More than 30 Years in the TARDIS

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An extended cut version of 30 Years in the TARDIS was released on BBC Video in 1994, where it was retitled More than 30 Years in the TARDIS and restored many interviews that had to be cut for the BBC broadcast, and added several new minisodes and "skits" as well as extended footage of those already present in the televised cut.

VHS cover text[[edit] | [edit source]]

"It was sixteen minutes past five (Earth Time) on Saturday the 23rd November 1963, the day after the assassination of President Kennedy, when Doctor Who first materialised on to BBC Television. Squeezed in between the football results and the Telegoons, a legend was born".

So, from humble flickering beginnings more than 30 years ago, began the eccentric Timelord's crusade against evil. Now this fascinating documentary charts that remarkable career in time travel.

There are dozens of classics excerpts featuring all seven Doctors, clips from the widescreen trailers of the two Dalek movies starring Peter Cushing, plus recently discovered material.

More than just a nostalgic birthday programme, this unique documentary made specially for BBC Video, features:

Archive Gems

  • scenes from the missing 1965 Dalek episode "DEVIL'S PLANET"
  • colour film of WILLIAM HARTNELL at a 1966 airshow, plus pictures from his own scrapbook
  • Dalek creator TERRY NATION on WHICKER'S WORLD in 1968

Behind The Scenes

  • Action from the studio floor including CARNIVAL OF THE MONSTERS (1972), DEATH TO THE DALEKS (1973), THE CAVES OF ANDROZANI (1984), GHOSTLIGHT (1989)

Pure Nostalgia

  • BLUE PETER - the Doctor Who monster competition winners, the unveiling of the Whomobile and the War Machine
  • NATIONWIDE - the TOM BAKER interview
  • Pebble Mill at One - interview with Patrick Troughton and visual effects designer Bernard Wilkie

More Treasures From The Cutting Room Floor

  • Battlefield - the Brigadier meets Ace for the first time
  • Sophie Aldred and the water tank stunt that went wrong
  • Remembrance of the Daleks - is there more to the Doctor?

All this plus two exclusive Doctor Who commercial breaks, spoofs by CRACKERJACK and SPIKE MILLIGAN, candid moments and bloopers from across the years, specially shot interviews and an all star cast of favourite Doctors, assistants and of course, monsters.

An ultimate celebration of the world's longest running science fiction TV series, this special BBC Video includes footage from Thirty Years in the TARDIS, originally transmitted on 29 November 1993.

Main subject[[edit] | [edit source]]

The documentary featured appearances by the surviving Doctor actors, including Jon Pertwee, and numerous companions. Nicholas Courtney hosted the documentary, partially in character as the Brigadier. The documentary also included a section on the 1960s Peter Cushing films.

Dalek on a Hoverbout.

Towards the end several notable scenes occur:

  • A demonstration of how modern-day (for 1993) special effects could be applied to Doctor Who as the camera follows a boy into the TARDIS from outside, with the effects seamlessly moving from location to studio interior. Carole Ann Ford, possibly in character as an adult Susan Foreman, awaits him inside. Such a scene does not take place in Doctor Who proper until the 2012 Christmas special The Snowmen.
  • The same boy takes part in a rather sinister, cliffhanger-like sequence in which Elisabeth Sladen appears to be taken over by an alien influence. This is followed by Courtney being driven away in a limousine — driven by an Auton.
Daleks surrounding Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling.
  • Following the closing credits of the VHS release, BBC controller Alan Yentob is captured on video being evasive when asked by an interviewer about rumours of a new Doctor Who production being imminent. This is followed by a multi-layered vision sequence featuring multiple Daleks achieved through real Daleks, models and animated images. Such a high concentration of Daleks appearing on screen would not be achieved until many years later in such stories as The Parting of the Ways and Asylum of the Daleks.

Additional topics covered[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part One: Doctor Who and the Daleks
Part Two: Monsters and Companions
Part Three: Laughter & Tears Behind the Scenes

People interviewed[[edit] | [edit source]]

In order of credited appearance.

Clips seen[[edit] | [edit source]]

Clips from a wide range of Doctor Who related film were shown.

  • R.A.F. Finningly Airshow 8mm film (18 September 1965)
  • Pebble Mill at One, TX: 21 December 1973.
  • The Lively Arts: Whose Doctor Who, TX: 3 April 1977.
  • Blue Peter, TX: 5 November 1973.
  • Good Morning with Anne and Nick, TX: 20 January 1994.
  • Whicker's World: A Handful of Horrors - I Don't Like My Monsters to Have Oedipus Complexes, TX: 27 January 1968.
  • Dr. Who and the Daleks trailer.
  • Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. trailer.
  • Walls' Sky Ray advert (1967)
  • Prime Computer adverts (1979-80)
  • Looking In, TX: 7 November 1972.
  • Blue Peter, TX: 14 December 1967.
  • Blue Peter, TX: 20 June 1966.
  • Talkback, TX: 3 October 1967.
  • Crackerjack, TX: March 1974.
  • Crackerjack: Hallo My Dalek, TX: 21 March 1975.
  • Spike Milligan's Q6: "Pakistani Dalek" sketch, TX: 11 December 1975.
  • Nationwide, TX: 24 October 1980.

As well as excerpts from two songs:

Minisodes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Interspersed throughout the documentary were several short minisodes (three of which, including one split in two parts, were already present in 30 Years in the TARDIS). They included original footage and narratives, intended to display glimpses into the Doctor Who universe with all the detail that new special effects could avail it.

Some broke the fourth wall while others did not. Two of these shorts had on-screen titles; titles for several others were given in the VHS booklet as part of the "chapters list" of the documentary. However, several of the skits remained nameless.

Order Title Featuring Present in 30 Years in the TARDIS? Notes
1 Invasion of Earth Monoids, Dalek Troopers, Vogans, Autons, Second Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon, Victoria Waterfield, Dalek Yes Breaks the fourth wall. Uses stock footage from The Ark in Space, Resurrection of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, Spearhead from Space and The Web of Fear alongside new footage.
2 Susan and the Daleks Susan Foreman, Daleks Slightly longer cut than that in 30 Years in the TARDIS; split in two parts.
3 Untitled 1 Susan Who, Daleks, Robomen No N/A
4 Return of the Dinosaurs Jon Pertwee, Whomobile, dinosaur Breaks the fourth wall; split in two parts, with "Part 2" bearing the title Monsters and Companions
5 Invasion of the Cybermen Cybermen, Nicola Bryant, Colin Baker, Cybermat Yes Longer cut than that in 30 Years in the TARDIS. Breaks the fourth wall. Divided in three parts.
6 Untitled 2 Ogron, Draconian No N/A
7 Untitled 3 Sontaran Has a short stinger just before the credits.
8 Laughter and Tears Behind the Scenes Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Fifi, the Destroyer, Haemovore Breaks the fourth wall. Split in two parts. Laughter & Tears Behind the Scenes appears as the onscreen title of "Part 2", but no other title is given for the story.
9 The Auton Invasion Nicholas Courtney, Autons, Whomobile Yes Breaks the fourth wall
10 Emperor of the Daleks Dalek Emperor, Jamie McCrimmon, Victoria Waterfield No Post-credits

Crew [[edit] | [edit source]]

To be continued...?

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • VHS UK cover (PAL)

    VHS UK cover (PAL)

  • VHS UK cover fold out (PAL)

    VHS UK cover fold out (PAL)

  • VHS Australian cover (PAL)

    VHS Australian cover (PAL)

  • The Legacy Collection DVD Box Set Region 2 cover

    The Legacy Collection DVD Box Set Region 2 cover

  • Region 2 DVD cover

    Region 2 DVD cover

  • The Legacy Collection DVD Box Set Region 4 cover

    The Legacy Collection DVD Box Set Region 4 cover

  • Region 4 DVD cover

    Region 4 DVD cover

  • Shada with More than 30 Years in the TARDIS Region 1 DVD cover

    Shada with More than 30 Years in the TARDIS Region 1 DVD cover

The documentary was released as the extended More than 30 Years in the TARDIS on its own in VHS format in 1994. Preview copies of the tape had included a Weetabix advert from the 1970s, but this was edited out of the final release due to clearance difficulties.

It was included in the 2013 DVD release of the box set called The Legacy Collection.

Special features:[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Taken from Whicker's World: A Handful of Horrors - I Don't Like My Monsters to Have Oedipus Complexes, TX: 28 January 1968.
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