The Aztecs/ Galaxy 4 (revisted)

[SiHart]

Extras have been passed!

00:28:08:06 DOCTOR WHO - GALAXY 4
00:24:19:14 DOCTOR WHO - AIR LOCK
00:12:10:01 THE EXPLODING PLANET

and

00:49:49:14 CHRONICLE - "THE REALMS OF GOLD"
00:07:20:06 IT'S A SQUARE WORLD
00:04:31:07 (A WHOLE SCENE GOING)
00:22:33:15 DR. FOREVER! - THE CELESTIAL TOYROOM

[Stuart Wallis]

It's a Square World sounds like a Michael Bentine clip. Interesting...

[SiHart]

I believe it has Clive Dunn in it playing the Doctor in the first TV spoof of the show..

[Stuart Wallis]

Topical, sadly.

[Si Hunt]

Presumably 12 minute "narrated summaries" of the other three episodes within the other extras "Galaxy 4" being 1+2 and "Exploding Planet" being 4, and not the full-length Loose Cannon versions.

Si.

[SiHart]

I'm guessing it will be the telesnap recon they prepared for The Time Meddler but didn't release at the time.

[Fatso the wombat]

It's been confirmed elsewhere it is indeed the recon, with the bits pertaining to the recovered episode snipped out.

[Larry]

problem for me is The Aztecs is not one of my favorites so I'm not to fussed about the new package of extras so that being the case I'm really not sure I want to buy this just to see one episode. Chances are it's going to be one to wait and see when the price drops on Amazon.

[Stuart Wallis]

Ebenezer Wallis applauds your enterprise sir! It just seems rather cynical to do it this way: if they must reissue it on the back of another story, wouldn't it be better to issue Galaxy 4 and maybe both eps of Underwater Menace with The Rescue, then you can at least get both new episodes on the one disc, and still get a full story from the appropriate era.

[Dirk Gently]

Stuart, you know full well that thinking like that is just far too logical for them.

[Stuart Wallis]

It's too much for me most days. Think I'll have a lie-down...

[SiHart]

[Si Hunt]

So there's not even a new Making Of documentary for this release? Or complete audio soundtracks of the missing Galaxy 4 episodes? And who made a documentary about Doctor Who Toys without consulting David J. Howe?

Si.

[Stuart Wallis]

Stuart, you know full well that thinking like that is just far too logical for them.

That just about says it all...

[Zbigniev Hamson]

God damn it! I only own about 7 DVDs and they're sticking Airlock on one of the ones I already own!

[Si Hunt]

We saw "Airlock" (again) at Gallifrey and I remain absolutely charmed and captivated by it. I think it's a great little episode, not in the sense that it's incredible, or anything momentous happens or is seen, or even that it's especially well made. But we're peeking into a window to 1965 and just seeing what they made that week; Hartnell is quirky, there's a new Monster glimpsed, there's an entertaining turn from a guest star. And it's Doctor Who isn't it? You could watch any random episode and be entertained for twenty five minutes. It was surreal and fun to see 2000 people in a huge hall watching this creaky slice of lost monochrome television and laughing along to the bits that were meant to be funny, and a few that wern't. Experiences of watching Doctor Who in groups tend to root themselves in your mind as very happy memories.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

WExperiences of watching Doctor Who in groups tend to root themselves in your mind as very happy memories.

Si.

Very true. Two new series episodes will always be affectionately in my mind for that very reason.

[Stuart Wallis]

God damn it! I only own about 7 DVDs and they're sticking Airlock on one of the ones I already own!

Grief, even I own more than that! One of us needs to get out more...

[Stephen Morgan]

I haven't minded Airlock being on this release, logically this was the only one it could appear on, and I've barely been able to conceal my excitement at seeing a Hartnell episode that I haven't seen for almost 50 years.
The recon was excellent and really put episode three into context, and while Galaxy Four might not be the best the Hartnell era had to offer I still think it was a story well told with some great characterisation and dialogue. I see no reason why The Underwater Menace couldn't be presented in a similar way.

A personal memory from me regarding Airlock. I was in hospital the day this was transmitted, I'd been in for about a week with a collapsed lung, naturally I was anxious to see this but another boy in the same ward wanted to watch the first episode of a new series on "the other side". That series was Lost In Space, I impatiently watched the first few minutes but kept on to one of the nurses that I wanted to see Dr. Who. Needless to say the petulant side of me won and the TV was turned over just as The Dr. and Vicki were exploring the Rill ship. I'm 57 years old now, and this memory has lived with me since that day, for this episode to turn up in the way it did was a joy, I've been excited by its discovery and couldn't wait to see it again. We live in hope that more episodes will turn up very soon.

[Rob McCow]

Needless to say the petulant side of me won and the TV was turned over just as The Dr. and Vicki were exploring the Rill ship.

and indeed, sir!

[Stuart Wallis]

The Lads weren't working for you in those days were they?