DVD 017: The Time Meddler

The TARDIS seems emptier without Barbara and Ian - at least until the Doctor and Vicki discover that the astronaut Steven stowed away before they left Mechanus. Steven's skepticism toward time travel pushes the Doctor to confront him with living proof. Shortly after landing on a beach in England, they discover a Viking helmet, but Steve remains unconvinced. Instructing Steve and Vicki to wait with the TARDIS, the Doctor seeks further proof. Heedless of the Doctor's warning, Steven persuades Vicki to explore the cliffs above the beach, where they find an abandoned wristwatch. Meanwhile, the Doctor investigates a ruined monastery, where he encounters an electric toaster, a gramophone playing ecclesiastic chants, and a monk who traps him in an alcove. Eventually, the Doctor realizes that the famous Battle of Hastings is only a few weeks away. That should provide ample proof for Steven, but who is this mysterious monk, and what is his interest in the events of 1066?

• Commentary with actor Peter Purves, producer Verity Lambert, script editor Donald Tosh and designer Barry Newbery. Moderated by Clayton Hickman.
• Stripped for Action - The First Doctor (dur. 14' 04) - a look at the First Doctor's comic strip adventures. Featuring interviews with artist Bill Mevin, comics historians Jeremy Bentham and John Ainsworth, former Doctor Who Magazine editors Gary Russell and Alan Barnes.
• The Lost Twelve Seconds (dur 1' 04") - twelve seconds of episode four are still missing, excised by overseas censors prior to recovery of the print. This short item uses off-air audio recording and the original script to place the cut in context within the story.
• Restoration (dur. 4' 52") - a short featurette showing 'before and after' examples of techniques used during the restoration of this story.
• Photo Gallery (dur. 2' 38") - production and publicity photos from the story.
• Coming Soon (dur. 1' 12") - a trail for the forthcoming DVD release of 'The Five Doctors - 25th Anniversary Edition'.
• Radio Times Billings PDF - Radio Times articles and billings for the story as Adobe pdf documents for PC and Mac.
• Program Subtitles
• Subtitle Production Notes