According to a rumor on the SciFi Online site, the multi-disc "orphan episodes" DVD box set due in November we first reported about some time ago won't feature any photo galleries. We've no independent confirmation of this rumor so far. (Thanks to Rich Kirkpatrick)

According to ABC Shop Online, The Green Death will be out on DVD in Australia (and presumably New Zealand) in August 2004, a mere two months after its UK release. Pyramids of Mars has just been released there as well.Update: June 10: The Australian release date is August 5 but the New Zealand release date is September 2. (Thanks to David Dungey, Paul Scoones)

The BBC Press Office has at last issued a press release for the July release of The Leisure Hive on DVD in the UK. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

As announced at TV Shows on DVD, the forthcoming release of Pyramids of Mars in North America will once again feature the infamous Howard DaSilva 'introductions' as a separate extra. This is the fourth DVD release to contain the extra item, which compiles the introductions and voiceovers provided by actor Howard DaSilva when the series was first syndicated to PBS stations in the late 1970's; they've been cleaned up or, in some cases, entirely reconstructed from Betamax tapes and audio recordings, as the original masters no longer exist. "Pyramids of Mars" is due out on September 7. (Thanks to David Lambert at TV Shows on DVD)

Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustrations for the forthcoming late-summer North American DVD releases ofEarthshock and Pyramids of Mars; click on each cover for a larger version. "Earthshock" bears the Warner Home Video catalog #E2022 while "Pyramids of Mars" bears catalog #E2023.

William Hartnell starred in the comedy "And the Same To You" (1960), which will receive its first home video release (VHS and DVD) in the UK on 14 June 2004. The movie is about a clergyman's nephew who decides to become a boxer but must maintain an outwardly religious appearance. Also stars Brian Rix, Tommy Cooper and Sid James. Meanwhile, the thriller "Downtime" (1997), which stars Paul McGann as an ex-police psychologist trying to talk down a suicidal woman on the roof of a building, receives its first widescreen home video release (DVD) in the UK on 7 June 2004. Also stars Susan Lynch and Tom Georgeson. (Thanks to Steve Hill)

Tenth Planet has sent us the cover illustration for the forthcoming UK DVD release of The Leisure Hive, the Season 18 Tom Baker serial also starring Lalla Ward. Click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version. (While this is likely the final version, if it's not we'll bring you the cover as soon as we can!)

Retailer Galaxy 4 has a blurb in their "coming soon" list about the rumored 'missing episodes' box set due out in November in the UK. According to Galaxy 4, it's called Doctor Who: The Orphan Collection and includes "18 episodes from incomplete 'lost' stories from the Hartnell and Troughton eras. Episodes include: The Daleks Masterplan 2, 5 and 10, The Faceless Ones 1 & 3, The Wheel In Space 3 & 6, The Moonbase 2 & 4, The Abominable Snowmen 2, The Web Of Fear 1, The Enemy Of The World 3, The Space Pirates 2, The Celestial Toymaker 4, The Crusade 1 & 3, Evil Of The Daleks 2 and The Underwater Menace 3. Also includes rare archive footage and clips from other missing episodes. All digitally remastered. This is the first chance to see the newly discovered episode 2 of The Daleks Masterplan- found in 2003 after being missing from the archives for 30 years!" Of course, BBC Video has yet to officially confirm any of this and so it's highly subject to change. (Thanks to Galaxy 4)

While Anthony Ainley's passing last week left us without his current remarks on the state of affairs in "Doctor Who," Paul Vanezis of the Doctor Who Restoration Team shared some good news yesterday: Ainley did in fact record a commentary for a possible forthcoming DVD release of The Keeper of Traken. Ainley was joined by Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Matthew Waterhouse (Adric) and writer Johnny Byrne for the commentary, recorded last year to accommodate both Waterhouse and Ainley's schedules. While "Traken" hasn't been placed on the release schedule yet, the commentary is available when the DVD comes out eventually. Said Vanezis, "[I'd] corresponded with Anthony about doing other commentaries and [he] was very keep to do a proper 'Master' adventure; he was over the moon when I gave him a copy of a television play we had just recovered starring him, John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson and he was instantly likeable." (Thanks to Paul Vanezis)