Posted: 24 July 2018 at 4:18am | IP Logged | 1
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In the latest issue of sci-fi magazine STARBURST, writer JR Southall talked about fans' perceptions of missing DW episodes, specifically our thoughts about private collectors holding on to missing episodes - and not parting with them.
No-one knows how many episodes are missing - or what those episodes are. The Doctor Who Restoration Team do handle it with sensitivity. It's also worth mentioning that the BBC has a policy of not paying for the return of its missing material.
There are three things I took from the article. Firstly, despite some fans saying the BBC should shell out for missing episodes, you would end up with a situation where private collectors could name their price. Just how big a price would name? It'd increased. The restoration team could be held to ransom for a long time to come.
Secondly, it has been reported that black and white episodes do sell fewer units (e.g. tens of thousands). Are there really that many of us who have a yearning for some of the missing serials? True, it'd be nice to have them, but I am not entirely sure I'd rush out and buy them.
Thirdly, despite fan frustration, Southall made a profound point: Paul Venezis is a member of the Doctor Who Restoration Team. He has met with private collectors who remain anonymous. Southall argued that it must be worse for Venezis to actually know certain missing episodes are held by some than it is for us to simply speculate about what those episodes may be. Venezis knows what is missing. We don't. We can only speculate. Which is worse?
The whole "missing episodes" thing doesn't keep me awake at night. If someone out there really is yearning to own "Marco Polo" in its entirety, then I sympathise, but on many forums over time (I browse, but am not a member of any DW forums), it appears some are frustrated.
My philosophy is simple: I get on with life. I know that might sound harsh to the person yearning for a particular episode (and I'd love to see the Yeti story). If a missing episode turns out, that's great; but I don't anxiously check for "missing episode news" daily. If and when they resurface, that's great. In the meantime, there are plenty of hours of classic DW to enjoy.
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