Lost In Time...In Nigeria
It wasn't just the return of classic Doctors or who would follow in Matt Smith's footsteps that sparked speculation and intrigue over the course of the 50th anniversary year. No, it was the rumours of missing episodes leading to speculation that the entire catalogue of lost episodes had been returned from the ether. Back in June, with the departure of Matt Smith still spinning in our heads, we began to hear rumours of hundreds of missing Doctor Who episodes found in Africa. We had the return of an episode each of the 'The Underwater Menace' and 'Galaxy 4' in 2011, the first real finds since the complete 'Tomb Of The Cybermen' in 1991. But these were a rarity. Whole serials uncovered? That surely seemed too much to be true. Indeed, the rumours at the time seemed incredulous. The 'in-the-know' reporter at the time, Rich Johnson went on record as saying "...there are lots. Lots and lots. Completed serials that we've only had incomplete before, full series that nothing existed of. Not everything. But heaps and heaps. Possibly even The Full Hartnell."Here's the
full article from fellow Whatculture writer Mike Reyes' on the subject. 'Marco Polo'? 'The Crusades'? 'The Dalek's Master Plan'. The final episodes of 'The Tenth Planet?'. Not to mention a massive percentage of Patrick Troughton stories. People didn't know what to think. Still, it was fun to guess what actually had turned up. I
wrote an article picking my ten choices of stories that I would loved to have seen. Rather guiltily, I didn't pick The Enemy Of The World, though the Web Of Fear was on the list. (My choice was always the chilling Fury From The Deep). Still, what a find it was, when the BBC finally held their press conference in October. Putting my cynical hat on, I have to wonder how long the BBC had them. Certainly early in 2013 if the previous June rumours are anything to go by. Announcing this golden nugget of information a month and a half before the 50th anniversary. Contrived coincidence. Party of the big plan for the 50th? Perhaps its just beautiful timing. And apparently there may be another episode on its way, if the rumours late last month are to be believed. I suspect it won't be a full serial (or close to a full serial like 'The Web Of Fear'). I suspect if it is true, we might hear something about it some point close to...oh I don't know...the 23rd November? Another extra special birthday present? As to the lots and lots of episodes Johnson was talking about? Well either there were many more episodes found but the quality was so poor they couldn't be used. That or it's another case of something being blown massively out or proportion...as rumours tend to do. In the meantime, audiences today can enjoy so classic Patrick Troughton for the first time in over four decades. And talking of the Second Doctor...