![I think I’d have stayed at Brighton[4]](http://lcb.me.uk/losingit/images/headlines/c49c14347a1fc6ef498482d0b14d2e24.png){kind=small}
Well, here we are with another Doctor Who DVD release. The latest is The Leisure Hive, first shown in 1980 and starring Tom Baker[1] as the Doctor and Lalla Ward as Romana.
This is a fairly significant story. It was the first one under John Nathan-Turner as producer, and featured a new version of the theme tune and a new title sequence, which I’m sure was quite surprising at the time[2]. It has a more serious tone than had been the case previously[3], but there are still some nice moments of silliness from the Doctor:
“How did you get out?”
“Through the hole in the back”
“But there isn’t a hole in the back!”
(waving sonic scredriver) “There is now!”
“His scarf killed Stimpson”
“Arrest the scarf then!”
And a delightfully silly mixed metaphor
“Don’t cross your bridges before they’re hatched”
Apart from the story itself, which can be played with a newly mixed Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, there are the usual array of extras, including:
- A new beginning: 30 minute documentary on the changes made by John Nathan-Turner
- A look at the writing of the story
- How the new theme and title sequence were created
- Some details on the costumes
- The usual production text subtitles, which are always a Good Thing on the Doctor Who DVDs
As ever, an essential purchase for anyone who likes Doctor Who, and something to watch while waiting for the new series to start next year!
[1] My favourite Doctor
[2] Though my addled old brain can’t quite recall how I reacted on first seeing it
[3] Especially when the wonderful Douglas Adams was script editor 
[4] You have to know the story to understand that one 
