I have written an article to push the case for releasing the broadcast versions of Doctor Who Series 5 on DVD and Blu-ray.
To provide a brief overview, here’s a portion of the opening paragraph:
All 13 Doctor Who Series 5 episodes have suffered from multiple edits and errors in the DVD/Blu-ray releases, from replacing the BBC “blocks” logo with the BBC Worldwide variant, to removing the Next Time trailers. The broadcast versions, as originally transmitted on BBC One, have never received any physical home media releases, making it the only revival era series (2005-2025) to not have such treatment.
Once you’ve finished reading my article, feel free to share it with others as wide as possible. And you’re more than welcome to share your thoughts below.
It has come to my attention that stock library tracks were used for several Series 5 Next Time trailers. I’m not sure if it has any links with the DVD/Blu-ray releases omitting them, but I hope it’s just a coincidence.
Not fully related to the subject, but I recently started a petition to erase the BBC Worldwide logo from TV show DVD/Blu-ray/digital releases (Doctor Who included). Please sign and share!
Hey guys, I’ve done a full compilation of the Series 5 Next Time trailer, reconstructed from the 2020 Steelbook release. Please watch it on YouTube and sign my petition.
I genuinely don’t understand what the problem is. Is it not a good thing that they cut out the neat time trailers? It saves you from being spoiled by the next episode, it is not as it is part of the story. Am I missing something?
Might just be me, but Next Time trailers are an essential part of the DW experience. Even if I’m rewatching individual episodes rather than doing a full rewatch, I’ll always watch the trailer for next week
I’m certain they will, but this is more than just a logo. This is about giving the original broadcast versions a proper physical release, without the redundant BBC Worldwide branding.
It isn’t. I’d say the chopping of next time trailers sucks more than a logo change, but even those don’t directly impact the episodes so it’s unlikely that’ll ever be changed too.
As I understand it, the reason for this petition is that the Series 5 episodes on DVD do not 100% resemble the episodes as they were broadcast on TV. So the logo has to look like original BBC TV logo from 2010, not the BBC Worldwide logo which is on the DVDs. What difference this makes to one’s enjoyment of the episodes themselves, I have no idea.
I’m also assuming that, in the interests of authenticity, the animated Graham Norton that appeared at the end The Time of Angels will also be included.
Okay… let me make it clear that I’ve no intention of requesting for the Graham Norton interruption to be included on a future DVD/Blu-ray release. But everyone’s welcome to have a laugh about it. And to clarify on the “original broadcast versions”, BBC should use the TX masters without continuity announcements.
If anyone isn’t clear on the specific issues that I’ve pointed out, please allow me to present a few examples as evidence.
Exhibit A: The Eleventh Hour title sequence with a fire effect surrounding the TARDIS. This is present on the Series 5 Steelbook 2020 release and the Series 5 Volume 1 DVD. (Watch the opening comparisons on YouTube.)
Exhibit B: A video comparison between the BBC logos (“blocks” and Worldwide variants) in the Series 5 pre-titles (including A Christmas Carol), as featured on the home media releases. All part of the redundant BBC Worldwide branding.
Exhibit C: The merchandise variant of the Series 5 logo at the start of The Eleventh Hour end credits, which zooms towards the camera. This is present on the Series 5 Steelbook 2020 release and the Series 5 Volume 1 DVD. (Watch the closing comparisons on YouTube.)
Exhibit D: The BBC Worldwide ident, which replaces the BBC Cymru Wales endboard in the end credits of each Series 5 episode and trims the final bars of the closing theme. You can see why the editing is problematic.
I have watch your video 4 times and I se no difference between the two versions.
Do you feel like it is annoying that it moves or why is this a problem?
I could see the difference here but don’t really see the problem.
Okay. Why is it important what logo it is after the credits?
I dont see why the editing is problematic. I am sorry, I have really tried to understand you, but I really don’t get it. I could maybe see why you would like to have the next time trailer, but the rest are just small details that don’t make any difference. I understand why people brought up the Norton thing because, to me, these things are the same as that. Things change a small bit for the DVD releases but nothing that affects the episode.
There are major differences, and these edits do affect the Series 5 episodes overall (because it’s not how they were originally transmitted on BBC1, and later added to iPlayer, in 2010). If you look closely at the TARDIS in the title sequence (side-by-side), the one on the right has a fire effect surrounding it.
There are some differences, but to me they don’t change the content of the episode in any significant way that negatively impacts my enjoyment. I really do not think there is a big enough public demand for the BBC to release new versions with the changes you’re after. I can’t see it being financially viable for them.
