(sigh) How shortsighted for the future...reminds me of when Star Trek were upgrading the Original Series and The Next Generation for HD, and people pleaded with the studio to do Deep Space Nine and Voyager so they'd be future proof for HD channels and streaming, and instead they just abandoned the project.
Wow, unfortunate news. But the animation is so poor I can’t imagine they were selling many units. Maybe in time - with an adequate budget - they’ll pick up on it again in the future.
How are those animated Lost Episodes? I've been avoiding them like the plague because the previous attempts to animate lost episodes have been so awful.
Disappointing. Unfortunately I think it’s indicative that the resurgence in popularity that “New Who” experienced is definitively over. The ratings of the show are abysmal, most importantly in the US, as we can see BBC America pulling back on the animations. I hope they keep going with the Blu-ray releases of the Classic series, those have been great.
I don't think it has much, if anything, to do with New Who. There is some hope that Britbox will pick it up, which makes more sense than BBC America at this point.
I think they’re awful too. The animation is terrible. I love the idea but not the execution. The current series has been a major bust. The franchise has worn out its welcome and is quickly sinking into the Flux. Hopefully, it’ll still be able to get to the next Doctor and the return of Davies before the plug is pulled. Having to still broadcast another couple of episodes with the current production could be a bad move but here’s hoping the usual excitement for a regeneration will renew interest.
I don't get the hate for the animation. I mean, it's good for what it is - something visual to aid the audio.
Some animations are worse than others. That said, I do purchase them once there’s a bit of a price drop as it is a convenient way to watch them vs. the telesnap recons. I was hoping they’d get around to The Daleks’ Master Plan, Celestial Toymaker and The Savages. Oh well.
I was thinking that if BBCA was using money they were making from the show (New Who) to fund these projects that could be an explanation. Viewership isn’t what it was, so I’m assuming it’s not as profitable. I’d be curious to know how many New Who fans were buying the animations, if they were, waning enthusiasm could be a factor. That’s all - not looking to attack the series or anything, just trying to explore reasons. I like the animations myself, yeah they’re not the best quality but it’s great to have visuals to go along with the audio for missing episodes.
I would think the classic who animations attract a mostly different audience than the audience for New Who in the USA. Ultimately, I think the BBC is largely at fault for lagging sales with the slow release rate for classic who. For example, they did not complete the run of VHS releases until VHS was already pretty much dead as a format, and by the time DVD releases finished coming out, not only was DVD done, Blu Ray was already in decline as well.
None of the animations are broadcast quality, and that’s the only way they could be profitable. At one time, BBCAmerica was ‘all in’ on animations. And they ponied up a lot of cash for them. I can’t imagine the gut-punch felt in that boardroom after seeing Power Of The Daleks.
I've bought the animated when there was a telesnaps option, and good extras help a lot too. I can't complain much about the animation quality... I mean they could spend ten times as much or as long on them and still not be the lost originals, so...
Great! Timelash with new effects for a literal turd polishing. Can't they do the good seasons before they put out the crap ones?
If this was 10 years ago I’d say put out a mix of good/bad as ‘saving’ all the bad ones for the end would mean sales dropping like a rock and a potential discontinuation before releases finished. But with the dismal sales of physical media in general I agree - get the well-regarded seasons out first before the BBC does away with physical releases of archival shows. Of course that also needs to take in to consideration some of the more challenging seasons from a restoration perspective (like some of the Pertwee seasons). And of course there’s the supposed collector who has two ‘missing’ episodes in their private collection - maybe there’s hope of a negotiation to get those released prior to whatever season they belong in?
Paul Vanezis had mentioned on a Doctor Who forum that there’s someone who has two missing episodes but that this person wants too much $. IIRC Paul believes it’s credible but understandably won’t say what the two episodes are. I hope I’m not mis-stating anything here so would welcome any corrections/conformations.
In my crazily-optimistic world, they are getting the lesser seasons out of the way before the show resurges again, as it is sure to do. With RTD at the helm there will be a whole new promotional push, the ratings will rise, and merchandise will sell far better than it is doing now. Also, they *may* still be waiting on that Indiana Jones Bastard to come through.
Maybe, but that seems like a miscalculation to me in terms of renewed interest when considering the lifespan of bluray, as well as the fact that New Who is now 15 years in, and Old Who is approaching 60 years ago. It's kind of foolhardy to focus on a promotional model based on two somewhat distinct fanbases, that share declining crossover appeal. I mean, somebody spent time and money redoing special effects on Timelash, perhaps the most odious Old Who episode ever (as part of a set that also includes a Pip and Jane Baker penned story, no less). Surely getting seasons 7, 13, or even 20 would have been better choices.
Interesting. Well, we KNOW that somebody either swiped or misplaced part 3 of Web of Fear according to Phillip Morris. Not sure if that is one of the two episodes in question.