Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS

Enjoyable documentary(More than 20 years ago now!) about my favorite TV series covers the important aspects of the show, including interviews with surviving cast & crew, behind the scenes footage, outtakes, and commentary on why the show remained so popular years after its cancellation.

Some lighthearted comedy bits aren't so funny really, but it is an affectionate tribute to a celebrated British institution that is still popular around the world.

Recently put on DVD with 'Shada', the unfinished Tom Baker story from Season 17. Well worth watching again for nostalgia purposes, this documentary may be a model for other such specials, now that the series is having its 50th birthday this year, having premiered on 23 November 1963, on a late Saturday afternoon...

I remember having or recording ths special on VHS back in the early 90s'. And to this very day, it never gets tiring. A great (although brief) documentary of the greatest british sci-fi series to ever grace our television sets.

I have seen documentaries on DOCTOR WHO in the past but to be honest they`re almost always disappointing at best . Not so with with 30 YEARS IN THE TARDIS which is the greatest documentary ever to have featured British telefantasy`s best loved icon . What I absolutely loved about this tribute was seeing stuff I thought I`d never see like a TV advert for ice lollies featuring the Doctor or some 8mm silent film footage of William Hartnell opening an air show or the winner of a " Build your Doctor Who monster " or what a Dalek playsuit looks like on a young boy . This is an absolutely amazing documentary for casual fans or diehard ones like myself . The fact that 30 YEARS IN THE TARDIS was made by fellow fans really shines through . Take for example the opening of the young boy on his way home and sees a post box suddenly transform into a Dalek . I can testify that as a child this also happened to me . As a child dustbins often did the same , and bollards . Yes I know that sounds extremely sad , but in a mundane cynical cruel world of adulthood I really miss the days when I looked forward to seeing the next DOCTOR WHO episode on a Saturday teatime.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this great documentary

Not a documentary, more of a loving tribute. Cast and crew from the entire length of the series (1963 - 1989) share their thoughts on the series and it's future.

I got a sentimental buzz for the show just watching it. In addition to clips from just about every existing story made, you get Jon Pertwee driving the Whomobile and telling us how silly he thought the Daleks were, Sylvester McCoy expressing his regret at the show's cancellation, and Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant discussing the true definition of a Doctor Who companion. There's footage from British news shows regarding the series (notably Blue Peter), and behind-the-scenes footage of some episodes. Love the old PRIME computer commercials featuring an engaged Fourth Doctor and Romana, er, Tom Baker and Lalla Ward. And I'm a sucker for that Jon Pertwee rap that plays during the end credits. I even got a kick out of hearing Mary Whitehouse's rhetoric. And it's only fitting that Nicholas Courtney, a man who was involved with the series from almost the very beginning all the way up to it's last season, should be the narrator.

Produced as part of the thirteenth anniversary year of Doctor Who, More Then Thirty Years In the TARDIS is a look at the first three decades of the long running show's existence. While perhaps not as informative as many of the documentaries now found on numerous Doctor Who DVDs, this documentary has something else. It is perhaps the single best look at the original run off Doctor Who overall and is screaming for a DVD release in some size, shape or form. In short this documentary covers a lot of ground and does it very well.

There is a large amount of archive material to be found within it for example. The footage ranges from rare footage of William Hartnell at a 1966 air show, Jon Pertwee's appearance with the Whomobile on Blue Peter (which can be found in full on the The Three Doctors DVD), Dalek creator Terry Nation being interviewed on Wicker's World, Tom Baker and Lalla Ward appearing in TV ads for Prime Computers (which can be found on on The Destiny Of The Daleks DVD), studio recordings from several stories (including Death To The Daleks and Ghost Light), Doctor Who spoofs from British comedy shows, plus footage from the two 1960's Dalek movies, Jon Pertwee's 1973 single "I Am The Doctor" and much more. While some of this material can be seen now as extra's on the various Doctor Who DVDs releases, this documentary has much of the same material in one place and is indispensable for that reason.

There's also a lot of interviews as well. While many of those interviewed have subsequently been interview for the DVD releases, there are interviews here that can't be found anywhere else such as William Hartnell's granddaughter who was researching a biography of him at the time or celebrity appearances as well including Gerry Anderson (creator of Thunderbird's etc.) with his son and many people who watched the series while growing up. There's also interviews with several people who are no longer with us such as third Doctor Jon Pertwee, writer Douglas Adams (better known for his later creation The Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy) or producers Verity Lambert (the first producer of the series), Barry Letts and John Nathan-Turner. Even from those interviewed elsewhere give interesting remarks here including writer Terrance Dicks on the various aspects of the series, actress Elisabeth Sladen (with her daughter at one point) discussing the role of the companion, plus seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy and actress Sophie Aldred (who played his companion Ace) as they discuss there time on the show and how they both learned it had ended. There's also those interviewed in the archive footage such as Patrick Troughton or Tom Baker. Perhaps the most interesting interview piece is the short appearance at the end of the documentary by BBC One Controller Alan Yentob when asked about Doctor Who's future at the time (which would lead first to the 1996 Paul McGann TV Movie before the show returned full force in 2005). While they may be interviewed in more depth elsewhere, like the archive footage, the fact that so much material is in one place and is indispensable for that reason.

There are other things that makes this documentary unique. These include recreated scenes filmed around many of the place where the original scenes were, these scenes bring classic moments from the series back to life. These include Daleks crossing Westminster Bridge, Cybermen walking down the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral and Autons breaking through window shop windows and the like. There's also the narration of actor Nicholas Courtney aka the Brigadier who also dispenses out numerous pieces of trivia as well along the way. There's also appearances from numerous monsters (including those mentioned above), props (including the Whomobile, K9 and Cybermats) and sets including a wonderfully done version of the TARDIS console room. There's also some good special effects work done as well including a beautifully done shot of a young boy opening the TARDIS door and stepping into the large TARDIS console room done all in one shot. While there are moment's where the effects can be iffy (such as the Dalek Hoverbouts) for the most part they work. The result is that, when combined with the other elements found elsewhere, they make this documentary even better.

More Then Thirty Years In The TARDIS is perhaps the best documentary that looks at the original run of Doctor Who overall. With its combination of archive footage, interviews, recreated scenes, effects and more this documentary may not be as incredibly detailed on aspects of the show as those now found as DVD extras but it really shouldn't be. It is a look overall at the first three decades of a beloved show and a look at why it is so beloved. If one is looking for a good documentary on the original series as a whole then this documentary is perhaps the single best place to look. Sadly only available on an out of print VHS this is screaming for a DVD release of its own in some size, shape or form please!