dailyloe.com – Two lost episodes of the classic sci-fi series ‘Doctor Who’ have been recovered, sparking fresh optimism that more missing footage may still be found. The episodes, from the 1965 serial ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan,’ were discovered in a private collection after the collector’s passing. This find highlights the ongoing hunt for nearly 100 episodes believed to be missing from the show’s early archive.
The recovered episodes were identified as ‘cutting copies,’ used for technical review before potential overseas distribution. Television producer and missing episodes hunter Paul Vanezis explained this during a panel in London. This discovery suggests more copies of episodes were made than previously documented.
The find is particularly surprising for ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan.’ This serial was never officially sold for international broadcast. Censors in target countries reportedly deemed the story too violent at the time. This limited distribution made its episodes seem especially unlikely to survive.
The material was found by the preservation group Film is Fabulous! almost by accident. It was located within a trove belonging to a deceased collector. The collector was apparently unaware of the significance of the items they held.
Internationally distributed film reels have been a common source for recovering lost British television. Many episodes were preserved only because copies were sent abroad. The BBC infamously purged its own archives of early programming in the 1960s and 1970s.
The successful recovery and global release of these episodes is a major triumph for archivists. It demonstrates that lost media can still resurface decades later. This gives fans and historians continued hope for future discoveries.[]
Source: Gizmodo
