Rediscovered Doctor Who Episodes Reveal William Hartnell's Strengths
With the unexpected return of two William Hartnell episodes to the BBC archive, Whovians can now, for the first time since 1965, experience the opening segments of the 12-part adventure The Daleks' Master Plan. The surviving five episodes are currently available on iPlayer, offering a rare glimpse into this classic serial.
A Stirring Introduction to a Classic Adventure
The first three episodes provide a compelling start to the story, featuring large and impressive sets for the Earth control centre and the Dalek ship. These contrast sharply with the dense and forbidding foliage of the planet Kembel. Director Douglas Camfield's frequent use of tight closeup shots on the cast's faces enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere during the jungle sequences, drawing viewers deeper into the narrative.
At the time of filming, Hartnell was unaware that within a year, he would be replaced by Patrick Troughton as the lead of Doctor Who. Hartnell's tenure has often been overshadowed by his health problems, reputation for being difficult on set, and frequent flubbing of lines due to a tight production schedule that allowed little room for retakes.
Hartnell's Performance Shines Through
In these rediscovered episodes, particularly the opener, audiences can witness Hartnell in some of his strongest moments as the Doctor. With Steven, played by Peter Purves, incapacitated by poison from Troy, and Katarina, portrayed by Adrienne Hill, serving as a rather hollow character, Hartnell has significantly more to do than usual. The actor showcases the gleeful side of his nature, delighting in his own inventions like the magnetic chair and demonstrating ingenuity in repelling boarders to the spaceship, at least initially.
Notable Cast and Creative Elements
The rediscovery of episode one also allows fans to enjoy beloved children's television presenter Brian Cant flexing his acting skills beyond Playschool. Additionally, all three episodes prominently feature Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, who would later go on to play Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart for 40 years. A highlight is the Addams family-esque kookiness of the aliens comprising the Dalek council, which offers a refreshing alternative to the somewhat cliched setup of the prison planet savages in part three.
In summary, the story follows the Doctor as he sets out to thwart Dalek plans to conquer the universe, while Katarina often stands around asking obvious questions, adding a layer of complexity to the Tardis crew dynamics.
Production Challenges and Character Development
It was a confusing time for the Tardis crew, and perhaps for the production team as well. Katarina had just been introduced to replace Vicki, played by Maureen O'Brien, in the preceding story The Myth Makers. Almost immediately, the script editors seemed to have regrets about her character. At one point, the Doctor tells her, "Don't ask questions and do as you are told," which succinctly captures her lack of depth. Later attempts, such as Tom Baker's companion Leela, portrayed by Louise Jameson, proved more successful in portraying an Eliza Doolittle-style ingenue.
Fear Factor and Narrative Stakes
For a Dalek story, there is a remarkably low extermination count, with only two deaths depicted. Their plan to burn down the jungle of Kembel using three Daleks equipped with flamethrowers did not seem particularly efficient. However, the stakes were undeniably high. Modern Doctor Who is sometimes criticized for escalating threats in each series finale until reality itself is at risk, but this trend clearly began in 1965. Within two years, the Daleks evolved from wanting control of Skaro, to Earth, and in this story, to the entire universe using the most evil weapon ever invented, the "time destructor."
Mysteries Surrounding the Rediscovery
The biggest mystery is how these episodes survived all these years. Film is Fabulous, the organization that secured them, has stated they are respecting the wishes of the estate of the person who held them, keeping their identity anonymous. Intriguingly, given that the missing episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan were never sold overseas, they were among the least likely to ever be found. Yet, two episodes were sitting in film cans all along, raising questions about what other lost treasures might still be out there.
Historical Context and Legacy
Nicholas Courtney would later go on to play Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, and, assuming one counts his appearance with Colin Baker in the Comic Relief skit Dimensions in Time, he is the only actor to have appeared opposite all seven original classic Doctors. This story marked William Hartnell's last appearance with Daleks as the main enemy. They would feature in two of Patrick Troughton's season four stories before enjoying a long hiatus, not appearing between 1967's Evil of the Daleks and 1972's Day of the Daleks, when they debuted in colour on television.
A one-off Dalek cutaway episode, Mission to the Unknown, served as a prequel to this story in October 1965. It is the only episode of Doctor Who to date not to feature any regular cast members and is currently missing. However, in 2019, it was remounted by students at the University of Central Lancashire with the BBC's blessing, preserving its legacy.
In the BBC centenary special The Power of the Doctor, Sacha Dhawan's Master references the title of this story, exclaiming, "I was thinking we could call this the Master's Dalek Plan. Or the CyberDalek Masterplan. Or the Cybermasters Dalek Plan. I can't quite get it." In the expanded universe, during the Big Finish audio story Master Thief, written by Fio Trethewey, the Roger Delgado incarnation of the Master discovers a magnetic tape labelled The Traitors, implied to be the missing part four of The Daleks' Master Plan.
Looking Ahead
Barring any further unexpected rediscoveries, the next recap will focus on a Christmas special that may or may not feature Billie Piper as the Doctor. This will presumably conclude the second Russell T Davies era before the show either embarks on a new direction or faces an uncertain future. Before then, on Thursday, April 16, 2026, BBC Three will celebrate 20 years since David Tennant made his debut as the Doctor with a themed night of programming, inviting fans to join in the excitement.
