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Filmmaking tips and tricks. History of filmmaking. Short segments about how I made some pieces of my work. Doctor Who Nightmare On Elm Street. follow me: Twitter: @rtalalay Insta: Rachel Talalay

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. As a lifelong fan, it completely frustrates me that this remains an ongoing issue — far worse than the 2009 Specials having their end credits format changed, which Matthew Purchase brilliantly documented on his blog. I previously mulled over this issue on the DWC. With the 2020 Blu-ray steelbook also being the latest Series 5 physical release, my original article stated that it “managed to retain the original broadcast versions,” which has sadly turned out to be incorrect. The reason for this is because I was informed a while back that it features the streaming edits of the episodes (as seen on Netflix, HBO Max, etc.) that keep the trailers intact. Furthermore, The Millennium Effect noted that the streaming edits have been slowed from the standard 25fps speed to 24fps with pitch correction for the steelbook, just like Series 1-4 receiving the exact same treatment for their first Blu-ray releases in 2013. Unfortunately, I didn’t purchase the Series 5 steelbook at the time of release, so to quote Joshua Naismith (David Harewood) from The End of Time (Part 1), “let’s just say I acquired it.” Through eBay, that is. All this has since gone unnoticed by the general public, so please allow me to provide the evidence I have gathered. Firstly, The Eleventh Hour is the only Series 5 episode to have the most number of edits, due to multiple versions being officially produced. Here are some key changes: The standard BBC “blocks” logo is replaced with the BBC Worldwide variant in the pre-titles. This is exclusive to The Complete Fifth Series DVD/Blu-ray releases and the streaming edits. The lightning sound effects are omitted from the title sequence with the Series 4 theme sting mixed in at the start, followed by a fire effect surrounding the TARDIS after the Series 5 logo reveal. These are exclusive to the Series 5 Volume 1 DVD release and the streaming edits. The final scene with Amy’s wedding dress cuts straight to the end credits after fading out, omitting the Coming Soon trailer. This is exclusive to the Series 5 Volume 1 and The Complete Fifth Series DVD/Blu-ray releases. At the start of the end credits, the merchandise version of the Series 5 logo zooms towards the screen before the credits start rolling, with the cast names presented in order of appearance (bar Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, the two leads). These are exclusive to the Series 5 Volume 1 DVD release and the streaming edits. At the end of the Coming Soon trailer, the scene with the Eleventh Doctor shooting the gravity globe, from The Time of Angels, cuts to black with the DW icon and the final bars of “I Am The Doctor” (featured in the broadcast version) omitted, before cutting straight to the Series 5 merchandise logo in the end credits. This is exclusive to the streaming edits. Most DVD/Blu-ray releases — including the streaming edits — have the BBC Cymru Wales endboard replaced with the BBC Worldwide ident (trimming the final bars of the theme music), after the end credits. Before you continue reading, please watch The Eleventh Hour video comparisons below. (You will also find links to other related videos as I go along.) I will never forget how much I enjoyed the epic Coming Soon trailer as The Eleventh Hour first aired on 3rd April 2010, previewing the remainder of Matt Smith’s first full series as the Eleventh Doctor. The best way to show what’s yet to come. Such a massive disappointment that it ended up being omitted from the home media releases (bar the 2020 steelbook/streaming edits). The Beast Below is notably the only Series 5 episode to use the theme music in the Next Time trailer for Victory of the Daleks, followed by the “Middle 8” in the end credits. This only applies to the broadcast version, while the DVD/Blu-ray version uses the ‘standard’ shortened theme as the final scene cuts straight to the credits. The Vampires of Venice also has this unique, one-off practice of transitioning from the final scene to the time vortex through the TARDIS keyhole. Both the broadcast and DVD/Blu-ray versions do this, with only the former going straight to the Next Time trailer for Amy’s Choice. For The Big Bang, the broadcast version of the end credits concludes with a “Doctor Who Will Return Christmas 2010″ caption and the BBC Cymru Wales endboard, while all DVD/Blu-ray releases only have the credits cutting straight to the BBC Worldwide ident. And on a minor note, the original broadcast version of Victory of the Daleks includes a trailer promoting City of the Daleks (The Adventure Games) after the credits. All Series 5 episodes (plus A Christmas Carol) use the practice of incorporating the BBC logo into the pre-titles, while Flesh and Stone and Cold Blood are the only episodes that use the correct practice of incorporating the BBC logo into the title sequence (which all episodes should have done in the first place), due to having Previously recaps at the start. As much as I dislike the former practice, and prefer the BBC logo appearing in the title sequence, replacing the “blocks” logo with the amateurish Worldwide variant just ruins the whole thing. While I’m glad that the Series 6 DVD/Blu-ray releases didn’t repeat the same mistakes with the Next Time trailers and the BBC logo, there are a few minor errors not present in the broadcast versions that I have to point out. The broadcast versions of The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon use the “A BBC America and BBC Cymru Wales co-production” endboard, hence it being partially filmed in the US. The DVD/Blu-ray versions instead use the ‘standard’ BBC Cymru Wales variant. Like with The Big Bang, the broadcast version of The Wedding of River Song end credits concludes with a “Doctor Who Will Return Christmas 2011″ caption and the BBC Cymru Wales endboard (featuring a Silent sound effect). The DVD/Blu-ray versions instead use the “A BBC America and BBC Cymru Wales co-production” endboard, as if they swapped places with the two-part opener. Even with omitting the dedication to Elisabeth Sladen (featured at the start of The Impossible Astronaut, displaying her incorrect birth year of 1948; she was born in 1946) from repeat airings and all home media releases, it’s bizarre that the two-part opener and the finale would swap endboards for no clear reason. At the time Series 5 Volume 1 was released on DVD/Blu-ray, in June 2010, Radio Free Skaro reported on the Next Time trailer issue and reprinted two separate complaint response emails from 2Entertain Programming Manager Ally Ward, who revealed that the decision to exclude them “was made at Executive level in 2009.” You can also check out the comments section in their article, with one in particular that shared Ian Levine expressing disapproval of the 2Entertain decision: “Having bought each and every Doctor Who DVD that you release, I am disgusted that you are releasing the current Matt Smith series without the “Next Time” trailers contained in the episodes. With Doctor Who, there is often a feeling amongst fans that 2 Entertain try to make as much money as they can while giving little back. “I am reliably informed that this time ”The decision not to include “Next Time’s” was made at Executive level in 2009.” This is disgrace frankly. If you’re going to release your programs [sic], they should be done without unnecessary cuts or edits. This is done for no good reason at all, smacks of boardroom bureaucracy and lack of care, and grossly offends me as one of your customers. It’s time you had some customer loyalty. A similar thing is currently happening with one of your releases of the old classic series. The Mind Of Evil from 1971 has not been released because episode one will cost money to restore back to its original colour, and so consequently has been pushed back to the end of the release commitment, with no promise of it being in colour at all once it is eventually released. You make multi millions from Doctor Who, and it’s time you worried less about the amount of your profit and more about the fans who buy your product. Sometimes I am ashamed. And this is as someone who has helped you with tons of rare extras in the past. Ian Levine” Whatever your views on Levine, he makes a valid point. The BBC/2Entertain executives are ultimately responsible for this, showing little regard to die-hard fans and casual viewers alike. It’s highly unlikely we’ll ever learn the truth about what the executives decided behind closed doors. The only way you can access the original broadcast versions of Series 5 is by watching them on BBC iPlayer and purchasing the episodes on iTunes (via Apple TV). I know that some fans prefer skipping the trailers to avoid spoilers (fair enough), but it’s imperative that the broadcast versions get physically released on DVD and Blu-ray. The trailers may arguably be redundant, but no, it’s the poorly edited versions that are entirely redundant. What if the episodes suddenly vanish from iPlayer, without any notice? Think of it as like the cracks in time erasing them from existence, or the Silence making you forget you ever watched the Next Time trailers, with the BBC Worldwide logo and ident being used as perception filters. That would allow the originals to become lost media like the 97 Classic black and white episodes, leaving future generations of fans unaware of how they were originally transmitted in 2010. Plus, let’s not forget that directors and editors hone their skills on these trailers, so they’re an important step in the creative process. With BBC Three repeating Series 5 on Saturdays, now is the right time to raise awareness about the persistent issue. Open discussions on social media and forums are welcome, but I would also suggest emailing DVD enquiries at BBC Studios to ask that they release the original broadcast versions on DVD/Blu-ray, and perhaps even an updated steelbook (using the current 2022 logo); all running at the correct speed of 25fps. To own a physical copy of The Complete Fifth Series featuring every single episode as originally transmitted (trailers and BBC “blocks” logo intact, with the Worldwide ident omitted) wouldn’t only generate an increase in sales and popularity, but would also open a new opportunity for casual viewers to try out Doctor Who for the first time. Like this: Like Loading...

Did you know there’s been no physical release of the 2010 series as it was originally transmitted?

Police search former Dr Who star’s property and are seen leaving with boxes The actor Noel Clarke has been arrested by police at his family home in London. Detectives searched the former Dr Who star’s property in Kensington and officers were seen leaving the address with boxes apparently containing a laptop and documents. Continue reading...