Letters to the Radio Times in response to its recent report of the top television programmes of the UK -- omitting "Doctor Who" -- have been quite vocal. While one letter decried a possible rigging of the poll, Radio Times did state that the choices were the personal favorites of TV editor Alison Graham... but a letter from Mark Gatiss ("League of Gentlemen" star and author of Doctor Who books including "The Roundheads" and "St. Anthony's Fire") also takes them to task: "Finally, Doctor Who. It's become something of a personal crusade for me to remind everyone that this show (Doctor Who) was once pretty much universally loved. We should remember with pride and not sneer at it as though it were some anorak-sporting. half-mad relative. And we should bring it back now!" (Thanks to BBCi, Radio Times and those who wrote in with their own comments!)

Pyramids of Mars, the Tom Baker / Elisabeth Sladen serial from season 13, was the winner of Doctor Who Magazine's 2004 DVD poll contest, according to the newest issue of DWM released this week (now on shelves). As noted before, the story will be released at some point during 2004 on DVD from BBC Video. In order of the poll: the Fourth Doctor classic "City of Death" came in at #2, the already-released "Talons of Weng-Chiang" at #3, the first story "An Unearthly Child" at #4, the Tom Baker story "The Seeds of Doom" at #5, already-scheduled "The Curse of Fenric" at #6, the Dalek origins serial "Genesis of the Daleks" at #7, the Jon Pertwee story "Inferno" at #8, Tom Baker's final serial "Logopolis" at #9, and the just released "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" at #10. (Thanks to DWM)

According to a press release from TV Zone, the longest-running Cult Television magazine, issue #164 names the Top 100 Cult TV Programmes Ever. "With many surprising winners and programmes ranging from the classic Quatermass television series of the Fifties to present-day programmes, Doctor Who, celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, managed to come top, beating all newcomers. Colin Baker, the sixth actor to play the time-travelling Doctor said: 'The readers of TV Zone are clearly endowed with great taste, discernment, wisdom and long memories! For a TV series that has not been in production for 14 years to pip to the Galactic Post modern series like Buffy and Stargate is quite remarkable. As one of the actors lucky enough to be associated with Doctor Who I salute your readers, your magazine and thank them for their continuing devotion to the good Doctor and his adventures. I just wish I was as good looking as Spike or Jack OÆNeill and that Doctor Who had benefited from the budgets of their programmes - but there again it wouldnÆt have been the same, would it?'" (Thanks to Jan Vincent-Rudzki)