This is becoming a banner year for novelist Neil Gaiman. He fulfilled a lifelong dream to write for Doctor Who with “The Doctor’s Wife,” Episode 4 of Series 6. His bestselling novel American Gods marks its tenth anniversary, and it’s the fifteenth anniversary of Neverwhere, Gaiman’s first foray into television writing. (Like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the original project was for the BBC, and the novelization came later.) Neverwhere is set in the fantastical world of London Below, which bears a skewed connection to station names in the London Underground: Earls Court, Knightsbridge, Blackfriars… There’s even an angel Islington played by Peter Capaldi (Torchwood: Children of Earth, The Thick of It). Who knows the factual origin of the Angel Islington station name?
We felt that this early series was overdue for a special edition, and launched a quest for special materials. After much rummaging, we found a map of “London Below” from the 1996 press kit and reprinted it on cream paper for a DVD insert. The original cover concept was located in artist Dave McKean’s deep storage and reinstated on the new DVD’s front cover. Best of all: last week we recorded a brand-new commentary with co-writers Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry (Chef!) and producer Clive Brill (who may be better known to Judge John Deed fans as Sir Percy Thrower). In addition, we are retaining all the extras from the original North American DVD plus a highly requested option for subtitles. To pump up the picture quality, we are using masters that were restored for the 2007 UK DVD. Neverwhere will be available in time for Christmas.
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