This was the fourteenth season released, on 18th September 2023 in the UK.
Sources
All stories are taken from D3 copies of the original 2″ transmission masters, with credits rebuilt in true HD.
UK Release History
| VHS | VHS Art | DVD | DVD Art | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arc of Infinity | 7/3/94 | Pete Wallbank | 6/8/07 | Dan Budden |
| Snakedance | 5/12/94 | Colin Howard | 7/3/11 | Clayton Hickman |
| Mawdryn Undead | 2/11/92 | Andrew Skilleter | 10/9/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| Terminus | 11/1/93 | Andrew Skilleter | 10/9/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| Enlightenment | 15/2/93 | Andrew Skilleter | 10/9/09 | Clayton Hickman |
| The King’s Demons | 6/11/95 | Colin Howard | 14/6/10 | Clayton Hickman |
| The Five Doctors | 9/9/85 9/7/90 6/11/95 | Uncredited [Andrew Skilleter] Uncredited [Alister Pearson] Colin Howard | 1/11/99 3/3/08 | Colin Howard Clayton Hickman |
On VHS, The Five Doctors was released in slightly edited form in 1985, in its broadcast form in 1990, and as a Special Edition with extended footage and new CGI in 1995. In this last release, it was paired with The King’s Demons. The Black Guardian Trilogy was arived across three consecutive releases in 1992-3, while Snakedance came out the month after Kinda in 1994. For more information, see the VHS Guide.
On DVD, Arc of Infinity was released in a double-pack with Time-Flight, Snakedance was paired with Kinda the Black Guardian stories were released in a set together, and The King’s Demons in a set with Planet of Fire. The Five Doctors is the only story from this season released solo… and three times at that! It was released in its 1995 Special Edition form on a bare-bones DVD in 1999, kicking off the range. In 2007 it was one of several stories released in revised packaging, and then in 2008 a ’25th Anniversary Edition’ was released, containing both the 1995 SE, the original 1983 version, and a wealth of bonuses. Snakedance and The King’s Demons were released after a change in the BBC logo and as such had reversable covers.
Summary
Information text by James Cooray Smith and Martin Wiggins (Arc of Infinity, replacing the original by Richard Molesworth), James Cooray Smith (Snakedance, replacing the original by Jim Smith), Martin Wiggins (The Black Guardian trilogy, replacing the originals by Richard Molesworth), David Brunt (The King’s Demons, updating his original) and Paul Scoones (The Five Doctors, replacing two originals by Richard Molesworth). The Five Doctors: Special Edition (ie the 1995 version) contains a new optional text by Richard Molesworth, focussing on the making of that version.
Behind the Sofa are:
- Peter Davison and Colin Baker
- Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson
- Katy Manning and Sophie Aldred
Isolated music tracks for all stories (including both 1983 and 1995 versions of The Five Doctors, but not the 2023 version) are included, all carried over from the original DVDs.
Updated special effects by John Kelly (Arc of Infinity, from the original DVD), Chris Thompson (Snakedance Part Four, and Enlightenment, new), Rob Semenoff and Aaron J. Climas (Mawdryn Undead and Terminus, from the original DVDs).
5.1 surround options for Snakedance and The Five Doctors, plus Dolby Atmos option for The Five Doctors, all new.
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.
Disc 1: Arc of Infinity (1:38:33)
Commentary by Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, Colin Baker and Janet Fielding [2-4], recorded 2007.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | SD | 34:56 | Arc of Infinity |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 31:07 | New |
| Deleted Scenes | SD | 2:55 | Arc of Infinity |
| Omega Featurette | SD | 14:56 | Arc of Infinity |
| Saturday Superstore: Peter Davison [20.11.82] | SD | 21:11 | 14:17 edit was on Snakedance |
| Russell Harty’s Christmas Party [21.12.82] | SD | 3:32 | Englightenment |
| Captain Zep [Clip from Christmas Tape] | SD | 0:37 | New |
| Studio Footage DVD Highlights | SD | 11:32 | Arc of Infinity |
| Studio Footage Expanded | SD | 59:31 | New |
| BBC Trails and Continuities | SD | 3:42 | 3:13 version on DVD |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 9:15 | 7:47 SD version on DVD |
| Audio Archive [Ron Jones 19.06.84] | Audio | 5:22 | New |
Total disc contents: 4:57:09
- Coming Soon: The Davros Collection [Easter Egg] removed. Only available option still is Season 16.
- Coming Soon: The Time Warrior was moved to Season 10.
Disc 2: Snakedance (1:38:12)
Commentary with Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton, recorded 2010.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | SD | 24:39 | Snakedance |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 30:55 | New |
| Deleted Scenes | SD | 3:07 | Snakedance |
| Martin Clunes Interview | HD | 23:23 | New |
| The Passenger [BD set trailer] | HD | 13:03 | New |
| Christopher Bailey Interview | SD | 14:19 | Snakedance [Easter Egg] |
| Film Footage | HD | 1:01 | New |
| Studio Footage | SD | 21:14 | 6:50 edit on Snakedance |
| 50th Anniversary Archive [Matthew Waterhouse, Sarah Sutton] | HD | 36:01 | New |
| BBC Trails & Continuities | SD | 3:09 | New |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 9:18 | 5:22 SD version on DVD |
| Coming Soon [The Black Guardian Trilogy set (Mawdryn Undead, Terminus, Enlightenment)] | SD | 1:10 | The War Games |
Total disc contents: 4:39:31
- Coming Soon: Revisitations 2 likely to move to Seasons 6 and/or 21, although was not included on Season 10.
- Saturday Superstore 20.11.82 moved to Arc of Infinity.
Disc 3: Mawdryn Undead (1:37:48)
Commentary with Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, Nicholas Courtney and Eric Saward, recorded 2007.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | SD | 24:32 | Mawdryn Undead |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 33:18 | New |
| Deleted & Extended Scenes | HD | 5:17 | Mawdryn Undead |
| Film Trims | HD | 13:33 | 3:33 version on DVD |
| Outtakes | HD | 7:50 | 5:36 version on DVD |
| Mark Strickson Featurette | SD | 8:30 | Enlightenment |
| Points of View [11.2.83] | SD | 1:42 | New |
| Once Upon a Time Lord | SD | 28:23 | New |
| Convention Footage [Sarah Sutton and Mark Strickson, Monstercon 2] | SD | 47:36 | New |
| Liberty Hall [fictional piece] | SD | 7:21 | Mawdryn Undead |
| DVD Easter Eggs [trivia and countdown clocks] | SD | 1:11 | Mawdryn Undead [Easter Eggs] |
| BBC Trails & Continuity | SD | 3:48 | 0:56s of continuities on DVD |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 10:09 | 7:29 (general gallery) and 1:26 (set photos) SD on DVD |
Total disc contents: 4:50:58
- Coming Soon: The Twin Dilemma expected on Season 21.
- The DVD version also featured the studio floor plans as an Easter Egg (as well as the PDFs on the disc), not included here.
Disc 4: Terminus (1:39:16)
Commentary with Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, Sarah Sutton and Stephen Gallagher, recorded 2007.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | SD | 22:54 | Terminus |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 31:59 | New |
| In Conversation [Sarah Sutton & Janet Fielding] | HD | 1:06:15 | New |
| Sarah Sutton Featurette | SD | 7:46 | Enlightenment |
| Model Shots | SD | 3:29 | Terminus |
| Storyboards | SD | 1:19 | Terminus |
| Origins of the Universe [factual] | SD | 6:29 | Terminus |
| DVD Easter Eggs [Trivia, countdown clocks] | SD | 1:26 | Terminus [Easter Eggs] |
| BBC Trails & Continuity | SD | 3:36 | 1:51 version on DVD |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 9:41 | 8:16 SD version on DVD |
| Audio Archive [Sarah Sutton on Ed Doolan 21.09.84] | Audio | 8:42 | New |
Total disc contents: 4:22:52
- Coming Soon: The Twin Dilemma expected on Season 21.
Disc 5: Enlightenment (1:38:02)
Commentary with Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, Barbara Clegg and Fiona Cumming, recorded 2007.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | SD | 23:48 | Enlightenment |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 32:11 | New |
| Cast Featurette | SD | 10:10 | DVD version 25 seconds longer due to edit of bottom-pinching reference |
| Writer Featurette | SD | 5:14 | Enlightenment |
| Visual Effects Featurette | HD | 7:44 | New |
| The Guardians Featurette | SD | 11:55 | Enlightenment |
| Storyboards | SD | 5:58 | Enlightenment |
| Film Trims | HD | 5:44 | 5:33 SD version on DVD |
| Original Edit Comparison | SD | 2:36 | Enlightenment |
| Breakfast Time: The Doctors | SD | 15:50 | 2:46 extract on The Five Doctors: SE |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 7:42 | 6:52 SD version on DVD |
| Special Edition DVD Edit [option 5.1 surround, and 1:30 intro by Fiona Cumming] | SD | 1:14:10 | Enlightenment |
| Re-Enlightenment [making of the SE] | SD | 14:23 | Enlightenment |
| DVD Easter Eggs [Trivia, Fielding/Davison anecdote, DVD bonus photo gallery] | SD | 4:37 | Enlightenment [Easter Eggs] |
| BBC Trails & Continuities | SD | 3:07 | 2:11 on DVD |
Total disc contents: 5:23:11
- Coming Soon: The Twin Dilemma expected on Season 21.
- Russell Harty’s Christmas Party moved to Arc of Infinity.
- Mark Strickson Featurette moved to Mawdryn Undead and Sarah Sutton Featurette to Terminus.
Disc 6: The King’s Demons (49:46)
Commentary with Peter Davison, Isla Blair, Eric Saward; alternate commentary on [1] with Tony Virgo. Recorded in 2008.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making-of Documentary | HD | 34:33 | New |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 29:56 | New |
| Kamelion Featurette | SD | 13:54 | The King’s Demons |
| Magna Carta Featurette | SD | 20:43 | The King’s Demons, edited here from 22:46 due to images of world leaders including Bin Laden |
| Nationwide: The Doctors [18.03.83] | SD | 9:10 | The Five Doctors SE |
| Points of View [25.03.83] | SD | 0:39 | New |
| Saturday Superstore [Davison, Fielding, Strickson, 26.03.83] | SD | 23:04 | 10:31 extract on The Five Doctors SE |
| Nationwide: Radiophonics [Workshop 30.03.83] | SD | 10:03 | New |
| Swap Shop Star Awards [11.04.82] | SD | 3:23 | New |
| South East at Six: USA [Convention 19.07.83] | SD | 4:16 | New |
| BBC News: Longleat Convention [3.4.83] | SD | 0:56 | New |
| BBC Longleat Feaurette | SD | 12:19 | New |
| Convention Panel: Jon Pertwee | SD | 8:07 | New |
| Convention Panel: Patrick Troughton | SD | 20:26 | New |
| Convention Panel: Third Doctor Era | SD | 5:48 | New |
| Covention Panel: Season 20 Cast | SD | 14:25 | New |
| Convention Panel: First Doctor Era | SD | 12:17 | New |
| Convention Panel: Tom Baker & John Leeson | SD | 12:08 | New |
| Photo Gallery: 20th Anniversary | SD | 9:01 | New |
| Audio Archive [Ed Stewart at Longleat] | Audio | 28:37 | New, short extract on Doctor Who at the BBC CD |
| Breakfast Time: Nicola Bryant [6.7.83] | SD | 8:59 | New |
| BBC News: Davison Departs [28.07.83] | SD | 1:48 | Two pieces, presented as individual 0:24 and 1:23 segments on The Caves of Androzani, compiled into a single 5:23 ‘News’ feature for the SE |
| Newsround [28.07.83] | SD | 0:37 | New |
| South East at Six: Davison & JNT [29.07.83] | SD | 3:39 | The Caves of Androzani, compiled into a single 5:23 ‘News’ feature for the SE |
| Breakfast Time: Peter Davison [3.8.83] | SD | 11:36 | New |
| BBC News: Sixth Doctor [19.8.83] | SD | 1:16 | Vengeance on Varos SE |
| Breakfast Time: Colin Baker [22.8.83] | SD | 8:26 | Vengeance on Varos SE |
| Australian Convention Footage [Fielding 29.5.83] | SD | 57:00 | New |
| BBC Trails & Continuities | SD | 4:52 | New |
| Photo Gallery | SD | 5:56 | The King’s Demons |
Total disc contents: 7:03:41
- Coming Soon: The Dominators expected on Season 6.
Disc 7: The Five Doctors (TX Version) (1:30:29)
Note ‘SE’ here refers to the second DVD release, NOT to the 1995 Special Edition.
Commentary with Carole Ann Ford, Nicholas Courtney, Elisabeth Sladen, Mark Strickson (from SE DVD, recorded in 2007). Commentary with David Tennant, Phil Collinson, Helen Raynor (easter egg from SE DVD, recorded in 2006)
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celebration Documentary | SD | 52:09 | The Five Doctors SE, version here edited to remove mention of Rolf Harris. |
| Behind the Sofa | HD | 34:44 | New |
| Studio Footage Highlights: Five Doctors, One Studio | SD | 18:46 | The Five Doctors SE |
| Studio Footage Highlights: (Not So) Special Effects | SD | 9:00 | The Five Doctors SE |
| Studio Footage Highlights: Out-takes | SD | 6:36 | The Five Doctors SE |
| The Ties That Bind Us | SD | 15:55 | The Five Doctors SE |
| TV Promotion: The Late, Late Breakfast Show [19.11.93, The Awakening outtake] | SD | 1:08 | 2:22 version on The Awakening |
| TV Promotion: Pebble Mill at One [21.11.83, Strickson, Fielding, Tamm, Courtney] | SD | 9:06 | New |
| TV Promotion: Blue Peter [21.11.83, Peter Davison, Richard Hurndall] | SD | 8:04 | The Five Doctors SE |
| TV Promotion: BBC2 Closedown | SD | 4:11 | New |
| TV Promotion: Breakfast Time [25.11.83, Preview] | SD | 1:33 | New |
| TV Promotion: Children in Need [25.11.83] | SD | 3:12 | Part of a 19:13 feature on The Five Doctors SE |
| TV Promotion: BBC News [28.11.83, convention report] | SD | 2:03 | New |
| TV Promotion: Saturday Superstore – Preview [19.11.83] | SD | 2:02 | New |
| TV Promotion: Saturday Superstore – Radio Times Special [17.12.83] | SD | 1:04 | New |
| TV Promotion: BBC Trails & Continuities | SD | 9:26 | 19:13 feature on The Five Doctors SE included other material |
| Repeat Screening: Breakfast Time [14.08.84] | SD | 1:07 | New |
| Repeat Screening: Cliffhangers & Credits | SD | 9:51 | 19:13 feature on The Five Doctors SE included other material |
| DVD Easter Egg [BBC video logo and timescoop] | SD | 0:22 | The Five Doctors SE [Easter Egg] |
| Photo Gallery | HD | 13:26 | |
| Audio Archive [John Nathan-Turner on BBC London, 11.83] | Audio | 19:54 | New |
Total disc contents: 5:14:08
Disc 8: The Five Doctors (40th Anniversary Edition) (1:30:32)
This disc contains a new edition, based on the TX edit, with CG effects and enhanced audio.
New commentary by Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson.
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location Footage | SD | 32:41 | New |
| Studio Footage: Tuesday 29th March 1983 | SD | 53:30 | New |
| Studio Footage: Wednesday 30th March 1983 | SD | 1:17:03 | New |
| Studio Footage: Thursday 31st March 1983 | SD | 1:20:07 | New |
| Australian Convention Footage [Davison, Dickinson, 10.4.83] | SD | 1:27:30 | New |
| The Panopticon Archive [Pertwee, Davison, Colin Baker, McCoy, 1993] | SD | 41:30 | New |
| Coming Soon: The Five Doctors 25th Anniversary Edition | SD | 1:13 | The Time Meddler |
| Messages from Space | HD | 21:44 | New, produced for s18 promotion in US and released in SD on DWM free DVD |
Total disc contents: 8:05:50
Disc 9: The Five Doctors (Special Edition) (1:40:38)
This disc contains an extended edition produced in 1995, with CG effects and enhanced audio.
Commentary by Peter Davison and Terrance Dicks (from original US DVD), recorded 2001
| Format | Length | Original DVD Source & Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look Who’s Driving | HD | 1:07:14 | New |
| Let’s Go Dutch! | HD | 1:15:46 | New |
Total disc contents: 4:03:38
- Coming Soon: The Invasion of Time likely to move to Season 15.
- Breakfast Time 01.03.83 moved to Enlightenment
- Nationwide 18.03.83 moved to The King’s Demons
- Saturday Superstore 26.03.83 extended and moved to The King’s Demons
- Who’s Who (from first US release) not included
- Special music feature [8 suites of music from the 1995], from the original DVD release, not included
PDF Material
Radio Times clippings were present on all the original DVD releases of Arc of Infinity to The King’s Demons. The 1983 annual was included on Arc of Infinify. Mawdryn Undead contained studio plans. Mawdryn Undead, Terminus and Enlightenment all contained storyboards. Englightenment contained the Radio Times 20th anniversary special and a selection of production paperwork
Errata
- Several of the effects of the Raston Warrior Robot appearing and disappearing are absent in the 40th Anniversary Edition of The Five Doctors.
- The booklet incorrectly states the new 2023 Enlightenment CGI effects are in SD; they are in HD. It also states that it has an optional introduction from Fiona Cumming – that introduction is (non-optionally) part of the 2009 special edition version.
- The booklet has a typeface glitch in the Pete McTighe credit.
- Several sequences across a number of episodes have a slight judder, particularly when there has been little movement on the screen for a few seconds.
