Lost Doctor Who Episodes from Iconic Daleks Arc Discovered After Six Decades
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Two long lost Doctor Who episodes from the 1965 Daleks' Master Plan arc have been recovered from a collector's estate and restored by the BBC, offering a major win for Classic Who fans.
Classic television preservation has scored a massive win as two long lost Doctor Who episodes from the historic Daleks' Master Plan arc have surfaced after sixty years. Originally broadcast in late 1965 during the tenure of the first Doctor, William Hartnell, the episodes titled The Nightmare Begins and Devil's Planet were discovered among the vintage film reels of a late anonymous collector. The material was donated to the Leicester charitable trust Film is Fabulous, an organization dedicated to recovering lost media. While much of the collection suffered from water damage and corrosion, these rare Doctor Who reels survived in remarkably pristine condition.
The newly recovered segments belong to a sprawling twelve part storyline written by Dalek creator Terry Nation, which stands as the longest ongoing narrative arc in the show's history. The episodes follow the Doctor and his companion Steven Taylor as they attempt to thwart the iconic metallic villains from conquering the solar system. Even with this latest find, the complete twelve part arc remains partially incomplete, as the middle episode Day of Armageddon was previously recovered in 2004.
Fans looking to experience this piece of television history will have multiple ways to watch. The BBC Archives has restored the original recordings to broadcast quality, and the episodes are heading to BBC iPlayer this April alongside a special theatrical screening in London featuring original cast member Peter Purves. As reported by Polygon, international availability on platforms like BritBox remains unconfirmed, but the discovery offers a timely reminder of the enduring cultural footprint of the franchise while the modern era of the show navigates its next transitional phase.
Tags: Doctor Who, Classic TV, Entertainment, BBC, Streaming
Original article: Polygon