BBV and Reeltime Doctor Who Spin-off Videos

Two small independant companies, Reeltime and BBV, produced a surprising number of unauthorised Doctor Who spin-offs on video and, later, DVD between the late eighties and 2000. I've been rewatching a few of these lately, most recently the last two BBV productions, Cyberon and Zygon (both starring Jo Castleton as Dr Lauren Anderson) and really enjoying them. Anyone else a fan?

I liked Shakedown and Downtime.

Reeltime are relaunching. They have a new website going live this month, and will be gradually re-releasing their entire VHS back catalogue on DVD. There's also a brand new Myth Makers entry coming out: a tribute to Anthony Ainley.

DVDs will soon be obsolete too...

Lucy McGough wrote:DVDs will soon be obsolete too...

Not convinced. Not everyone likes digital stuff, lots of people still like to own a physical product. Vinyl records have made a comeback and people still use VHS tapes and audio cassettes, so I think DVD will stick around, too.

Oh really? A whole generation whose entertainment is exclusively digital is growing up, and more are being born every day.

Lucy McGough wrote:Oh really? A whole generation whose entertainment is exclusively digital is growing up, and more are being born every day.

And several generations who prefer to have something real aren't dying off anytime soon.

Give it a hundred years...

Lucy McGough wrote:Give it a hundred years...

OK, meet me back here in 2115 and we'll see who was right.

Wilco!

tony ingram wrote:

Lucy McGough wrote:DVDs will soon be obsolete too...

Not convinced. Not everyone likes digital stuff, lots of people still like to own a physical product. Vinyl records have made a comeback and people still use VHS tapes and audio cassettes, so I think DVD will stick around, too.

I'm mostly on her side, in that that does look to be the direction things are taking. For my own part, I love streaming and digital access, so much less space taken up with things I have no room for. That said for things I know I'll watch a lot I want DVD. Sporadic internet access (ours sucks) and problems with the streaming apps can make watching buggy. And I don't want that for everything. For a lot of things it's fine, but I want some physical storage.
That and Apple seems hell-bent on making their prices ridiculous. I've seen a number of things lately on iTunes that would cost me more than buying the DVDs from the store.

I just can't accept the idea of paying good money for something that's not physical. If I buy a movie, I want to be able to use it as a coaster!

Your DVD could be scratched and broken, but non-physical products last forever because:

(a) Youuuu cannnot killll whatt doessssss not liiiiiive!
(b) What is dead can never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.
(c) Words in the heart cannot be taken.
(d) Ideas are bullet-proof.

When the internet fails forever, I will laugh at you. And then I will crank up the generator, and watch a video.

Ooh, get him with his fancy shiny modern toys! I'll be reading my way through my huge collection of books by candlelight.

Lucy McGough wrote:Ooh, get him with his fancy shiny modern toys! I'll be reading my way through my huge collection of books by candlelight.

When we first moved into our current house, it took two days to get the electricity connected. We spent our first two cold January nights lying in bed reading Sherlock Holmes aloud by candlelight.

[quote="tony ingram"]

Lucy McGough wrote:When we first moved into our current house, it took two days to get the electricity connected. We spent our first two cold  January nights lying in bed reading Sherlock Holmes aloud by candlelight.

That is incredibly cool. It's a lot of fun reading to your partner. IMO, anyway.

Mbast1 wrote:

tony ingram wrote:

Lucy McGough wrote:When we first moved into our current house, it took two days to get the electricity connected. We spent our first two cold  January nights lying in bed reading Sherlock Holmes aloud by candlelight.

That is incredibly cool. It's a lot of fun reading to your partner. IMO, anyway.

It was rather nice, but I'd still rather have some choice in the matter.

No, Mbast is right, it sounds WICKED!

Lucy McGough wrote:No, Mbast is right, it sounds WICKED!

There is something to be said for the simple things in life.

Too right! \m/

BBV have just released a new P.R.O.B.E story on DVD, the first for almost twenty years. The late Caroline John has been replaced as Liz Shaw by one Hazel Burrows, and Georgette Ellison plays Patricia Haggard, a role originally played by Louise Jameson. Sadly, I don't think recasting ever really works with characters like this, but it's nice to know Bill Baggs is still out there doing his thing...