h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Wahey, another good interview there Timelord. I am alway very jealous when I read your stuff

And me.
*Makes note to read Cybermen section in the Doctor Who Book Of Monsters when he gets home.*

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If you feel like that now just wait till you findout that i will be on the beach for the next two weeks.
P.S.If you read this befor 4pm on saturday read page 591 on the bbc's teletext page 5/5 i have a e-mail on there letters pages.

Drats - I'm reading this 1 hour and 45 minutes late.
You've inspired me to re-watch the "Cybermen: The Early Years" video. I can't wait for January and the "Tomb Of The Cybermen" DVD.

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I'm a bit narced off about the DVD thing. Does anyone have any ideas what to do with old Dr Who videos as they come out on DVD?

I still have Tomb of the Cybermen on video from when they rush-released it with silver lettering after finding the old film in someones attic!

Great story, probably the best PT story.

So far on DVD I have "The Five Doctors", "Remembrance" and "The Movie", all of which I've been pleased with what's on them.
True, "The Five Doctors" doesn't have any extras, but the menu system is excellent, and I didn't have it on video. But you're
right, as it is extra-less, there isn't that much point in getting it on DVD when you already have it.
I think that DVD is more for the collectors, as they tend to be £10 more expensive than a video tape, that will put off a lot of casual buyers. The extras are definately a nice feature, but when you already have them, such as the UNIT Recruitment extra on "Spearhead" I recorded when it was shown before "The Planet Of The Daleks", it makes you think again.

I am impressed that they have extras on episodes of Doctor Who which are approaching 30 years old, when there are films made since the invention of DVD that contain nothing. But then, the BBC also put a few extras on some of the videos of Doctor Who - in the Cybertin, for example, there is the phone-in interview with Colin Baker. True, it isn't very exciting, but it *is* there, which shows that someone went to the trouble of finding it and including it.

At the moment I'm just going to collect episodes of Doctor Who on DVD that I don't have on video, which aren't all that many. There is no reason to get rid of old videos, and perhaps some of the DVDs will overlap what has been shown before - perhaps the interview with the director of "Tombs Of The Cybermen" is the one on the "Early Years" tape. If so, nothing new will be on the DVD.

But if you have a lot of Doctor Who videos you plan to get rid of, I can easily find them a good home

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I have got (not wishing to sound like a nutter) every video released up until 1995. I got a bit bored then (or 'grew up' according to some people), but my interest is growing again, mainly because I haven't watched any of them for so long.

I also have a pile of autographs (including Jon Pertwee and Douglas Adams) that I got when I wrote to every person I could think of associated with the programme.

What do you think of the books? I am a big reader, but I thought the 'New Adventures' were rubbish - just no atmosphere for me.

I could talk about it for hours!

I know the feeling about buying videos. I go through bursts of buying them, then I go off it for a year or so, realise I haven't watched them in ages and start again. I am currently in a buying mood, which is no good for my credit card
As to the books, I enjoyed the Virgin ones, but have never really got started on the BBC ones, and now have no idea where to begin.
What did you think of the Online audio pilot?

I haven't heard the online pilot yet.

As for the books, I've 5 of the Virgin "Missing Adventures", some of which were impressive. I've about 10 of the "New Adventures", but I haven't read them yet, 3 of the BBC Books, which I haven't read yet, plus around 20 of the Target series. The Target novelisations are quite childish, but not too bad.
I just wonder what is going to happen with the DNA plots. Wasn't he the only one allowed to write the novelisations of his scripts, and did not do it, mainly because the BBC thought his price was too high? Is that accurate? And if so, what happens now? Is the BBC able to commission another author to write novelisations of his stories, or does his family have the right to veto or commission a writer, or something else?

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