hodgson, Verity Lambert and the late Delia Derbyshire that Kevin recorded for 'More than Thirty Years in the TARDIS' in 1994.

A 31-minute mini-recon of 'Marco Polo', using the original telesnaps.

Four comedy sketches are included, 'The Pitch of Fear' (slightly edited at the writer's request) and 'The Web of Caves', written by and starring Mark Gatiss and David Walliams, along with a third sketch 'The Kidnappers'. The fourth item is 'The Corridor Sketch', a 1991 Reeltime Pictures production, produced by Keith Barnfather and directed by Kevin Davies.

Three photo galleries are included, the third includes many pictures from 'Marco Polo' as well as 'The Edge of Destruction'. PDF documents containing the Radio Times billings and articles for the four stories plus the complete original script for the Pilot are included.

Commentaries on six episodes featuring Carole Ann Ford, William Russell, Verity Lambert, Richard Martin, Waris Hussein & Christopher Barry.

Genesis Of The Daleks

Commentary featuring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen and Peter Miles, with the story's director David Maloney.

'Genesis of a Classic' a 62-minute look at the making of the story. Produced by Ian Levine and edited by Adi Denney.

'The Dalek Tapes' a 53-minute documentary from John Kelly, which looks at the history of the Daleks and covers all of their appearances in the 'classic series'.

A 'Blue Peter' seven-minute item featuring a young viewer's Doctor Who models.

A six-minute continuities compilation includes continuity voice-over and in-vision items from some of the original and repeat transmissions of this story on the BBC.

A photo gallery and PDF versions of the 1976 Doctor Who Annual and the Radio Times billings for the original transmission are included for PC and Mac users.

Inferno

Commentary featuring Terrance Dicks, Barry Letts, Nicholas Courtney and John Levene.

'Can You Hear the Earth Scream?', a 35 minute documentary produced by Steve Broster, looking at the making of Inferno.

'The UNIT Family' - part one is a 36 minute documentary from Steve Broster and Richard Molesworth, looking at the first half of the 'UNIT family' that characterised the Third Doctor's Earth-bound stories.

'Visual Effects Promo Film', an excerpt from an early attempt to 'sell' the experience and facilities of the BBC Visual Effects Department to new clients.

Deleted Scene - a short deleted scene which was never seen in the original BBC transmission of the story.

'The Pertwee Years Intro', a short introduction to the story's final episode from Jon Pertwee, originally presented as part of BBC Video's 'The Pertwee Years' VHS release.

The 1971 Doctor Who Annual and clippings from the Radio Times are included as PDF files for PC and Mac users.

Hand Of Fear

Commentary featuring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen and Judith Paris, along with co-writer Bob Baker and producer Philip Hinchcliffe.

'Changing Time', a 50-minute documentary looking at the making of the story from within the bigger context of the special relationship between the third and fourth Doctors and Sarah Jane Smith.

An 11-minute extract from the Saturday morning children's show Swap Shop features presenter Noel Edmonds interviewing Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen just a few hours before the transmission of the first episode of the story.

A short continuities compilation is included, featuring continuity announcements related to this story.

As always, a full photo gallery is included as well as a subtitle production text commentary. PDF versions of the 1977 Doctor Who Annual and the Radio Times billings for the original transmission are included for PC and Mac users.

Mark Of The Rani

Commentary featuring actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Kate O'Mara.

'Lords and Luddites', a 43-minute 'Making of...' featuring interviews with actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Kate O'Mara and Gary Cady, writers Pip and Jane Baker, script editor Eric Saward and composer Jonathan Gibbs. The feature is narrated by the lovely Louise Brady.

'Now and Then', the fourth in an irregular locations visit series, with a visit to Blists Hill Victorian Museum to see what has changed in the last twenty years.

Deleted & Extended Scenes.

Sarah Hellings' 11-minute Blue Peter item on the history of Ironbridge Gorge is included, as is an excerpt from an edition of Saturday Superstore during which the Doctor and Peri receive an unexpected phone call from an old adversary they thought they had seen the last of...

Isolated music track of Jonathan Gibbs's score for both episodes, plus the alternative soundtrack for episode one, featuring John Lewis's music. Jonathan Gibbs is also the subject of Playing with Time, a 9-minute interview about his work composing the music for this story.

Full photo gallery is included as well as a subtitle production text commentary. PDF versions of the 1985 Doctor Who Annual and the Radio Times billings for the original transmission are included for PC and Mac users.

Sontaran Experiment

Actress Elisabeth Sladen, co-writer Bob Baker and producer Philip Hinchcliffe provide the commentary, with production text subtitles are courtesy of Martin Wiggins. A photo gallery was provided by Derek Handley, set to a background of original sound effects from the story.

'Built for War', a 40 minute programme featuring contributions from actors Elisabeth Sladen, Nicola Bryant and Colin Baker, stuntman Stuart Fell, writer Bob Baker, and script editors Terrance Dicks, Anthony Read and Eric Saward. And an errant Sontaran commander having a bad day...

The Invasion

Two missing episodes animated by Cosgrove Hall!

'Flash Frames', interviewing the team responsible for animating the two missing episodes (made by the DW:Confidential team).

'Love Off-Air', a warm and gentle look at the history of fan audio recording.

A Character Design featurette includes an unused animated version of the Doctor Who titles, plus Steve Maher's original concept designs for the Doctor, Zoe, the Brigadier, Vaughn and Isobel. It also features the first animation test with the Doctor's eyes moving and blinking.

Two animated trailers.

'Evolution of the Invasion', a 50 minute feature, narrated by Frazer Hines.

Photo gallery.

Nicholas Courtney's original links to camera which were included in the 1993 VHS release in order to explain the storyline of the missing episodes

[Pamela]

Got to be The Invasion for me-even though there's other strong contenders in the list.
That animation is heaven on a stick.

[Perry Vale]

Oops, I got the year wrong!

I voted for 'The Beginning', as the whole package wins out for me, and loved the inclusion of Marco Polo & the interviews with Delia Derbyshire.


(Mods - Can I edit the poll to correct the year?)

[Rob McCow]

I think I'm going to have to remind myself of the special features and stuffs before I decide which of these I preferred. We got a lot of Tom this year, with hardly anything from the eighties!
I'm tempted to say The Invasion for the stunning clean-up job they did on the surviving episodes, but I also want to vote for Inferno for the mysterious Nicholas Courtney belch noise, as pointed out by Lissa.

[Ralph]

We got a lot of Tom this year, with hardly anything from the eighties!

Some people are never happy

[Wayne]

I deliberated between The Beginning & Genesis, but the latter wins out, because it's my favourite story.

[SiHart]

The Beginning for me I think. It was very close between that release and The Invasion, but The Beginning swings it for Delia Derbyshire rarities! These are the things that really interest me.

I have to say that the standard of extras on The Beginning set was really high, which is always important to me. The Origins Doc was fascinating, and the other bits of pieces were all good.

The Leisure Hive is still my all time favourite DVD though... so far... it might not be for much longer however!

Si xx

[Phillip Culley]

It has to be The Invasion for giving us the opportunity of seeing the missing episodes in (probably) the most complete format we'll ever see.

However, the Beginning boxset does come very close for having a fantastic set of extras, and being another one of those packages that shows that the Who DVDs are the best TV-show-on-DVD packages there are!

[Paul Clement]

Because of the number of stories it's got, I chose the Beginnings Boxset. I haven't got Invasion yet, but that has been the one I've most looked forward to. Still am.

[Stephen Morgan]

Although Inferno's my favourite story I voted for The Beginning Boxset, mainly for it's contents, the docu's, the rarities. It's a really great package.
I can't comment on Invasion as I haven't seen it yet, my birthday's coming.

[Milky Tears]

The Invasion for me. Delia's teeth completely destroyed The Beginning Boxset!!

[Larry]

very tough choice 2006 was probably the best year we had for DVD release but just for the extras and the wonderfull cleaned up pictures I've got to plump for The Beginning box set.

[Andrew Curnow]

I'm really torn between "The Invasion" and "The Beginning" - the latter has an amazing set of extras, whereas the former was just such a first with the whole animation thing... I'm going for "The Beginning", but only just!

[Captain Tancredi]

Andrew, I would have been slightly peeved if you'd gone for 'Hand of Fear' or 'Mark of the Rani'...

I've gone for 'The Beginning' too, if only because even though I've played all the discs at least once I don't think I've seen half of all there is. Just scrapes it over 'The Invasion'.

[Jonno]

Like a lot of you, I'm favouring The Beginning over The Invasion - both of them excellent value for money, but the importance of the former in terms of showing how it all began, plus not forgetting Marco Polo either and all those excellent extras shades it over the novely of the two animated episodes of the latter.

Overall though, it's been a great year for the range after the rather lacklustre line up of last year.

And isn't it great to have polls which aren't limited to just 5 choices?!

[Rob McCow]

Astounding clean-up job and cartoon Troughton means that Invasion wins the day for me. Paggggg-ah. Now at last we can see what the Cyber Planner looks like and Zoe's thighs!
"We didn't recognise you from The Invasion VHS release! You know her thighs!"

[Jonno]

Admit it man, you just love the animated cows, and especially the one staring into the scanner!

[Andrew Curnow]

Although, as a fanboy who knows the scanner eye to be in the light atop the police box, I ought to complain about how incorrect that 'cowshot' is...

[Pip Madeley]

Not to mention the TARDIS being the TV Movie one as seen in Shalka...

We're doomed, you and I, Andrew.

[Dave Tudor]

Well I've only got three - Genesis, Inferno, and The Beginning - the latter of which remains unwatched (I'll get round to it), but my vote goes to Inferno - nice clean-up job, good extras, and it's a fan-bloody-tastic story.

[Andy Frankham]

'The Invasion' wins for me, although there are some great contenders.

[Thasc]

I've voted for The Hand of Fear

Eldrad must live

I hadn't seen this particular story since it was first transmitted it was nice watching it again

[Ralph]

I must say I really enjoyed all the DVDs last year - I don't think this year will match it somehow. I voted for Inferno in the end as I looked forward to that one the most and I really enjoyed the extras.