Summary
- Due to the BBC's policy of 'junking' archival programs, there are 97 missing episodes of Doctor Who from the Hartnell and Troughton eras.
- Tele-snap reconstructions and narrated audio versions have been created to preserve and fill the gaps of these missing episodes.
- Efforts have been made to recover lost episodes, but fans are still waiting for an update on the remaining 97 episodes.
Due to a combination of behind-the-scenes factors, there are 97 missing episodes of Doctor Who from the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton eras. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the British Broadcasting Corporation had a policy of "junking" archival programs like Doctor Who. There were multiple reasons for this ranging from lack of space to scarcity of material, but the policy led to numerous First and Second Doctor episodes being wiped from the archives. The same fate befell a handful of Jon Pertwee serials too, but thankfully overseas sales ensured that those Third Doctor stories weren't completely lost forever.
The Hartnell and Troughton serials aren't completely lost either, thanks to John Cura, whose "tele-snap" process photographed frames from TV shows, and early fans like Graham Strong who made off-air recordings. These "tele-snaps" have been married with off-air sound recordings of Doctor Who's missing episodes to provide tele-snap reconstructions available on DVD and Blu-ray. Narrated audio versions of the missing stories are also commercially available on CD and mp3 . There are far less missing episodes than there used to be, thanks to the efforts of people like Ian Levine and Phillip Morris. However, the last big recovery took place in 2013, and fans are still waiting for an update on the 97 remaining episodes of Doctor Who.
26 Marco Polo (All 7 Episodes)
Marco Polo is the earliest Doctor Who serial to be missing from the archives with all seven episodes from "The Roof of the World" to "Assassin at Peking" having been junked by the BBC. The serial depicts the First Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions as they legendary explorer Marco Polo (Mark Eden) on his travels from the Pamir Plateau to Peking. Of the many missing Doctor Who episodes from the archives, Marco Polo is one that many fans want returned to the archives due to the handsome production design showcased in on-set photographs. Rumors of its return to the archives surfaced in 2013 but sadly proved false.
25 The Reign of Terror (Episodes 4 and 5)
The Reign of Terror is essentially Doctor Who's first-ever season finale, landing the First Doctor and his companions in post-revolutionary . The TARDIS team gets involved with helping political targets escape the guillotine before becoming mixed up with the machinations of an English spy. The majority of the serial exists, so fans can enjoy the Doctor's masquerade as Maximilien Robespierre and Ian Chesterton (William Russell) inadvertently coming face to face with Napoleon Bonaparte. The missing episodes "The Tyrant of " and "A Bargain of Necessity" were animated by the BBC back in 2012 for a release on DVD during the 50th anniversary year.
24 The Crusade (Episodes 2 and 4)
The Crusade sees the First Doctor and the TARDIS team encounter King Richard the Lionheart amidst the Christians' holy war in 12th century Palestine. The rediscovery of The Crusade's opening episode "The Lion" in 1998 became headline news in the UK. This discovery garnered unprecedented amounts of press attention after Bruce Grenville stumbled upon it at a film collectors convention. When it became clear that he was in possession of a missing Doctor Who episode, he returned it to the archives. "The Lion" and the other existing episode "The Wheel of Fortune" were recently remastered for release on Blu-ray as part of the Doctor Who Season 2 set and look utterly stunning.
23 Galaxy 4 (Episodes 1, 2 and 4)
Galaxy 4 is a fairly simplistic tale of good versus evil that subverts the standard Doctor Who clichés by making the beautiful Drahvins the villains and the alien Rills their oppressed victims. "Airlock", the third episode of Galaxy 4 was returned to the archives in late 2011. An animated version of the full serial was released by the BBC in 2021, using off-air recordings and an animation style that captures the feel of 1960s cartoons. As the mostly missing opening serial of Doctor Who season 3, Galaxy 4 foreshadows a depressing trend when it comes to the last full series of the First Doctor era.
22 Mission To The Unknown
"Mission to the Unknown" is one of the most fascinating of missing Doctor Who episodes. Intended as a teaser for the epic The Daleks' Masterplan, it features no Doctor or companions, and effectively serves as a backdoor pilot for Terry Nation's Dalek spinoff. Focusing on the attempts of Space Security Agent Marc Corey (Edward de Souza) to unmask a galactic conspiracy against the Solar System, it's a thrilling espionage thriller that contains a dazzling array of alien species. As well as an unofficial animated reconstruction by Ian Levine, this fascinating piece of Doctor Who history is the only missing episode to receive a live-action remake.
The University of Central Lancashire remounted "Mission to the Unknown" as a faithful reconstruction. The brainchild of Dr. Andrew Ireland, the reconstruction used the existing script and production photos to recreate "Mission to the Unknown" in as authentic a manner as possible. It's an incredible achievement, bringing together staff, students, and graduates from multiple university departments to produce 25 minutes of brand-new old television. The "Mission to the Unknown" recreation had the full of the BBC and included Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks, and a brief introduction by Edward de Souza - the original Marc Corey - to add extra authenticity.
21 The Myth Makers (All 4 Episodes)
The Myth Makers depicted the Doctor's role in the fall of Troy, so it's a great shame that the entire serial is missing. There aren't even any tele-snaps to go on, with the Loose Cannon reconstruction having to get very creative with the handful of production photos still in existence. Written by Donald Cotton, it's a historical comedy in the vein of writer Dennis Spooner's classic serial The Romans, that takes a major tonal shift in the final episode. The destruction of Troy rages about the Doctor and a wounded Steven, as Vicki decides to stay behind with her love interest, Trolius. The Doctor and Steven are ed by historical companion Katarina (Adrienne Hill), who gets her own bleak ending a few weeks later.
20 The Daleks' Masterplan (Episodes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12)
The Daleks' Masterplan was a 12-part Doctor Who epic of which - tragically - only three episodes exist. It follows the First Doctor and his companions' attempts to stop the Daleks from constructing a devastating weapon - the Time Destructor. As episode 7, "The Feast of Steven" was designed as a disposable festive episode that aired on Christmas Day 1965, it's highly unlikely that it will ever be returned to the archive, as it likely wasn't recorded on 16mm and shipped to the former colonies. There's not yet an official animated reconstruction, presumably because it would be an incredible undertaking, but it's top of the list for Doctor Who stories that fans want returned.
19 The Massacre (All 4 Episodes)
The Massacre is a fascinating piece of Doctor Who because it's unrelentingly bleak in a way that the show rarely was before or since. Depicting the brutal sectarian violence meted out against Paris' Huguenot population in 1572, the soundtrack creates a disturbing soundscape. As no tele-snaps exist of the story, it's hard to tell exactly how this violence would be depicted for a family audience on Saturday evenings, but script directions suggest that historical paintings would be used. The Massacre is also notable for a beautiful speech delivered by William Hartnell, as the First Doctor reflects on his responsibilities as a time traveler and all the friends he's lost. On audio, it sounds like an astonishing piece of work that would be fascinating to see returned to the BBC archives.
18 The Celestial Toymaker (Episodes 1, 2, and 3)
Interest in The Celestial Toymaker will likely increase if Neil Patrick Harris' Doctor Who villain is revealed to be a new incarnation of the titular enemy. The story depicts the Doctor and his companions trapped inside the Toymaker's toy room, forced to play various games to win their freedom. It would be interesting to see the serial returned, but the existing audio and the final episode "The Final Test" give the impression that many of these games, rhymes, and the Toymaker himself may have aged quite badly in the eyes of a 21st-century audience. After all, there's a reason that Neil Patrick Harris' potential Toymaker is no longer dressed in a Mandarin robe.
17 The Savages (All 4 Episodes)
The Savages has a fascinating sci-fi conceit - a race of privileged Elders who transfer their consciousness into the bodies of the unwilling and uncivilized "savages" of the title. All four episodes of the serial are missing from the archive, which is disappointing as it features the departure of Peter Purves as Steven Taylor. As William Hartnell's health was failing, The Savages' sci-fi conceit allowed the Doctor's consciousness to be transferred into the body of the ruthless leader Jano (Frederick Jaeger) who inherited the Doctor's ethics, ultimately overthrowing the oppressive regime. Of all the missing Doctor Who serials, The Savages feels less celebrated in fan discussions, hinting at a potential re-evaluation should it ever be returned.