3. The Daleks' Master Plan (1965-66, 9 Out Of 12 Missing)
Say what you want about The Daleks Master Plan and whether or not this is a better story than the rest of Hartnells Dalek adventures, it still out-scopes them in every possible way. Running at 12 parts, the episode is gargantuan. No attempt at making such a mastodon has been made until Collin Bakers Trial of a Time Lord. Even that represented a whole season, while the Master Plan just casually runs in the middle of Season 3. It even has its own prequel (also lost) called Mission to the Unknown. But lets say size never mattered. What about content? Well, it can be summed up. Daleks need a piece of metal called Taranium to power their doomsday weapon, the Doctor steals Taranium, Daleks chase Doctor around the universe, Daleks finally get what they want, the Doctor tricks them one way or another and everyone moves on happily. Ok, maybe not the last bit, but The Daleks Master Plan is actually a mould-breaker. You know how companions almost never die? Well, long before Adric and way longer before the Ponds, this episode marks the deaths of not one, but two companions. First to fly out the TARDIS (literally) is Katarina, a Trojan girl that they picked up on their previous adventure and who was supposed to replace Vicki. She wasnt very spectacular to begin with but shes around for only four parts. That has to be another record of sorts. The other one to snuff it at the end of the long adventure is Sara Kingdom. Played by Jean Marsh, shes probably the toughest female sidekick to come aboard the TARDIS before Sarah Jane Smith. Her death scene is pretty gruesome. This is as dark as Doctor Who gets in this particular era. Add the debut of the great Nicholas Courtney on Doctor Who (not as the Brigadier, but as Saras evil brother). Add a memorable human villain worse than the Daleks that goes by the name of Mavic Chen. Add the only return of the first other Time Lord (though never quite named as such) the Monk. Add the first fourth wall breaking by the Doctor on the special Christmas episode. Add the first ever Christmas special. Go to the last of the three surviving parts called Escape Switch and watch William Hartnell being a total badass while negotiating with the Daleks in Ancient Egypt. This is essential Doctor Who and fans have every reason imaginable to wish it found.
Adrian Serban lives in Bucharest, Romania where he has studied screenwriting and film criticism. But it's not all about artsy European dramas for him, as he's also a fan of horrors, kung-fu flicks and sci-fi films of all eras. Monty Python and Doctor Who are two British institutions that changed his life for the better. Or so he thinks.
