This is one of my top three Hartnell stories and the best one out of Season 3 by some comfortable margin imo. It's also one of my fave Dalek stories, they really are at the top of their game here, having now gone up yet another level to a stage where they can now use time and conquer the universe.

The Mission To The Unknown Episode that was a prelude to this story was an interesting one, as it featured none of the regulars. It is actually quite enjoyable but wouldn't like to have scene it done on a regular basis.

The main story itself just keeps you on your toes from start to finish. Quite early in the story, The Doctor steals the Dalek's Time Destructor and for weeks on end, he is chased here, there and everywhere as the Daleks struggle to get it back. and we are introduced to Sara Kingdom, who is one of the better companions of the Hartnell Era. Shame she was never kept on as I think she would have been brilliant.

The Monk returns as well, and though not as good as in his debut story, causes enough mischief to make his appearance worthwhile. Shame it was the last we ever saw of him as well.

And off course, outside of the New Series, this was the only other time we had a Xmas Day episode with Hartnell directly addressing the camera to wish everyone a great Xmas. Listening to the audio of this episode makes me so much want to see it as it is such a great episode.

And finally, I know I said yesterday that I prefer Terrance Dicks novels of the series but the only ones that did better were John Peel's novelisation in two books of this story. The best read of a Doctor Who story I have ever had, really took me on a journey reading them.

I think of all the Hartnell eisodes juncked next to Ep4 of Tenth Planet this is the sadest loss the shear epicness of Dalek Master Plan should of been enough to see more episodes surivive but when you think this was one of a very few stories that was not sold over seas it's amazing that we even have 3 episodes of this story in the archives . I've listened to the surviving audio soundtrack and read both the Target novels and even from those you can see what a brilliant 12 episodes this was.

Probably my favourite Hartnell story. Why did it have to be junked?

Agree about Sara Kingdom. Wonderful companion, even if she was only ever in this one story. We lost her, then we got Dodo!

Also agree about John Peel's two-part novelisation. It's excellent. It's the only novelisation I've read several times.

To create space in the archives for saleable material and to save money by recycling tape... oh, it was a rhetorical question


Brilliance in this story:
The two death scenes
Mavic Chen
The Interplanetry alliance weirdos
Nudity

Surely the best Hartnell Sci-Fi?

delete

Yes, it was a rhetorical question.

I have to agree that Mavic Chen was a brilliant character.

I was quite surprised that you had so few replies to your original thread Daveyboy because this story is ‘epic’ not just in its length but in the ambitions of the storytelling. I agree that in main it is a fab story.

I was taken from the first words in Mission to the Unknown ‘ I remember now I have to kill’ and the first few episodes including MTTU are genuinely thrilling. It feels very cinematic in tone with a believable story , with Bill Hartnell very serious and completely on form, taking the place of the alien delegate, the marvellous Nick Courtney as Bret Vyon clashing with the Doctor, Daleks with flamethrowers. I love all the scenes on Kembel and in Mavic Chen’s space ship. The sense of other worlds and galaxies that the alien conference shows just expands the whole story. The jungle sets and interiors are very well realised.

I thought Bret Vyon was a brilliant character and well Nick Courtney was just handsome as anything so I never quite forgave Sara Kingdom for how she came on the Tardis ( wont spoil it if you don’t know). She is a companion who can take care of herself but I found Katarina’s innocent nature much more palatable in a way. I think the middle episodes once the Doctor and co land on Mira and the volcano ( I think Dennis Spooner takes over some of the writing here ) don’t add much to the story although I Was very glad to see the meddling Monk again. I wont say much about the Christmas episode except I felt as if I was watching a crazy drunken party on the Hollywood film set and breaking the 4th wall in hindsight takes you completely out of the story. I understand the sentiment behind it for the time.

I was much happier when we were in ancient Egypt and back to the story proper with a completely thrilling ending. A surprising and brave ending which probably does make it one of the best Hartnell stories ever. It’s really hard to judge something fairly only being able to watch 3 proper episodes out of 12 on this story. Recons don’t always capture the emotion, movement of actors but it certainly feels like a great story especially the first few episodes. I hope there are more found for this story out there.


Mavic Chen had a great arc didn’t he , what a self-obsessed dictator he would have made!
The death scenes were very well done. I love the Doctor’s speech when Katarina died.
The Doctor : [On the death of Katarina.] "She didn't understand... She couldn't understand. She wanted to save our lives. And perhaps the lives of all the other beings of the solar system. I hope she's found her perfection. We shall always remember her as one of the daughters of the gods. Yes, as one of the daughters of the gods."

I love this story, i think it is brilliant, and is such a unique idea. It does slow down in the middle a lot, but is brilliant elsewhere. It has everything this story.

TBH, I wasn't so keen on the Egyptian stuff. The setting and it's people were really a sub plot that were a bit boring compared to the main action. I felt those episodes could have been played out elsewhere and still been just as good.

Agree with your other points, from an acting and fluff free point of view it was Hartnell's strongest showing in the role.

I always thought this was like a Crisis on Infinite Earths for Doctor Who, in that it was a 12-part mess but with many redeeming qualities. Mavic Chen as a character, Katarina's gut-wrenching sacrifice, the chilling climax where the Time Destructor unleashes its power. Some great stuff in it, but overall it didn't hold together very well in my opinion, and it wouldn't be my most recommended Dalek story.

Fun analogy but I would choose the original 'Secret Wars'. And the conclusion to the final episode with the explosion of the time bomb and the effect it has is probably on a par for 'awe-inspiring epicness for a 12 year old boy' with Doc Doom's battle with the Beyonder and the conclusion of issue 11 with the annihilation of the heroes.

I found a great interview with Donald Tosh, the script editor, whilst looking for the recons for the next story The Massacre where he discusses the Dalek Masterplan & Bill Hartnell, and the 'horror' at Bill Hartnell breaking the 4th wall
Starts about TDM from about 9 minutes in

Very interesting indeed all of the drama around the early episodes of TDM so I doff my imaginary cap off to you Donald Tosh for saving the day.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3p...erview-lc40_tv

I will put the video in Daveyboys The Massacre thread too when I've seen the story as first 8-9 minutes covers that story.

Thanks for that, Lady.

Donald Tosh seems like a great old boy. Still bright and eloquent. I've always considered him one of Doctor Who's most underrated writers. In his day it was quite a coup for Doctor Who to have him because he was a well respected dramatist.

I was aware previously that Terry Nation's writing on this serial was slight but not quite to the extent that Tosh outlines here. I think there is a noticeable drop in quality once the Dennis Spooner episodes begin, although Spooner himself was a very good writer and wrote two great serials (The Romans & The Time Meddler). The later stuff in Egypt and so on becomes rather plodding and boring, until things pick up again with the spectacular finale.

The fact that Tosh basically scripted both the 1st half of Masterplan and Massacre makes total sense because the quality is very high, and in truth better than I usually expect from Nation in particular. Mythmakers, Masterplan, Massacre: what an incredible run of quality from Tosh. Not wanting to be too high falutin', but has there ever been a more high brow run of Doctor Who? The two historicals in particular are very sophisticated for Doctor Who and Masterplan has some of the most dramatic moments in the show's history.

Hilarious that the genesis of the story was a 'pitch' by Sidney Newman's mother / mother-in-law. I wonder how influential Moffat's mum is on Doctor Who storylines :P

I wonder just how serious the plans to ease Hartnell out of the role really were at the time and how much of that intent is Tosh mis-remembering with hindsight.

Hi Tom I don't disagree with your comments about Donald Tosh at all. Seems a great person and definitely gave us some quality stories as I'm discovering. I think what makes
his characters interesting is whatever side they are on they are well fleshed out & have strong convictions.

Wasn't that interesting about Hartnell being eased out and bored with the role too. I suppose it was a bit of a grind
working almost all year round for him and the production team were trying to keep him happy and also
keep the whole show going. I wonder how long Hartnell would have stayed of his own accord?

Just speculation obviously, but my instinct is to think 'too long'. With his worsening health one would think Doctor Who would have been a nice safety net for him had they wanted him to continue, and the popularity he had in that role a heartening crutch. By all accounts, although somewhat snobbish about playing a 'popular' roll in a family audience TV show he did value the esteem he was held in by the child audience and relished his personal appearances as the character.

I think of the somewhat sad story told by Barry Letts of him and Terrance Dicks contacting Hartnell about appearing in 'The Three Doctors' and getting his enthusiastic agreement, followed by a return phone call a while later from his bemused wife basically saying 'Bill is saying he's going to be in Doctor Who again. Is this true?'. When Letts told her that was indeed the plan she had to inform him that Hartnell's health would never allow it. And we see in 'The Three Doctors' the minimal roll Bill eventually had, filmed in his own garden I believe.

All things considered it was probably the best course of action to replace him when they did although it is a somewhat sad story. But at least Bill left the roll with dignity on a strong note, instead of marring his reputation and legacy by putting in struggling performances not worthy of him.

Had he been in the same situation today it's possible he might have been able to continue longer, as the show is no longer produced 'one take' or in a stage-like manner and so he could have gotten a lot more assistance with his lines, only needing to speak them, not remember them. And wonderful scenes like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=126DNagM3ks, this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um5Cn5eHsGo and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyfi_OzB-YA show how fantastic Hartnell could be in that regard.

I agree with your post but this point in particular is a good one. I think from listening to the audio documentaries, Hartnell was proving difficult to work with as well so with his illness I think it's unlikely he would have stayed that much longer.

Ha! Ha! You must be a Cyberman in disguise. I salute you sir, for you being brave enough to grace this forum!