Classic Who: First Doctor Episodes
I am given to understand that some of you folks would like to learn something about the Classic Doctor Who episodes. So, I’ve decided to give you a quick overview of the availability of episodes featuring The First Doctor as played by William Hartnell. (This availability is mainly for Region 1, but I have found that the DVDs tend to appear first in the UK. So, consider any DVD listings as good for both areas.) Some of these classic episodes are available on video or DVD. Sadly, some of them have been lost, perhaps forever. Occasionally, one of the missing episodes will reappear thanks to dedicated searchers. And the BBC does have the audio for every episode, thanks to dedicated fans. Given the number of missing episodes, however, it is likely that some will never be found. Our only hope, at this point, is animated re-creation, like they did with episodes 1 and 4 of The Second Doctor story: The Invasion. Oh, and however you look at it, much praise should go to the Restoration Team who makes Doctor Who DVDs possible.
One final thing: Remember that the Classic Who episodes were different from the modern ones. They consisted of a story that lasted anywhere from 1 to 12 episodes. Okay? Well, here’s what I managed to pull together for you:
The First Doctor - William Hartnell (1963-1966)
Season 1:
0. Pilot Episode (avail. on DVD)
1. 100,000 BC (a.k.a An Unearthly Child) - 4 episodes (avail. on DVD)
2. The Daleks - 7 episodes (avail. on DVD)
3. The Edge of Destruction - 2 episodes (avail. on DVD)
4. Marco Polo - 7 episodes (all seven episodes missing)
5. The Keys of Marinus - 6 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
6. The Aztecs - 4 episodes (avail. on DVD)
7. The Sensorites - 6 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
8. The Reign of Terror - 6 episodes (episodes 4 and 5 missing) (was avail. on videotape in its incomplete form)
Season 2:
9. Planet of Giants - 3 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
10. The Dalek Invasion of Earth - 6 episodes (avail. on DVD)
11. The Rescue - 2 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
12. The Romans - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
13. The Web Planet - 6 episodes (avail. on DVD)
14. The Crusade - 4 episodes (episodes 2 and 4 missing) (Bits avail. on Lost in Time DVD) (Photonovel)
15. The Space Museum - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
16. The Chase - 6 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
17. The Time Meddler - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
Season 3:
18. Galaxy 4 - 4 episodes (all four episodes missing)
19. Mission to the Unknown - 1 episode (missing)
20. The Myth Makers - 4 episodes (all four episodes missing)
21. The Dalek Masterplan - 12 episodes (episodes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 missing) (Bits avail. on Lost in Time DVD) (Photonovel)
22. The Massacre - 4 episodes (all four episodes missing)
23. The Ark - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
24. The Celestial Toymaker - 4 episodes (episodes 1, 2, and 3 are missing) (Bits avail. on Lost in Time DVD)
25. The Gunfighters - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
26. The Savages - 4 episodes (all four episodes missing) (Photonovel)
27. The War Machines - 4 episodes (was avail. on videotape)
Season 4:
28. The Smugglers - 4 episodes (all four episodes missing) (Bits avail. on Lost in Time DVD) (Photonovel)
29. The Tenth Planet - 4 episodes (episode 4 missing) (Bits avail. on Lost in Time DVD)
Sources: BBC Doctor Who Missing Episode List & The Classic Series Episode Guide
Doctor Who, The First Doctor, William Hartnell
May 31st, 2007 at 6:49 am
It’s too bad these old episodes weren’t better cared for. I’ve seen bits and pieces of some of these, and I’ve really enjoyed them.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:51 am
The BBC use to re-use film so I guess we are lucky that we now have from the 3rd Doctor to present.
I really like the 2nd Doctor, too bad so many of his stories are currently lost.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:46 pm
There was also a leak in the archive roof at one point, as I recall. Sigh.
Glad to know that I wasn’t wrong about folks being interested in the classic show. I’m planning to do one of these for each of The Doctors eventually, and I may finally finish my review of An Unearthly Child soon.
June 1st, 2007 at 6:00 am
Actually, the episodes that are “lost” were destroyed by the BBC intentionally.
Back in the mid-70’s the BBC went through and got rid of a large percentage of their archives that they felt weren’t going to have any long-term value to preserve and keep. In the case of “Doctor Who” some single episodes and some whole stories were kept as examples of the show and the era, while a large majority of them were simply burned. In the early 80’s the BBC realized they’d made a mistake and began to canvas the globe, looking for the old stories. They found a lot a good number of them at various outlets they’d sold the stories to for syndication purposes as well as in the hands of private collectors (one popular fan theory is one particular private collector has all the remaining missing episodes.).
Between that time and now, they’ve found small clips from censor boards and other places as well as an episode or two here and there. The biggest find was the complete Tomb of the Cybermen in the early 90s.
I am hoping for the day we get the complete run of the shows restored…but in reality, there may not be a lot left to find….
June 1st, 2007 at 9:01 am
Yep.
They destroyed all sorts of shows that way.
It boggles the mind, doesn’t it?
I’m thinking that the animation idea may be our only hope.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:20 am
[...] Okay then, let’s get started at the beginning with The First Doctor. [...]
November 12th, 2007 at 2:22 am
[...] Unearthly Child features The First Doctor as played by William [...]
November 21st, 2007 at 1:55 am
[...] Unearthly Child features The First Doctor as played by William [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 1:16 am
[...] Unearthly Child features The First Doctor as played by William [...]
November 27th, 2007 at 12:48 am
[...] imagination run wild. You can go with something that would show up in a grocery store aisle. “First Doctor, William Hartnell, returns to life to appear in the new show!” Or you can go with the random [...]
December 13th, 2007 at 2:23 am
[...] Unearthly Child features The First Doctor as played by William [...]