The period between 2004-2006 saw the last remaining stories that featured missing episodes be released in BBC Audio's Narrated Soundtrack format. Even with the existing stories that had most of their episodes complete, tracking down copies of them on VHS was becoming to prove difficult as VHS tapes were being deleted of their availability. The narrated soundtrack of many stories, whether they were existing or not, were the closest official way to watch a story without paying a fortune to track down a VHS tape.
The first release in 2004 was a remastered soundtrack of Fury From The Deep, which was released on 2nd February across 2 CDs and featured new linking narration by Frazer Hines. This was another popular Troughton story which had been released earlier in the 1990s with a linking narration by Tom Baker and had now been savoured for a later release to allow for other previously unreleased stories a chance to be released first. The cover showed the Second Doctor playing on the recorder, Jamie, Victoria, Mr. Oak, a sea base, and tendrils of seaweed everywhere on the cover, creating a disturbing, sinister vibe much in tune with the story itself. Hines' narration was provided for the 2020 DVD/Blu Ray Telesnap reconstruction of the story. PATRICK TROUGHTON BATTLES TO SAVE MANKIND IN THIS CLASSIC SIX-PART 'LOST' TELEVISION ADVENTURE, WITH LINKING NARRATION BY FRAZER HINES'It's down there. In the darkness. In the pipeline. Waiting.'
The Wheel In Space was released on 3rd May 2004 with linking narration provided by Wendy Padbury across this 2 disc set. "PATRICK TROUGHTON'S DOCTOR ONCE MORE CONFRONTS THE CYBERMEN IN THIS EXCLUSIVE RECORDING OF A 'LOST' TELEVISION ADVENTURE, WITH LINKING NARRATION BY WENDY PADBURY 'The Cybermen need to colonise. They must have the treasures of the Earth!'. The cover showed the Second Doctor and Jamie, the Servo Robot, Cybermats, Zoe being menaced by two Cybermen, and the Wheel satellite. On 2nd August, both The Power Of The Daleks and The Evil Of The Daleks were released separately on CD, making these stories available after the limited Dalek Tin set of 8,000 units had quickly sold out.
On 1st November 2004, another box set was released, this time based around Cybermen stories. Hot on the heels of the success of the Dalek Tin from 2003, this box set contained the exclusive releases of The Tenth Planet and The Invasion. The release came packed with various extras, a special bonus disc titled "Origins of the Cybermen" written and read by David Banks (Cyber-Leader of the 1980s Cyberman serials) which was previously released on cassette in the late 1980s and were extracted from his Cybermen book. Banks' narration was included on the ArcHive Tapes CD box set in 2013. The booklets for the two Cyberman stories featured accompanying booklets with track lists, programme notes, and a special introduction to the serials by David Banks and Whovian Andrew Skilleter. This box set was once again limited in circulation and featured the cover of a Cyberman from The Invasion in a blue background with a bold grey "Cybermen" logo.
The Tenth Planet cover featured the snowy background of the First Doctor, Ben, Polly, General Culper, the two rocket astronauts, many Mondasian Cybermen, and Mondas. "The Cybermen make their first ever appearance whilst William Hartnell's Doctor nears the end of his first incarnation in this classic soundtrack adventure with linking narration by Anneke Wills. 'Millions of years ago there was a twin planet to Earth...' Anneke Wills provided the narration for this serial and there was also an exclusive interview with Wills on this 2 disc CD release. The Invasion release featured Frazer Hines' narration across the 3 disc set but also included an exclusive interview with Hines in the set. "Patrick Troughton's Doctor encounters the Cybermen in London in this classic soundtrack adventure, narrated by Frazer Hines.'We must destroy life on earth completely. Every living being.' The cover showed a busy image with the Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe, Isobel Watkins taking photos of Cybermen, Cybermen marching through London beside St. Pauls Cathedral, Cybermen bursting from London's sewers, fire, and a UNIT helicopter. Both stories in this set were individually released on 9th January 2006, making them available again for fans to collect.
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Doctor Who: The Classic Series TV Soundtrack Guide
Non-FictionFor many Classic Doctor Who fans, the Narrated TV Soundtracks audio range are an essential part to the enjoyment and continuation of the program. Throughout the decades, these audio CDs have become a definitive wave to experience stories either unav...
