Released on DVD on Monday 1st August, all episodes are newly remastered and are supported by a large collection of bonus features. Written by Robert Holmes, the story was originally broadcast in November-December 1977.
The official synopsis reads: “Far in the distant future, Earth has become uninhabitable, forcing mankind to colonise first Mars, and then Pluto… No longer the coldest planet in the Solar System, Pluto is now warmed by a series of artificial suns. But access to the sunlight is limited to a select few… The majority of the citizens of the vast Megropolis cities are being overworked and overtaxed by the ruling elite, led by the Gatherer, and the sinister Collector.
“When the Doctor, Leela and K9 arrive they discover that all is not well on Pluto. The human population is being totally exploited, while deep in the Undercity, a small band of rebels seeks to overthrow the mysterious ‘Company’ that controls all aspects of everyday life. As the situation gets more desperate, the Doctor is forced to fight the oppression of the evil corporate rulers of Pluto. And their taxes…!”
The extras are as follows:
– Commentary with actors Tom Baker, Louise Jameson and Michael Keating, director Pennant Roberts.
– ‘Running From The Tax Man’ – a retrospective look at the making of the story and the science behind it, with actors Louise Jameson and Michael Keating, director Pennant Roberts, writer and historian Dominic Sandbrook and astronomer Marek Kukula.
– Outtakes.
– The original BBC One trailer for the story.
– The Doctor’s Composer: Part Two – the concluding part of the series looking at the career of prolific composer Dudley Simpson, covering his work on the show in the seventies.
– Photo gallery, featuring production, design and publicity photos from the story.
– Coming Soon – a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.
– Radio Times listings in Adobe PDF format.
– Programme subtitles.
– Subtitle Production Notes.
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