10 Historicals That Show What Modern Doctor Who Is Missing

10. Marco Polo

Sometimes, the format of classic Doctor Who is difficult for modern audiences to watch. The storytelling is slow and spread out over many episodes, and is not really designed for binge-watching.

But what makes Marco Polo especially difficult to revisit is the fact that it doesn’t even exist. All of the recorded episodes fell victim to the great BBC archive purge, so the only way to experience this story now (besides reading the novelization) is through a reconstruction, consisting of barely-animated stills and some audio.

The serial opens after the cliffhanger ending of the previous story, where the TARDIS has made an emergency landing in the Himalayas. As luck would have it, the TARDIS crew is found and rescued by Marco Polo, who is on his journey along the silk road to meet with Emperor Kublai Khan. The story that follows is one of intrigue and treachery, where one of Marco Polo’s travelling companions, Tegana, attempts to foil the expedition and assassinate the Khan.

On top of that, Marco Polo intends to give the TARDIS to Kublai Khan to gain his favor, locking the Doctor and his companions out and making it impossible for them to repair the TARDIS and leave.

The story is well-known for its excellent costuming and set design, making it all the greater a tragedy that the episodes are lost.