Downtime (home video)

Downtime is an 1995 direct-to-video production featuring elements from the Doctor Who Universe, but not the Doctor as Reeltime did not have a licence from the BBC to use the character. The video was directed by long-time Doctor Who director Christopher Barry.

Synopsis
The Brigadier and Sarah Jane Smith investigate New World University, a sinister school run by none other than Victoria Waterfield and a gateway to Earth by the Great Intelligence which has taken over her.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
 * Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
 * Victoria Waterfield - Deborah Watling
 * Professor Travers - Jack Watling
 * Kate Lethbridge-Stewart - Beverley Cressman
 * Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart - Alexander Landen
 * Daniel Hinton - Mark Trotman
 * Harrods - Geoffrey Beevers
 * Christopher Rice - Peter Silverleaf
 * Anthony - John Leeson
 * Captain Cavendish - Miles Richardson
 * The Lama - James Bree
 * Receptionist - Kathy Coulter
 * Chilly 1 - Jonathon Clarkson
 * Chilly 2 - Miles Cherry
 * Lead Yeti - Richard Landen
 * Yeti - David Howe, Tony Clark, Conrad Turner
 * UNIT Soldiers - Stephen Bradshaw, Keith Brooks, Mark Moore, Gabriel Mykaj, John Reddington

Production crew
to be added

Story notes

 * Several actors (other than the lead cast) previously played roles in Doctor Who; John Leeson (voiced K-9), Geoffrey Beevers (played several roles including the Master in DW: The Keeper of Traken).
 * Additionally Miles Richardson went on to voice the character Irving Braxiatel in Big Finish's range of audio dramas.
 * The next on-screen appearance of the Brigadier occurred in Enemy of the Bane, a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures broadcast in 2008.

Myths
to be added

Filming Locations

 * University of East Anglia, Norwich

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * The year this story is set is 1995, however the events of The Web of Fear are said to have taken place 25 years ago, making the date 1970.

Continuity

 * Sarah is still driving her MG last seen in DW: Robot.
 * Sarah retuned to Earth in DW: The Hand of Fear.
 * The Brigadier last appeared chronologically in DW: Mawdryn Undead, he will go on (within his own chronology) to meet the Doctor in DW: Battlefield.
 * Victoria Waterfield stopped travelling with the Doctor in DW: Fury from the Deep.

DVD and Video releases

 * This story was released on video in 2nd September 1995.

Novelisation

 * Main article: Downtime (novel)

Downtime is one of only two independent spin-off productions (the other being Shakedown) to be adapted as a novel. Screenwriter Marc Platt adapted his story for an entry in the Virgin Missing Adventures line of books, and the work is notable for being the only MA release not to feature The Doctor.