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Random Sci-fi Shows!

Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:11 pm
by Jishdefish
Anybody watch Doctor Who? It originally broadcasts in the UK, but I watch it on Sci-fi.

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 2:08 am
by vampirehunter42
Are you talking about the original "original episodes". If so I really wish I still had cable. Wait is Si-Fi channel on cable, I forget.

And if so, how far back have they gone? First, second,.... (and so on). I still like the Third Doctor myself, all episodes were on earth and he drove around that sweet old car. But like everyone else I do really like the fourth as well. My brother has a scarf like his.

Well to answer your question. Yes I do watch Dr. Who, for many years. I have read through most of the books as well. And I do have about 30 or so episodes on DVD, but that is not that many.

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:09 am
by Jishdefish
Unfortunately they are only showing the recent 2005 'renewal' of the series.

In 2005, media reports suggested that the Sci Fi Channel had expressed interest in the picking up the 2005 series revival, but ultimately did not do so that year. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation subsequently became the only North American broadcaster carrying the program that year, debuting it on April 5, 2005 to strong ratings...

In the Sci Fi Channel's broadcasts of Series 1, the episodes (which appear to run off the same master tapes used in Canada) were edited for time, and for added commercial breaks, although the cuts made for US broadcast appear to differ from those made for Canadian television. With commercials, the total runtime per episode is one hour. In addition, the "Next Time" trailers are edited out in favor of original Sci Fi teasers run on the right two-thirds of the screen while the original credits are "crushed" to the left.

Apparently everything good that comes to the US is never in it's complete and untampered form. Some of it is understandable though, seeing as how the first three real seasons of Doctor Who were wiped or destroyed by BBC itself when they had a different policy of keeping tapes(how much of a market they had for them usually was their policy).

Between about 1967 and 1978, large amounts of older material stored in the BBC's video tape and film libraries were destroyed or wiped. The last was due to the 405-line tapes being rendered obsolete by UK television changing to a 625-line signal, in preparation for the soon-to-begin colour transmissions. This included many old episodes of Doctor Who, mostly stories featuring the first two Doctors — William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. Archives are complete from the programme's move to colour television (starting from Jon Pertwee's time as the Doctor), although a few Pertwee episodes have required substantial restoration; a handful have been recovered only as black and white films, and several survive only as NTSC copies recovered from North America (a few of which are domestic, off-air Beta tape recordings, not transmission quality). In all, 108 of 253 episodes produced during the first six years of the programme are not held in the BBC's archives. It has been reported that in 1972 all episodes then made were known to exist at the BBC,[31] whilst by 1978 the practice of wiping tapes had ended.[32]

I would REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLLLY want to watch the beginnings of Doctor Who, because it seems very good. Unfortunately I don't think they'll ever be shown in the US because of their incompleteness. If all the remaining 'lost episodes' were to be found it would be a miracle. I wonder if Netflix has foreign shows?

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 3:14 pm
by vampirehunter42
Well they use to play them at 11pm on Saturday nights on PBS. But check out here, it is a DVD of the first couple of episodes. I have them, they are great.

I didn't know about the distruction thing, It does explane why I have only seen a couple of the 2nd Dr. episodes. Good luck on your search, it is a great show.

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:34 pm
by John
I like the new ones.

LOL, sorry. went random

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:15 pm
by Lillea
i love the new ones... better graphics and kickass storylines... and its welsh like me :mrgreen:

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:52 pm
by Silentiea
BBC Wales in association with CANADA! Oh yeah. Everything's better with a little Canadian in it.

But yeah, I like the newer ones, but what I've seen of the old ones aren't bad. They're just... old...