What was the first Doctor Who you videoed?

[Jonno]

Yeah, I cut out all credits bar the opening of the first episode and closing of the last episode. But then as most of my stories were in 45 minute formats, this was quite easy to do. Quite apart from the practicality of fitting two stories on one tape, I had no interest in sitting through credits so why bother recording them? In fact, even when buying the episodic releases in the 90s, I'd tend to fast forward all the credits bar the first and last ones as above. Ironic then that these days I lament the fact that you can't read the credits on modern TV!

[Andrew Curnow]

I always recorded the credits and, maybe just because I'm lazy, bits of the stuff before and after as well. I've got various snippets from the Wogan show on my off-airs, and in fact when TGSITG part 3 was on over Christmas 1988 I was away so set the time with such a wide margin that I've got about ten minutes of Jimmy Stewart on Wogan.

In those far off days, the McCoy era routine was always to watch the episode - watch the recording the same night (usually about an hour after it had finished, if Dad was watching/taping Rockliffe's babies or somesuch) and then to watch it many times during the week before the next episode. Whereas nowadays, although I always religiously tape the episodes (yes, with credits!) I hardly ever rewatch them.

[Dino]

Time and the Rani and as a bad tribute to BBC Video I used to try and edit it so the cliffhangers ran into the next episode... with varying results...

[Perry Vale]

My family got it's first VCR on the same day Channel 4 launched, which was 2nd Nov 1982, so I supsect that the first story I recorded was Arc Of Infinity.

Unless anyone knows of any repeats shown between then & January 1983?

[Ralph]

I didn't as we got a VCR in 1983

[Antony Cox]

Yeah, I cut out all credits bar the opening of the first episode and closing of the last episode.

I would have thought that when it came to Paradise Towers, you would have cut the story and just kept the titles and credits...

[Anthony Williams]

Ghost Light - from the UK Gold repeats in 94/95/96 (can't remember when, exactly)

[Larry]

I certainly have no mememory of recording any Doctor Who prior to sylvestor Mccoy I know I taped a couple of his episodes but I haven't a clue what they were.

[Jonno]

I would have thought that when it came to Paradise Towers, you would have cut the story and just kept the titles and credits...

Oh don't worry Ant, that didn't get recorded! I was away from home anyway for most of the McCoy era as that coincided with all 3 of my years at Poly. I did have Remembrance on video so I must have got my parents to record that but that was the only story I retained between S23 & S26 inclusive.

[Si Hunt]

"Aliens of London". I was a tender 17 year old, not yet broken in.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

I believe you.

[johnnybear]

Destiny of The Daleks on the 1980 repeat run but I only ever kept episode two for some obscure reason! Then episode four of City of Death before recording and keeping Keeper of Traken and then the entire Five Faces of Doctor Who in 1981!
JB

[tony ingram]

Attack of the Cybermen part one, the first episode broadcast after we got our first VCR. I taped the whole season, but stupidly tried to edit parts one and two together, not realising that the tape would roll back a bit before recording; consequently, while part one ended with the Cyberleader shouting at his subordinates to kill Peri and the others and part two actually began with the Doctor yelling for them to stop because they need them alive, to which Peri replies "I agree", my edited copy has the Cyberleader shouting at his subordinates to kill them and Peri immediately saying "I agree", which somewhat changes the tone of the scene...

[johnnybear]

Rollback was the risk when doing your own copies on video as I remember so I used to wait until the last possible moment before pressing record...
JB