"He's back and it's about £19.99..."

TV In the believe it when we see it slot, a pre-order page has turned up at Amazon related to a blu-ray release of Doctor Who's TV Movie on 19 September 2016.

If you can detect a note of caution, it's because ...

(1) Over the years the Doctor Who Restoration Team have explained how complicated it would be to remaster the TV Movie for blu-ray. Even though all of the rushes still exist, ala Star Trek: The Next Generation, they really didn't have the budget to go back and re-edit the whole thing and remake the necessary special effects. Or the time.

(2) The BBC hasn't released a dvd of "classic" Doctor Who since the grudging release of The Underwater Menace last year and to suddenly have this pop into the schedule now seems out of the character.

(3) There have been no announcements. In the past Doctor Who Magazine would have had a preview at least this close to a release (usually).

(4) It's listed as being published by 2Entertain which has only really existed as a spine logo for years so anal fans like me can have everything matching on the shelf.

(5)  Some have speculated it'll just be an upscale of existing restored prints.  But again that seems unlikely and out of character.

On the positive side, the TV Movie is twenty years old this year. But wouldn't you think they'd have this ready for the anniversary of the actual broadcast rather than several months later?

Nevertheless, I've pre-ordered it anyway.  We'll see.

Update 30/07/2016 The Merchandise Guide has added a page for this but it could just be a reaction to the Amazon page.

Update 02/08/2016 So I asked the party newsletter and ...



That was subsequently backed up by BBC Worldwide talking to Doctor Who News. Two disk release, no news of extras, but you have to imagine one of them will be Night of the Doctor. My guess is it'll otherwise be a retread of whatever was on the dvd release, unless they've licensed Bidding Adieu or some Big Finish material. Unless they also take the opportunity to include both the uncensored and broadcast versions.

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