The Untold Story Behind The First Doctor Who Episode: BBC's Shocking Lack of Rights
The BBC lacks rights to the first episode of Doctor Who due to the family of writer Anthony Coburn withholding them This ongoing issue adds to the history of rights disputes between Coburn's son and the BBC Are there other streaming platforms where you can watch 'An Unearthly Child'?
Summary
In honor of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, the BBC intends to offer more than 800 episodes for free on iPlayer. However, it is important to note that "An Unearthly Child," the first episode, will not be included due to rights complications.
The initial four episodes of Doctor Who were authored by Anthony Coburn, who possessed the copyright for those episodes until his passing in 2013, when it was transferred to his son, Stef. In an act of "vengeance" towards the BBC, Stef Coburn declined their proposal to re-license the episodes.
Previously, Stef Coburn has expressed grievances with the BBC concerning ownership of the TARDIS and sought financial compensation. In response, the BBC has rejected Stef Coburn's counter-offer and opted not to include Anthony Coburn's first four episodes in their iPlayer collection. However, these episodes are currently accessible on the streaming service Britbox.
The BBC aims to honor Doctor Who's origins during its 60th anniversary celebration, although the initial episode will not be accessible. The series, which chronicles the adventures of the titular Doctor as he travels through time and space in his inconspicuous vessel, the TARDIS, premiered in 1963. In its classic form, the show aired for 26 seasons from 1963 to 1989. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive the series with a TV movie in 1996, it was successfully brought back in 2005. Currently, it holds the record as the world's longest-running science fiction series, as well as the most successful.
Approaching the show's 60th anniversary, the BBC, which has been broadcasting the show since its debut, plans to release over 800 episodes for free on its streaming service, iPlayer. However, the inaugural episode titled "An Unearthly Child" will not be included in the collection. This omission is due to rights issues stemming from the show's original development under the supervision of head of drama Sydney Newman and screenwriter Anthony Coburn.
The Son Of Doctor Who's First Writer Is Withholding The First Story's Rights From The BBC
The BBC intends to make over 800 episodes of Doctor Who available on iPlayer. However, they have encountered a problem with the first 4 episodes, written by Anthony Coburn. Coburn was a staff writer for the BBC and contributed to the early development of the show. Although he is not credited as the creator of the series, he wrote the original four-episode arc, including the very first episode called "An Unearthly Child". Unfortunately, Coburn did not have further success in writing televised episodes for the series.
Until his death in 2013, Coburn held the trademark for the first four episodes. After his passing, the trademark was eventually passed on to his son, Stef. Following the BBC's announcement, Stef Coburn took to Twitter/X to reveal that he has declined the BBC's offer to re-license the episodes. He describes the offer as a "pittance". In a series of tweets, Stef explains that his rejection is primarily driven by a sense of "vengeance" towards the BBC, whom he accuses of "registering my desperately ill father's Intellectual Property as THEIR trademark". He also views the episodes as "leverage" to pursue the production of other Anthony Coburn projects, including one in which Stef played a significant role.
Anthony Coburn's Son Has A History Of Doctor Who Rights Issues With The BBC
Stef Coburn has a history of disputes with the BBC, including a previous case of copyright infringement involving the ownership of the Doctor's time machine, the TARDIS. This occurred in 2013 when the IP rights were transferred to Coburn. The dispute coincided with the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who and the release of a TV movie called "An Adventure in Space and Time," which highlighted the creation of the series but did not mention Coburn's father. It is widely recognized that Anthony Coburn originated the concept of the TARDIS resembling a police box and being larger on the inside; however, Coburn himself did not object to the series using his idea according to intellectual property attorneys MacLachlan & Donaldson (via The Independent).
"If Anthony Coburn was an employee of the BBC and the idea was conceived during his tenure, the copyright would typically fall under the ownership of the BBC, unless specified otherwise in his contract."
Although Stef Coburn initially expressed a desire to see his father acknowledged publicly, it later became apparent that his main objective was financial compensation for every utilization of the TARDIS. The BBC investigated the allegations but it appears that Stef Coburn did not obtain the desired resolution, which further contributes to his current hostility towards the organization.
Is Doctor Who's "An Unearthly Child" Streaming Elsewhere?
Stef Coburn's confrontation with the BBC reached its climax when the network rejected his counter-offer and decided against including Anthony Coburn's first four episodes in their iPlayer collection. However, there are alternative sources to watch both new and classic episodes of Doctor Who, including its very first installment. The complete collection of the classic series can be found on the streaming platform Britbox, which offers an extensive library of iconic British content. However, there is uncertainty surrounding Coburn's episodes, as Stef Coburn reveals that their license on Britbox will not be renewed upon expiration. In such a scenario, the first season of Doctor Who will only be accessible for online purchase or through DVD.
