The official announcement arrived that the episodes “The Nightmare Begins” and “Devil’s Planet” have been recovered, the first and third episodes, respectively, of the serial “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” which aired between December 1965 and January 1966. It was the longest serial in the entire classic “Doctor Who” series, with the First Doctor and Steven Taylor. Over a decade has passed since the last announcement of the recovery of lost episodes, which helps keep alive hopes that, as in this case, there are still missing episodes in private collections.
In this case, the passionate volunteer group Film is Fabulous found the episodes during one of their activities, where they recover old films from private collectors. These films are sometimes put up for sale, especially after the collectors’ deaths. You can follow their activities on the group’s website and even make a donation to support their activities.
“The Daleks’ Master Plan” was an ambitious serial with a complex plot centered on a conspiracy involving the Daleks and the infamous Mavic Chen. It’s also known for featuring Nicholas Courtney‘s debut in the show as Bret Vyon, before returning in the Second Doctor era in a new role, that of Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, which made him one of the show’s most beloved characters. In some episodes, the First Doctor also has companions Katarina (Adrienne Hill) and Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh).
The BBC reported the discovery of the two episodes in what was described as a ramshackle collection, and it’s unknown how the collector obtained them. Before the emergence of the VHS market, television products in the UK were considered ephemeral, so it was common practice for British broadcasters to recycle the expensive magnetic tapes. Therefore, television episodes survived only if there were copies on film, produced when those shows were sold abroad.
Actor Peter Purves, who played Steven Taylor, was invited to Leicester last Wednesday under the pretext of an interview. According to the BBC, when it was revealed that they actually wanted to break the news to him that the two episodes had been found, he teared up and was speechless. This is likely the reaction of many fans of the classic “Doctor Who” series, who dream every day about some of the more than ninety missing episodes being recovered. The case of “The Nightmare Begins” and “Devil’s Planet” confirms that there may still be some in private collections, where they arrived through decidedly unofficial channels.
The BBC has announced that the two episodes will be available on its iPlayer service for Easter. It’s unclear whether there are already plans to release them on DVD and Blu-ray, perhaps animating the remaining episodes of “The Daleks’ Master Plan” now that 5 of the 12 episodes are available. Years ago, the BBC released the “Lost in Time” box set featuring the “orphaned” episodes, and since then, some more have been recovered. Now, another piece of “Doctor Who” history is available again!
