It’s almost time to break open the champagne. The BBC News and Entertainment website has published an article by Lizo Mzimba, Entertainment correspondent, BBC News confirming the recovery of an unspecified number of missing Doctor Who episodes. BBC Worldwide is expected to confirm the find at a press screening in London later this week.
The Doctor, Ben and Polly in the Second Doctor’s first adventure, The Power of the Daleks
Following the closure of a prominent Doctor Who forum’s Missing Episodes Thread fans have been experiencing massive withdrawal symptoms. The end of the week cannot come soon enough!
As previously reported in theDoctor Who MInd Robber.the UK tabloid the Mirroryesterday alleged that the BBC would announce the recovery of missing Doctor Whoepisodes on Tuesday. The Mirror’sclaim appeared to be substantiated by an article in The Radio Timeswhich indicated that two lost serials, likely to be from the Troughton era, would be released digitally on Wednesday.
A November 1963 Radio Timescover announcing the launch of the new series Doctor Who
Fans hopes for an early resolution of the long standing missing episode rumours where dashed last night when the Mirrorreported that the press conference had been postponed until the end of the week. A BBC Insider is quoted as saying
“With all the excitement in the last few days about the lost episodes we are really keen to get the information out, but there are a few delays.
“We want everything to be ready and for this announcement to excite fans so they will have to wait a few days longer.
“They have been waiting nearly 50 years for this, so a couple of days shouldn’t make any difference.”
Almost simultaneously with the Mirror’sannouncement of the delay, The Radio Timesamended its online article concerning the digital release of missing episodes. It now ways that the missing episodes will be available for sale to the public this week.
Respected UK newspaper The Guardianhas also weighed into the rumours and published an article today which claims that a BBC press conference will be held on Thursday.
Yeti in the tunnels of the London Underground in the lost Troughton era serial The Web of Fear
The mounting tension among fans about the impending announcement is so great that at least one online Doctor Whoforum has closed its Missing Episodes thread and curtailed all discussion of the issue until an official announcement by the BBC.
The latest rumours suggest that the two missing serials recovered, and due for release, are two Season Five stories, Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. The serials are consecutive stories and among the most sought after by fans. In our The 10 Most Wanted Missing Episodesarticle published on October 4 we listed the Enemy of the World as number 6 and The Web of Fearas number 5.
Patrick Troughton as Salamander in the lost Season Five serial The Enemy of the World
In the meantime, general fan consensus seems to be that the Mirror’sclaim of the recovery of over 100 missing episodes from Ethiopia is at best an exaggeration, and at worst an outright lie. The Mirror’sclaims were reported on the UK’s SkyNewschannel and also in the press worldwide, including Australia’s news.com.au. There are now, however, very few sceptics remaining with the vast majority of vocal fans believing that at least some episodes have been recovered.
Further information will be published as it comes to hand.
YesterdayTheDoctor Who Mind Robberreported an article in Sunday’s Mirrornewspaper alleging the recovery of over 100 missing Doctor Whoepisodes from Ethiopia. As hoped, the reporting of these rumours in the mainstream media appears to have precipitated some movement on the BBC’s part. The Radio Timesis today reporting that two stories, both believed to be from the Troughton era, have been digitally remastered and will be available for purchase on-line from sources such as iTunes on Wednesday. The BBC has yet to confirm or deny the claims in The Radio Times.
A 1964 Radio Times cover featuring the Doctor Who serial Marco Polo
The Doctor Who Mind Robber understands that there is a small Missing Believed Wipedfunction on Tuesday and that the recovery of some missing episodes could be announced then. Missing Believed Wipedis an annual event run by the British Film Institutewhich showcases recently discovered missing films.
The Mirrorhas published a further story in which they claim that BBC Worldwide has called a press conference and screening for Tuesday evening. The Mirrorreports a BBC source as saying,
“There will be big news this Tuesday regarding lost Doctor Who episodes.
It is great that in the show’s 50th year, fans will now be able to look back with classic episodes as well as looking to the future with the new film-length episode in November.
For some fans watching their lost episodes will be like going back in time.”
The BBC Worldwide logo
Further details will be published as they come to hand.
One of the most frustrating aspects of 21st Century Doctor Who is the almost complete absence of cliff hangers. Very few stories have extended beyond one episode. In a clear nod to William Hartnell era stories, the Series 7 story The Crimson Horror ended with a direct lead-in to the next story, Nightmare in Silver. Arriving back in present-day London, the companion Clara meets with the children she babysits, Angie and Artie, who blackmail her into taking them on her next adventure in the TARDIS.
Clara is blackmailed by Angie and Artie at the conclusion of The Crimson Horror (2013)
In celebration of the great cliff hangers of Classic Series Doctor Who this article will briefly examine the Top 10 Cliff Hangers of the Sixties. So as not to reinvent the wheel, The Doctor Who Mind Robber has directly quoted the episode ending summaries from David J Howe and Stephen James Walker’s seminal book The Television Companion. No copyright infringement is intended.
David J Howe & Stephen James Walker’s The Television Companion was published in 2003 by Telos Publishing
“Maggie Harris and Robson, both infected by the weed creature, meet on the beach. The former tells the latter that he will obey his instructions. Then she turns and walks straight out into the sea, eventually becoming completely submerged beneath the waves”.
The horror of this cliff hanger is the apparent suicide of Maggie Harris, the wife of one of the base employees. It is not until several episodes later that it becomes evident that Mrs Harris is still alive. Incidentally, Fury From the Deep is one of the few Doctor Who serials in which no one dies.
Unfortunately all episodes of Fury From the Deep have been lost, however the soundtrack, telesnaps and Loose Cannon’s excellent reconstruction brilliantly convey the horror.
In the cliff hanger to episode three Maggie Harris walks into the water, as if to commit suicide
“The TARDIS arrives on a Palaeolithic landscape, over which falls the shadow of a man”.
This is the cliff hanger to the very first episode of Doctor Who and it’s the first time that the television viewers see the TARDIS materialize. The ominous shadow of a man in the barren landscape is both frightening and unexpected.
The ominous shadow of a man approaches the TARDIS in the cliff hanger to An Unearthly Child
“The TARDIS is in flight, the travellers having apparently escaped from the void. A low, throbbing hum is heard which grows in intensity until it is unbearable. Suddenly the TARDIS explodes. The Doctor spins away through space while Jamie and Zoe are left clinging to the console as it is engulfed in swirling mist.”
The end of the first episode of The Mind Robber is absolutely brilliant. This is the first time in Doctor Who that the TARDIS explodes and the crew is left floating perilously in space. The image of Zoe clinging onto the TARDIS console has become iconic for all the wrong reasons. Her tight sparkly cat suit clings to her body as the camera focuses on her bottom.
Wendy Padbury in the scene for which, unfortunately, she is perhaps best known
“The Abbot of Amboise lies dead in the gutter, a crowd of angry Catholics gathering around his body. When Steven protests that the Huguenots were not responsible, Roger Colbert incites the crowd against him. Steven flees for his life through the Paris streets …”
The Massacre sees William Hartnell play two roles – the Doctor and the evil Abbot of Amboise. Both characters are absolutely identical in appearance however the audience and companion Steven are unaware if the Doctor is masquerading as the Abbot, or if the Doctor and the Abbot are two different people. It’s for that reason that this cliff hanger is so powerful as it is not clear if it is the Doctor or the real Abbot who is dead.
The Massacre is another of the serials which unfortunately has all episodes missing. As discussed in Fury From the Deep, this does not distract from the potency of the ending.
“The Doctor returns to the TARDIS, closely followed by Ben and Polly. The ship’s controls move of their own accord and the Doctor collapses to the floor. His companions enter and, before their astonished eyes, the Doctor’s face transforms into that of a younger man”.
This episode ending is of course Doctor Who’s first regeneration. The First Doctor, William Hartnell, collapses and with exceptional special effects for the era, his face is transformed into that of the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton. The audience must wait until the next episode to see all of the new Doctor’s body and to experience his personality. There was no precedent for a change of the lead character in such a manner, and the audience was left stunned as they anticipated the new Doctor’s personality and physical appearance.
Episode 4 of The Tenth Planet has been lost however an amateur film was taken of a television screen during the broadcast of the episode. The episode has also been recently animated and will be released on DVD next month.
“The Doctor and Ian, menaced by a group of Robomen, prepare to escape by diving into the Thames. As they turn, they see rising slowly from the water the familiar shape of a Dalek.” (Episode 1)
“The TARDIS dematerialises and, comforted by David, Susan moves away. Her TARDIS key lies discarded on the ground, with an image of a starscape superimposed …” (Episode 6)
The cliff hanger of episode 1 derives its force from both the iconic background of the Thames River and the emergence of Doctor Who’s first return monsters, the Daleks. Having been so well received in their first story, the return of the Daleks was eagerly anticipated by fans. As was the common practise in early Doctor Who stories, the monsters rarely appeared on-screen until the end of the serial’s first episode.
The episode six ending marked the first departure of a companion in Doctor Who. Just prior to the episode’s end the Doctor gave an impassioned oration to his grand-daughter Susan whom he was effectively deserting on the 21st Century Earth.
A submerged Dalek emerging from the Thames River
Susan talks to the Doctor through the TARDIS’s PA system
“After cleaning Farrow’s blood from the patio stones outside, Smithers goes into the laboratory to wash his hands, unaware that the Doctor and Susan are hiding in the water outlet from the sink. As a helpless Ian and Barbara watch, he fills the sink with water, washes, and then pulls out the plug”.
The brilliance of the episode 2 cliff hanger of Planet of the Giants is that it successfully made the mundane frightening. Watching a plug pulled from a sink and water cascading down a drain would ordinarily be exciting as watching the kettle boil. Our heroes, however, have been shrunk to less than an inch in height and are as vulnerable as an ant is to the heavy boot of a human. The companions Ian and Barbara, together with the audience, are left paralysed with fear at the imminent drowning of the Doctor and Susan.
The Doctor and Susan before descending into the sink drain
“Exploring their apparently deserted city, Barbara encounters one of the Daleks and is menaced by its telescopic sucker arm.”
As outlined in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, it was standard practice in early Doctor Who for the monsters not to emerge until the cliff hanger of the first episode. This absolutely iconic ending sees Barbara pinned to a wall in fear as a Dalek’s sucker arm menaces her. The audience has not yet seen the rest of the Dalek’s body however the expression on Barbara’s face paints a picture of a horrifying spectacle.
Barbara is pinned against the wall in fear during the Daleks’ first appearance in Doctor Whoon 21st December 1963
2. The War Games – Episode 1 and Episode 10
“In the First World War zone the Doctor has been found guilty of spying against the English forces and is tied up before a firing squad. Captain Ransom brings his men to order, tells them to present arms and opens his mouth to give the order to fire. A shot rings out and the Doctor grimaces” (Episode 1)
“A still protesting Doctor spins away through a dark void to begin his sentence of exile on Earth with a new appearance. His face is shrouded in shadow …” (Episode 10)
By the time the first episode of The War Games was broadcast Patrick Troughton’s decision to leave the role of the Doctor had been made public. Whilst history had shown that the Doctor always escaped serious harm, the audience could not be certain that his luck hadn’t finally ended. Perhaps he would be killed by the firing squad and regeneration was imminent?
Episode 10 is perhaps my all-time favourite as so many mysteries about the Doctor’s past are answered. His forced regeneration at the episode’s end is chilling but perhaps not as sad as Jamie and Zoe’s departure earlier in the episode. The monochrome era of Doctor Who was at an end and things would never be the same again.
“The Cybermen emerge from the sewers and march through the streets of London as the invasion begins.”
The Cybermen’s emergence from the sewers of London and their march down the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral is justifiably iconic. By placing the monsters in an easily recognizable London landscape genuine fear would have been instilled in the audience. Although the Daleks had visited tourist spots such as Westminster Bridge in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Cybermen were in current day London. This wasn’t one of the Daleks’ futuristic tales but rather a genuine invasion in our own time. As Jon Pertwee said, there’s a “Yeti on the Loo in Tooting Bec”.
Arguably the most iconic cliff hanger in classic series Doctor Who. The Cybermen on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral
The Doctor Who Mind Robberhas previously reported on a series of rumours concerning the return of hitherto missing Doctor Whoepisodes. At the time of writing 106 episodes are believed missing from the BBC Archives. All monochrome, the lost episodes span the tenures of the First and Second Doctors and date from 1964 to 1969. The earliest missing episode is William Hartnell’s fourth serial, Marco Polo,whilst the last is Patrick Troughton’s penultimate story, The Space Pirates.Colour prints of several of the Third Doctor’s episodes have not been recovered, however black and white copies exist and have been colourized. The final Jon Pertwee serial to receive the miraculous colour treatment was The Mind of Evil, which was released in June 2013.
The colourized Mind of Evil was released in June 2013
An article published today in the UK tabloid, the Mirror,alleges that over 100 missing Doctor Whoepisodes have been recovered by dedicated fans in Ethiopia. Supposedly retrieved from the Ethiopian Television and Radio Agency, the source for this rumour is one Stuart Kelly, who is described as a Doctor Whoexpert. Mr Kelly is said to have announced the find at the Wigtown Book Festival in Scotland last week.
Like all previous rumours, Mr Kelly’s announcement is not from a first hand source. Kelly relies on the hearsay of a third party. The Mirror reports him as saying, “I was told by a friend that the episodes have been found in Ethiopia. The BBC is negotiating to get them back right now. I really can’t say any more than that.”
Marco Polo (1964) is the earliest missing Doctor Who serial
Moreover, the Mirrorhas made no attempt to corroborate the story with either the third party or the BBC. In June the blog Bleeding Coolreported on rumours of over 90 episodes being recovered. Upon approaching the BBC, Philip Fleming, Head of Communications, Brands, Content & Digital, BBC Worldwide issued BleedingCoolthe following statement:
There are always rumours and speculation about Doctor Who missing episodes being discovered, however we cannot confirm any new finds.
Tonight on TwitterDoctor Who Restoration Team member Paul Vanezis responded to the Mirrorarticle and stated, “I would love it to be true. But it isn’t.” This denial is less than definitive, however. Whilst the recovery of over 100 episodes from Ethiopia may be untrue, Vanezis is far from denying that all rumours are false. The BBC’s announcement in June could be similarly met with scepticism. Whilst not confirming any finds, the BBC certainly didn’t deny any either.
The Space Pirates(1969) is the last missing Doctor Who story
Well known Doctor Whouberfan Ian Levine has today Tweeted about the Mirror’sarticleand a subsequent report on the UK’s SkyNewson Sunday morning. Levine said, “Maybe the Mirror news story, and the Sky News Video Report, might just force the BBC’s hand into FINALLY making an announcement this week…” Levine’s comments are sure to be echoed by many fans who are becoming increasingly frustrated by the prolonged rumours.
Doctor Who uberfan Ian Levine
Interestingly, Sodere: Ethopian Social Media Networkwhich has over 90,000 Facebook likes, republished the Mirror’sarticle today. Make of that as you will.
In the meantime, you can read The Doctor WhoMind Robber’sprevious Missing Episode stories here, here, here, and here. You might also like to view our 50th Anniversary Countdown post, The 10 Most Wanted Missing Episodes. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Written by the Daleks’ creator, Terry Nation, the Mechonoids appeared in the penultimate serial of Season 2, The Chase. Together with the farewell of companions Ian and Barbara, The Chase was the first attempt by Terry Nation to create a rival to the Daleks’ popularity. The Mechonoids were created to protect humans on the planet Mechanus however ultimately no humans colonized the planet. The Daleks battled the Mechonoids during this story. Not unlike many early Doctor Who monsters, the Mechonoids were large, cumbersome and totally unsuited for most of their tasks.
The Chase was the Mechonoids only television appearance on Doctor Who, although they did appear in comics and had several items of merchandise produced.
A mechonoid with two Daleks in The Chase
9. The Macra – The Macra Terror
Although revived in the Series 3 episode Gridlock, the providence of the Macra would probably have been lost on most New Series Doctor Who fans. With all four episodes of The Macra Terror lost, it is of little surprise that the Macra have long faded from memory. Giant crab like creatures, they inhabited underground tunnels and were reliant upon toxic gases to breath.
Thanks for the vigilance of the Australian Censorship Board, several censored clips from The Macra Terror have survived. A 15 second clip of a Macra grabbing Polly and another 7 second clip of Ben and Polly watching an approaching Macra, have survived from Episode Two. A two second clip of the Controller being attacked by a Macra survives from Episode Three.
A publicity shot of the Controller and Macra taken prior to filming
8. The Krotons – The Krotons
Robert Holmes’ first serial for Doctor Who produced yet another one-off monster, the Krotons. In my review of The KrotonsI described these monsters thus:
“ Yet another attempt at a Dalek replacement, the Krotons were a poor substitute. With arms that looked like the robot’s from Lost in Space, the Krotons were disabled by their strange and inflexible metal hands. Possessed of a rather cool spinning head, the poor Krotons were not so lucky with that part of their costume below the waist. A rubber skirt was merely tacked on to disguise the operators’ legs”.
The Krotons spoke with South African accents
7. The Quarks – The Dominators
Created by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, the writers of the two Yeti stories The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear, the Quarks of The Dominatorswere nowhere near successful as Haisman and Lincoln’s first monsters. The Quarks were less than convincing monsters and were ostensibly a box with legs, two pieces of wood for arms, and a quite fancy round head. The creatures were so small that school children were hired as operators.
Haisman and Lincoln believed that they’d created “the next big thing” and as a consequence a dispute between the writers and the BBC ensued. The writers’ sought exclusive rights for the marketing of the Quarks however unbeknownst to them, the BBC had already sold the comic rights to the Quarks. An injunction against the airing of The Krotons was threatened, although legal action was not forthcoming. The Dominators was the last Doctor Who serial that Haisman and Lincoln worked on. Although never again appearing on TV, the Quarks had a short career as comic book characters.
The Quarks were less than convincing as monsters
6. The Fish People – The Underwater Menace
Of The Underwater Menace’s four episodes, two are held in the BBC Archives and only one has been released on the Lost in Time compilation DVD. Another of the Troughton era serials that is generally held in low regard by fandom, The Underwater Menace featured Fish People. These strange creatures were once humans but had been operated on to enable them to breath underwater. These surgically modified humans, who now had gills, flippers and scales, were slaves to the Atlaneans. Polly narrowly escaped being transformed into a Fish Person.
The Fish People’s costumes included many sequins and they spent much of their time engaged in synchronised swimming. The rest of the time they collected a constant supply of fresh plankton which was required by the Atlaneans who were bereft of refrigeration. Alas, the plankton of The Underwater Menace were not as cute as the SpongeBob SquarePants character.
A rare colour photo of the Fish People
5. WOTAN – The War Machines
Making its first and only appearance in the Season Three finale, The War Machines, WOTAN was the world’s most sophisticated computer. Pre-empting the internet, WOTAN was designed to link together all of the world’s computers. Located on the top floor of the newly opened Post Office Tower in London, WOTAN was a malignant machine which sought world domination. WOTAN evidenced the fear of many that the newfangled room-sized computers would usurp humans.
Although not the world’s largest computer, WOTAN is the most intelligent
4. The Rill – Galaxy 4
Although technically a monster, the Rill of Galaxy 4were actually benign creatures who had long been the victims of a campaign of aggression by the Drahvins, a race of aggressive females. Enormous and obscenely ugly green creatures, the Rill can only breathe ammonia. In a tale with the well worn moral of “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, the beautiful blonde Drahvins are the evil and the ugly Rill are the good.
A Chumbley with four Rills in the background
3. The Menoptra and The Zarbi – The Web Planet
Hailed by some fans as a masterpiece, the First Doctor adventure The Web Planetalso has a sizeable number of critics. I was so bored and uninspired by the painfully slow six part serial that I was unable to gather the enthusiasm to write a review. Instead I posted a fan made YouTube clip which although only three minutes in duration, was immeasurably better than the 150 minute serial. Is it any wonder that the Menoptra and the Zarbi are forgotten Doctor Who monsters?
Creatures of The Web Planet
2. The Sensorites – The Sensorites
The penultimate story of Season One, The Sensoriteswas Doctor Who’s first attempt to create a monster to rival the Daleks. The Sensorites, who are near neighbours to the New Series monsters, the Ood, are a strange race of creatures who communicate by telepathy. With unusually shaped bald heads, the Sensorites have a fine head of hair growing onwards and upwards from their chins. Like the Ood, the Sensorites are nameless and genderless and have a tube which hangs from their bodies. The cord is not the external brain of the Ood, however, but rather a stethoscope to facilitate their communication by telepathy.
A Sensorite using telepathy.
1. The Monoids – The Ark
Surely the worst designed of all Sixties Doctor Who monsters, the Monoids were originally the servants of the Guardians. In my review of The ArkI described the Monoids in this way:
“.. .a peculiar mute race whose most distinctive feature is their one eye. This single eye is in their mouths, or at least what would’ve been their mouths if they had human anatomy. These eyes are actually painted ping pong balls which the actors held in place with their mouths. Now that’s ingenious small budget special effects for you! On the top of their heads is a long Beatles style mop top wig, whilst the rest of their bodies are clothed in green ill fitting garb. They have webbed hands and feet and move slowly”.
A lowly regarded serial, The Ark is nonetheless a stunningly directed four part story which is always met by sighs of relief by marathon watchers. After five lost serials in succession, including the 12 part The Daleks’ Master Plan, watching The Ark on DVD is almost like winning the lottery!
After a two month marathon of Patrick Troughton’s tenure as the Second Doctor, it was with more than a little sadness that I bid farewell to the Cosmic Hobo this evening. Jamie and Zoe were returned to their own time and Doctor Who, as we know it, changed forever.
With the monochrome era behind us, Doctor Who returned to the screens in colour with an earth-ensnared, TARDIS-less Doctor. The Spearhead From Spacewill soon introduce us to the Autons, but prior to that my forthcoming review of The War Gameswill lure me back to the sixties for one last hurrah. Please join me as I continue my journey through 50 years of Doctor Who.
Today The Doctor Who Mind Robber commences its 50 Day Countdown to Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary. Today the author will also conclude the 1960s component of her Ultimate Doctor Who Marathon by viewing the final episodes of Patrick Troughton’s last serial, The War Games. What more appropriate era to concentrate our daily articles on than Sixties Doctor Who?
For the next 50 days we will publish a daily article on a 1960s related topic. Perhaps appropriately, given the ongoing Missing Episodes Hysteria, our first survey will be on the Ten Most Wanted Missing Episodes.
10. THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN
Having just finished reading Terrance Dicks’ novelization of The Abominable SnowmenI’d love to see the five missing episodes returned to the BBC Archives. Episode two has been released on Lost in Time.
The first of Doctor Who’s two Yeti stories, The Abominable Snowmen is set in the Himalayan Buddhist Monastery, Det-Sen in 1935. Together with introducing the Yeti to the world of Who, the story is also the first appearance of the Great Intelligence. Given the Intelligence’s reintroduction as the major protagonist of Series 7 (The Snowmen, The Bells of Saint John, and The Name of the Doctor), The Abominable Snowmen has obvious marketing potential to New Series fans.
Together with providing fans with another full adventure with the little seen companion Victoria, The Abominable Snowmen is also significant for including the father and daughter team of Deborah (Victoria) and Jack (Travers) Watling. The story was one of the first to involve extensive location filming and features some splendid Welsh scenery as Snowdonia substituted for Tibet. The Yeti, whilst menacing, are also adorably cute.
Patrick Troughton on the set of The Abominable Snowmen
9. THE FACELESS ONES
Ben and Polly’s farewell serial, The Faceless Onesis one of my personal favourites. Episodes one and three are in the BBC Archives and have been released on the Lost in Time compilation.
Set in modern day London, The Faceless Ones was filmed at Gatwick Airport and features Pauline Collins as the would-be companion, Samantha Briggs. Collins would appear in Doctor Who 39 years later as Queen Victoria in Tooth and Claw. The serial has certain similarities with the Mark Gatiss penned Series 2 serial, The Idiot’s Lantern.
As one of the few “present day” serials of Doctor Who’s monochrome era, The Faceless Ones is a worthy companion to Ben and Polly’s first serial, The War Machines. The pair departs on the same day as their arrival in the aforementioned story, which is unfortunately their only complete serial. The most under-represented of all 1960’s companions in terms of extant episodes, it would be a delight to finally see Ben and Polly’s farewell to the Second Doctor in episode six. As the companions who flawlessly provided the continuity between the First and Second Doctors, Ben and Polly justifiably deserve more screen time.
The four members of the Tardis Crew before they scatter at Gatwick Airport in The Faceless Ones
8. THE MACRA TERROR
Another Patrick Troughton serial with a monster revived in New Series Doctor Who (Gridlock), The Macra Terroris entirely missing from the BBC Archives. Featuring Ben and Polly as the Second Doctor’s companions, The Macra Terror features the monster which put paid to model maker Shawcraft Models’ association with Doctor Who. The few off air clips available are just fabulous. As previously mentioned, there are far too few Ben and Polly episodes so any finds will allow us to fully appreciate their significant contribution to this tumultuous period of Doctor Who’s history.
A publicity shot for The Macra Terror
7. THE DALEKS’ MASTER PLAN
The 12 part Hartnell era masterpiece, The Daleks’ Master Planhas nine of its episodes missing. Episodes two, five and ten have been released on Lost in Time.
The DMP is resplendent with firsts, including Nicholas Courtney’s premier appearance in Who as secret agent Bret Vyon, the first deaths of companions, and the first return of a humanoid villain, the Monk. The short-lived companion Katarina, played by Adrienne Hill, is killed in episode four, which also sees the death of Bret Vyon at the hands of his sister Sara Kingdom (played by Jean Marsh). Sara Kingdom, who also subsequently becomes a companion, is killed in episode 12.
The DMP is perhaps the least likely of all serials to be recovered. Although sold to Australia it was never broadcast as a consequence of censorship problems. The DMP is in fact the only Doctor Who serial to have never been screened in Australia. Australia is the only country to have purchased all Who serials since the first serial, An Unearthly Child. Australia’s neighbour, New Zealand, has an equally prestigious record of long standing support, having purchased all serials save for the DMP. The ABC has confirmed that it no longer holds the episodes. The serial was sold to no other countries.
Magnificent flame throwing Daleks in The Daleks’ Master Plan
6. THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD
The only non-Monster story in Season 5, The Enemy of the Worldis one of the most sought after Troughton era serials. Only episode three is held in the BBC Archives and has been released on the Lost in Time DVD.
Very much in the style of a James Bond movie, The Enemy of the World is unique in that Patrick Troughton plays two roles – the Doctor and also the evil would-be world dictator, Salamander. Featuring Who’s first helicopter and hovercraft scenes, which will become all too familiar during Jon Pertwee’s tenure as the Third Doctor, The Enemy of the World is so unlike the “Base Under Siege” stories as to warrant an exulted position in the archives of Doctor Who.
Patrick Troughton as Salamander in The Enemy of the World
5. THE WEB OF FEAR
The second and final Yeti story, The Web of Fear has only one episode in the BBC Archives. Episode one has been released on Lost in Time.
The Web of Fear is set in the present day London Underground and introduces Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. Quickly promoted to Brigadier, Lethbridge-Stewart went on to have a distinguished career of more than 40 years with Doctor Who and its franchises. Bringing monsters to London foreshadowed the Third Doctor’s earth-bound tenure and Jon Pertwee’s much quoted phrase, “Yeti on the Loo”. It precipitated Doctor Who’s propensity to bring horror and science fiction to the mundane, everyday streetscapes of viewers.
The Doctor first met Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart in less than perfect circumstances
4. THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS
The second and final Dalek serial of the Troughton era, only episode two of the seven part serial is held in the BBC Archives. It has been released on the Lost in Time DVD.
Coming in at 18 in the 2009 Doctor Who Magazine Mighty 200 poll, The Evil of the Daleks was the most highly placed Second Doctor story. Set in Victorian England, it introduced the new companion Victoria who, having lost her father to the Daleks, was effectively adopted by the Doctor and Jamie. The story featured the concept of the “human factor” in Daleks, something which would re-emerge in the first Dalek story of 21st Century Who, Dalek. It also included some lovely scenes in which “baby” Daleks, who had been impregnated with the “human factor”, gleefully played trains with the Doctor.
The Evil of the Daleks was the first Doctor Who serial ever repeated and the first and only repeat to be scripted into serials
3.THE POWER OF THE DALEKS
The Power of the Daleksis Patrick Troughton’s first serial as the Second Doctor. In what could only be described as criminal negligence, none of its six episodes are held in the BBC Archives.
Widely acclaimed as one of the better 1960s Dalek stories, Power of the Daleks introduces a Doctor not only wildly different from his predecessor, but also significantly divergent from Troughton’s later portrayal. This is the first the viewer sees of a Doctor who will rapidly transform during the course of Season Four. The recorder, stove-pipe hat and baggy trousers will soon be a thing of the past. More importantly, however, the Doctor’s personality significantly evolves. The Power of the Daleks is also remarkable for the magnificent Dalek production line, which by luck rather than good management, is still available for our viewing pleasure as a short clip.
The Doctor, Polly and Ben are confronted by Daleks in The Power of the Daleks
2. THE TENTH PLANET – EPISODE 4
Although episodes one, two and three of The Tenth Planet exist in the BBC Archives, episode four has been lost in time. Together with the recently animated lost episode, The Tenth Planet will be finally released on DVD in November 2013.
Often described as the proto-type for the Troughton era “Base Under Siege” stories, The Tenth Planet heralded the introduction of the Cybermen. It is perhaps best remembered, however, as William Hartnell’s final story as the Doctor. It is most unfortunate that of all episodes to be lost, it is the final episode with Doctor Who’s first regeneration that doesn’t grace the shelves of the BBC’s Archives. This loss is compounded by the complete absence of Patrick Troughton’s first serial, The Power of the Daleks, from the Archives as well. Gone also was the opportunity to see the regeneration reprised in the first episode of the next serial. As luck would have it, however, an amateur film taken off-screen during the broadcast of episode four exists and allows fans to witness this historic regeneration, albeit in a rather grainy form.
The Tenth Planet introduces the Cybermen to Doctor Who for the first time. A Cyberman is pictured here with Polly and the Doctor
1. MARCO POLO
Undoubtedly the most highly sought after missing Doctor Who story is Marco Polo. The fourth story of the series’ first season, this historical dramais the earliest missing story. Directed by Waris Hussein, who also directed Doctor Who’s first serial An Unearthly Child, all that remains visually of this story is a collection of beautiful colour photographs taken during the filming. On the basis of these photos alone, Marco Polo appears to have been an exceptionally cinematic production. As the most widely sold Hartnell era serial, it’s nothing short of bizarre that not a single episode has resurfaced.
A thirty minute reconstruction of Marco Polo was released with the three disc box set The Beginning, which also includes An Unearthly Child, The Edge of Destruction and The Daleks.
The Doctor Who Mind Robber 