Super Channel

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Super Channel credits for Genesis of the Daleks with Sylvester McCoy title sequence and logo
Listing for Robots of Death, 1 September 1988

Satellite television station Super Channel was launched on 30 January 1987, and broadcast across Europe.

Doctor Who was originally due to start from 2 February 1987, but the debut was pulled due to lack of clearance rights from Actors' Equity members.

Clearances were eventually obtained - but only for a 16 story / 66 episode package of just the first fourteen Tom Baker storiesRobot to The Deadly Assassin, plus The Robots of Death and Horror of Fang Rock - and a new launch date was set...


DOCTOR WHO ON SUPER CHANNEL TRANSMISSIONS

From 24 March 1987, Doctor Who was part of Super Channel's regular schedule. Initially episodes aired five days a week, but from 13 April 1987 it was generally weekly on Mondays, then also Saturdays from 3 October 1987. During 1989 it was Sundays only. Stories aired episodically and/or as omnibus editions.

For the omnibus editions of The Ark in Space, Genesis of the Daleks and Revenge of the Cybermen, the Sylvester McCoy opening titles sequence and music were used, but with Tom Baker's face superimposed over McCoy's. New story title and writer credit captions beneath the McCoy logo were also made - as illustrated here.

The final episode of Doctor Who to screen on Super Channel was the second airing of part four of Horror of Fang Rock on 6 August 1989.

In 1989, the channel was purchased by NBC. It was later re-branded as NBC Super Channel until 1996. The Europe broadcasts ceased from 20 December 1998.

Super Channel was available in most countries in western Europe. We know for sure that it was accessible in:

(and no doubt many others….)


Airdates in the UK (Superchannel)
← AIRDATES ...... (CLICK ICON TO GO TO TABLE SHOWING EPISODE BREAKDOWN AND AIRDATES - N/S = story title is Not Stated)