This was the third season released, on 18th March 2019 in the UK. On 3rd July 2021, Season 18 (along with Season 10) was reissued in standard packaging, with a shorter booklet.
Sources
All stories are taken from D3 copies of the original 2″ transmission masters, with credits rebuilt in true HD (including for K9 and Company). The Brighton beach film sequence from the opening of The Leisure Hive exists and was used for a short piece of true HD material too. No particular issues were reported by the Restoration Team when preparing for the DVD releases, except for the heavy use of Quantel effects through the season which created some low-resolution sequences that needed careful correction.
UK Release History
| VHS | VHS Art | DVD | DVD Art | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Leisure Hive | 6/1/97 | Colin Howard | 5/7/04 | Clayton Hickman |
| Meglos | 10/3/03 | Uncredited [Black Sheep] | 10/1/11 | Lee Binding |
| Full Circle | 3/11/97 | Uncredited [Black Sheep] | 26/1/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| State of Decay | 3/11/97 | Uncredited [Black Sheep] | 26/1/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| Warrior’s Gate | 3/11/97 | Uncredited [Black Sheep] | 26/1/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| The Keeper of Traken | 7/6/93 | Andrew Skilleter | 29/1/07 | Clayton Hickman |
| Logopolis | 2/3/92 | Andrew Skilleter | 29/1/07 24/6/13 | Clayton Hickman |
| K9 and Company | 7/8/94 | Colin Howard | 16/6/08 | Clayton Hickman |
The E-Space Trilogy was released as a box set in both its VHS and DVD forms. On DVD, a New Beginnings box set contained Traken, Logopolis and Castrovalva (in the VHS era, Logopolis and Castrovalva were intentionally released in the same month). Logopolis also appeared on the 2013 Regenerations DVD box set. K9 and Company was released as part of K9 Tales with The Invisible Enemy. Meglos featured a reversible cover due to the change in BBC logo. For more information on the VHS releases, see our VHS Guide.
All of the restored episodes, devoid of extras, were issued as part of the Doctor Who DVD Files magazine (2009-14) across the following issues: 46: Logopolis (6th October 2010), 69: The Keeper of Traken (24th August 2011), 85: Full Circle (4th April 2012), 86: State of Decay (18th April 2012), 87: Warriors’ Gate (2nd May 2012), 98: The Leisure Hive (3rd October 2012), and 109: Meglos (6th March 2013). The numbering system erronerously had both The Keeper of Traken and Warriors’ Gate as “Fourth Doctor Story 40”.
Summary
Information text is updated from the originals by Richard Molesworth (The Leisure Hive), Stephen James Walker (Meglos), Richard Bignell (Full Circle), Nicholas Pegg (State of Decay) and Martin Wiggins (Warriors’ Gate, The Keeper of Traken, Logopolis and K9 and Company).
Behind the Sofa are:
- Tom Baker, June Hudson and John Leeson
- Wendy Padbury, Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton
- John Leeson, Sean Chapman and Gillian Martell (K9 and Company only)
All episodes are presented in their original mono format, along with 5.1 options for The Leisure Hive (from the original DVD) and Warriors’ Gate (new) and isolated score for every story (all of which had appeared on DVD). These are all for the main episodes only; K9 and Company is presented only with a mono soundtrack.
Updated special effects are available on Logopolis, in a newly-created feature from Niel Bushnell, which included specially filmed footage of Tom Baker stand-in Ethan Jones performing the ‘stunt’ from the story’s finale, with new material of Joddrell Bank shot by Chris Chapman.
Audio navigation is provided by Tom Baker.
Disc Layout
With the exception of the audio commentaries, titles are as they appear on the menu screen (and in the same order), with explanatory information in square brackets.
The disc layout was previewed in Doctor Who Magazine 535 (released 7 February 2019, cover date March 2019) with the features listed out of order, and with alternate titles.
Disc 1: The Leisure Hive (1:27:14)
Commentary #1 with Lalla Ward, Lovett Bickford, Christopher H. Bidmead (from DVD).
Commentary #2 with Tom Baker, moderated by Matthew Sweet (new).
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary: [A New Beginning] | SD | 30:19 | The Leisure Hive |
| From Avalon to Argolis | SD | 14:20 | The Leisure Hive |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 29:13 | New |
| Studio Footage | SD | 26:22 | New |
| Synthesising Starfields | SD | 9:15 | The Leisure Hive |
| Clean Opening & Closing Titles | HD | 1:57 | Meglos [Easter Egg] |
| Costume Featurette [Leisure Wear] | SD | 6:50 | The Leisure Hive |
| Blue Peter [Longleat Exhibition] | SD | 3:58 | The Leisure Hive |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 5:22 | Replaces 3:36 version on The Leisure Hive [Easter Egg] |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 8:13 | Alternate SD 6:01 on original release |
| Coming Soon [Meglos] | SD | 1:07 | The Seeds of Doom |
Total contents: 3:44:10
- No material was removed from the original DVD to create this Blu-Ray.
- In the DWM preview, Clean Opening & Closing Titles were considered a new feature. “Revised” production subtitles were listed for all stories except The Leisure Hive and Meglos, though these had also been updated.
Disc 2: Meglos (1:27:11)
Commentary with Lalla Ward, Christopher Owen, John Flanagan, Paddy Kingsland and Peter Howell
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meglos Men | SD | 18:12 | Meglos |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 28:25 | New |
| The Scene-Sync Story | SD | 11:04 | Meglos |
| Jacqueline Hill Tribute | SD | 12:56 | Meglos |
| BBC News Report [24.10.80 Tom Baker’s departure] | SD | 4:32 | Short clip on Logopolis |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 3:02 | New |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 6:16 | Alternate SD 4:18 on original disc |
| Coming Soon | SD | 1:12 | Battlefield |
Total contents: 2:52:50
- Coming Soon: The Mutants (from the original DVD) moved to Season 9
- Entropy Explained (from the original DVD) moved to Disc 7
- Clean Opening and Closing Titles (Easter Egg from the original DVD) moved to Disc 1
Disc 3: Full Circle (1:32:58)
Commentary with Matthew Waterhouse, Andrew Smith, Christopher H Bidmead
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary [All Aboard the Starliner] | SD | 24:20 | Full Circle |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 26:28 | New |
| Studio Footage [mute] | SD | 9:30 | New |
| K9 in E-Space | SD | 4:28 | Full Circle |
| A Weekend with Waterhouse | HD | 40:11 | New |
| Swap Shop [1.11.80 Matthew Waterhouse] | SD | 8:08 | Full Circle |
| BBC News Report [5.11.80 Peter Davison announced] | SD | 0:31 | Logopolis |
| Nationwide [5.11.80 Peter Davison] | SD | 3:42 | Logopolis |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 6:35 | New – alternate 2:56 compilation was on original DVD |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 7:59 | Alternate SD 5:49 on original disc |
| Science Featurette | SD | 14:35 | Full Circle |
Total contents: 3:59:25
- Coming Soon: The Rescue/The Romans (from the original DVD) moved to Season 2
Disc 4: State of Decay (1:35:01)
Commentary #1 with Matthew Waterhouse, Terrance Dicks, Peter Moffatt from original DVD.
Commentary #2 with Lalla Ward, Rachel Davies, moderated by Matthew Sweet
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary [The Vampire Lovers] | SD | 20:25 | State of Decay |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 21:17 | New |
| Film Trims | SD | 5:33 | State of Decay |
| BBC News report [13.12.80 Tom Baker and Lalla Ward’s wedding] | SD | 0:26 | Logopolis |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 3:33 | State of Decay |
| Pickwick Audiobook | Audio | 58:26 | New |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 5:10 | Alternate SD 4:03 on original disc |
| Leaves of Blood | SD | 17:05 | State of Decay |
| The Blood Show | SD | 10:30 | State of Decay |
| The Frayling Reading | SD | 4:37 | State of Decay |
Total contents: 4:02:03
- Coming Soon: The Rescue/The Romans (from the original DVD) moved to Season 2
Disc 5: Warriors’ Gate (1:34:05)
Commentary with Lalla Ward, Jonh Leeson, Christopher H Bidmead, Paul Joyce and Mat Irvine
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary [The Dreaming] | SD | 27:10 | Warriors’ Gate |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 23:11 | New |
| Extended & Deleted Scenes | SD | 4:12 | Warriors’ Gate |
| Lalla’s Wardrobe | SD | 18:58 | Warriors’ Gate |
| The Axe Man [Mat Irvine out-take] | SD | 1:04 | Warriors’ Gate [Easter Egg] |
| Swap Shop [31.01.81 Mat Irvine] | SD | 9:19 | New |
| Prime Computer Adverts | SD | 3:07 | Destiny of the Daleks |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 2:05 | Alternate 2:00 on original disc |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 8:23 | Alternate SD 4:46 on original disc |
Total contents: 3:11:34
- Coming Soon: The Rescue/The Romans (from the original DVD) moved to Season 2
- The Boy With the Golden Star (from the original DVD) moved to Season 19.
Disc 6: The Keeper of Traken (1:38:04)
Commentary with Anthony Ainley, Sarah Sutton, Matthew Waterhouse, Johnny Byrne
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary [Being Nice to Each Other] | SD | 30:02 | The Keeper of Traken |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 21:06 | New |
| The Return of the Master | SD | 9:40 | The Keeper of Traken |
| Commentary Extra [out-take] | SD | 2:56 | New |
| Swap Shop [31.01.1981 Sarah Sutton] | SD | 11:16 | The Keeper of Traken |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 6:35 | New – alternate 5:56 compilation was on original DVD |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 7:25 | Alternate SD 4:46 on original disc |
Total contents: 3:07:04
- The DVD release included a 19-second dedication to Anthony Ainley presented after Part Four, removed from this release
Disc 7: Logopolis (1:38:29)
Commentary with Tom Baker, Janet Fielding, Christopher H. Bidmead
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary [Hanging on a Thread] | HD | 58:06 | New |
| A New Body at Last | SD | 50:23 | Logopolis |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 26:47 | New |
| Studio Footage | SD | 21:07 | New. Rated 12. An extract would later appear in Talking Doctor Who in 2023, with reactions from David Tennant. |
| Audio Restoration | Audio | 3:10 | New |
| BBC1 Continuity | SD | 5:57 | New – alternate 2:23 compilation was on original DVD |
| The Five Faces of Doctor Who | SD | 4:11 | The Three Doctors/SE, Carnival of Monsters/SE |
| Tomorrow’s Times [The Fourth Doctor] | SD | 14:06 | The Face of Evil |
| Stripped for Action [The Fourth Doctor] | SD | 20:20 | The Seeds of Doom |
| Doctor Who Stories [Tom Baker] | SD | 22:56 | Terror of the Zygons |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 8:33 | Alternate SD 5:07 on original disc |
| Science Featurette | SD | 4:54 | Meglos |
Total contents: 5:38:59
- Nationwide: Tom Baker (from the original DVD) moved to Season 17
- Nationwide: Peter Davison (from the original DVD) moved to Disc 3
- Pebble Mill at One: Peter Davison (from the original DVD) moved to Season 19
- News Items: Tom’s wedding, Tom’s departure and Peter’s arrival (all from the original DVD) split up and moved to Discs 2 and 3
Disc 8: K9 and Company (50:00) / Bonus
Commentary with Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, Linda Polan, Eric Saward
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The K9 Files | SD | 11:42 | K9 and Company |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 36:19 | New |
| Brendan and Company | HD | 13:33 | New |
| Pebble Mill at One [23.12.81 K9] | SD | 2:41 | K9 and Company |
| Trailers and Continuity | SD | 2:11 | K9 and Company |
| Happy Christmas Trailer | SD | 0:46 | New |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 5:25 | Alternate SD 3:02 on original disc |
| A Dog’s Tale | SD | 3:27 | K9 and Company |
| The Writers’ Room | HD | 35:17 | New |
| The Fourth Doctor Revisited | HD | 25:28 | The Doctors Revisited 1-4 (2013 US/Australian DVD) |
| 50th Anniversary Archive [Matthew Waterhouse] | HD | 7:44 | New |
| The Panopticon Archive [Tom Baker] | SD | 59:21 | New. Rated 12. |
| Commercial Break [New Zealand Superannuation Services] | SD | 3:12 | New |
| Blu-Ray Trailer | HD | 2:42 | New |
| Studio Clocks | SD | 4:15 | New |
| Scratchman Trailer | HD | 0:16 | New |
| Castrovalva Continuity [Fixed from original release on S19] | SD | 5:25 | The Collection: Season 19 BD, with a sound fault |
Total contents: 4:29:44
- Coming Soon: The Brain of Morbius (from the original DVD) expected to be moved to Season 13
- The Scratchman Trailer and Castrovalva Continuity were not mentioned in the DWM preview
PDFs originally appeared on the following:
- The Leisure Hive: None.
- Meglos: Radio Times listings and letters.
- Full Circle: Radio Times listings, article and letters.
- State of Decay: Radio Times listings and article.
- Warriors’ Gate: Radio Times listings
- The Keeper of Traken: 1982 Annual, Radio Times listings and BBC Enterprises sales documents for this season.
- Logopolis: 1982 Annual, Radio Times listings and BBC Enterprises sales documents for this season.
- K9 and Company: Radio Times listings, K9 Annual and K9 series from Sparrow Books.
Errata
- The mono mix on The Leisure Hive was incorrect; a disc replacement program resolved this.
- In Meglos, Andrew McCulloch’s name was mis-spellt McCullogh (this was corrected for the 2021 reissue).
- In Warriors’ Gate, Freddie Earlle’s name was mis-spelt Freddie Earle.
- In the final part of Logopolis, with the CGI option switched on, some of the end credits looped.
- The US version of Logopolis contained the PDFs for Earthshock.
- In the US, all HD bonuses and the final two parts of The Keeper of Traken were encoded at 60hz, causing motion blur; a disc replacement program resolved this.
DWM Bonus Disc
Doctor Who Magazine issue 544, published October 17th 2019, featured a promotional DVD with a selection of material from the range (including the forthcoming Season 26), along with an exclusive feature created for the US cinema screening of The Leisure Hive. This was later incorporated into The Collection: Season 20 in 2023.
| Messages from Space (US cinema exclusive Season 18 bonus feature, later on Season 20) | 21:14 |
| Extract: Sophie Aldred in Conversation (26) | 10:35 |
| Extract: Showman: The Life of John-Nathan Turner (26) | 10:44 |
| Extract: The Writers Room: Season 26 | 6:34 |
| Extract: The Doctor Who Cookbook: The Kipper of Traken (23) | 3:10 |
| Extract: The Doctor Who Cookbook: Dalek Soup (23) | 5:08 |
| Extract: The Doctor Who Cookbook: Lasagne (23) | 5:30 |
| Extract: Tom Baker in Conversation (12) | 11:20 |
| Extract: Behind the Sofa: Genesis of the Daleks (12) | 14:00 |
| Season 10 Trailer | 2:30 |
| Season 18 Trailer | 2:42 |
| Season 19 Trailer | 2:29 |
| Season 23 Trailer | 3:40 |
| Season 26 Trailer | 3:45 |
Total content: 1:43:21
