"Mission to the Unknown" is the second
serial of the
third season of the British
science fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
''. Written by
Terry Nation
Terence Joseph Nation (8 August 19309 March 1997) was a British screenwriter and novelist. Especially known for his work in British television science fiction, he created the Daleks and Davros for ''Doctor Who'', as well as the series '' Survivo ...
and directed by
Derek Martinus
Derek Martinus (born Derek Buitenhuis; 4 April 1931 – 27 March 2014)Michael Billington and Toby HadokObituary: Derek Martinus ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2014 was a British television and theatre director. Originally an actor, he directed episode ...
, the single episode was broadcast on
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
on 9 October 1965. The only standalone regular episode of the show's original run, it serves as an introduction to the 12-part story ''
The Daleks' Master Plan
''The Daleks' Master Plan'' is the Doctor Who missing episodes, mostly missing third serial of the Doctor Who (season 3), third season in the British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which orig ...
''. It is notable for the complete absence of the regular cast and the
TARDIS
The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior ap ...
; it is the only serial in the show's history not to feature
the Doctor at all, although
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the First Doctor, first incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 to 1966. In film, ...
was still credited on-screen. The story focuses on Space Security Agent Marc Cory (
Edward de Souza
Edward James de Souza (born 4 September 1932) is a British character actor and graduate of RADA, who is of Portuguese-Indian and English descent.
Early life
De Souza was the only child of Annie Adeline Swift (née Calvert) and Edward Valentine De ...
) and his attempts to warn Earth of the
Dalek
The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 ''Doctor Who'' ...
s' plan to take over the
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
.
After the show's second production block was granted an additional episode, outgoing
story editor
Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called "supervising producer". In live action television, a story editor is a member of the screenwriting staff who edits scripts, pitches stories, and reports ...
Dennis Spooner
Dennis Spooner (1 December 1932 – 20 September 1986) was an English television writer and script editor, known primarily for his programmes about fictional spies and his work in children's television in the 1960s. He had long-lasting profess ...
commissioned
Terry Nation
Terence Joseph Nation (8 August 19309 March 1997) was a British screenwriter and novelist. Especially known for his work in British television science fiction, he created the Daleks and Davros for ''Doctor Who'', as well as the series '' Survivo ...
to write an extra episode as a
cutaway to set up ''The Daleks' Master Plan''. Nation wrote the episode while considering a Dalek-focused spin-off; in doing so, he realised that such a story would need a hero, and used
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
as inspiration for Marc Cory. "Mission to the Unknown" was produced by the same team as its predecessor, ''
Galaxy 4
''Galaxy 4'' is the first serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Written by William Emms and directed by Derek Martinus, the serial was broadcast on BBC1 in four weekly parts from 11 Septem ...
'', in a five-week period that concluded the show's second production block; the two serials were held back to open the third season.
Mervyn Pinfield
Mervyn Pinfield (28 February 1912 – 20 May 1966) was a British television producer and director who worked for the BBC during the 1950s and 1960s. By the time Pinfield joined the BBC to work in live drama at Alexandra Palace in the early ...
was originally assigned to direct the stories, but failing health prevented him from continuing, and he was replaced by new director
Derek Martinus
Derek Martinus (born Derek Buitenhuis; 4 April 1931 – 27 March 2014)Michael Billington and Toby HadokObituary: Derek Martinus ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2014 was a British television and theatre director. Originally an actor, he directed episode ...
. Pre-filming took place at
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...
in June 1965, while primary production took place at the
Television Centre in August.
"Mission to the Unknown" received 8.3 million viewers, a drop from the previous serial. Contemporary and retrospective reviews were generally positive, with praise for the script and direction, though some viewers were confused that the
following serial did not immediately continue the narrative. The videotapes of the episode were
wiped
Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect.
Common reasons for loss
A significant prop ...
by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
in July 1974, and it remains
missing
Missing or The Missing may refer to:
Film
* ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young
* ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras
* ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...
with no remaining footage. Usually alongside ''The Daleks' Master Plan'', "Mission to the Unknown" received print and audiobook adaptations, with off-air recordings used to construct the latter. In 2019, director Andrew Ireland and students of the
University of Central Lancashire
, mottoeng = "From the Earth to the Sun"
, established = as Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledgere-established 1992 (University status granted)
, type = Public
, chancellor ...
recreated the episode in live-action, replicating the original production value of the 1960s; released on 9 October 2019, 54 years after the original broadcast, the recreation received positive reviews for its faithfulness to the original material.
Plot
On the planet Kembel, Marc Cory (
Edward de Souza
Edward James de Souza (born 4 September 1932) is a British character actor and graduate of RADA, who is of Portuguese-Indian and English descent.
Early life
De Souza was the only child of Annie Adeline Swift (née Calvert) and Edward Valentine De ...
) and Gordon Lowery (
Jeremy Young
John Henry Young (1934 – 9 April 2022), known professionally as Jeremy Young, was an English actor of Scottish descent.
Young had numerous television credits, including ''Deadline Midnight'' (1960), ''Doctor Who'' (appearing as caveman Kal i ...
) of UN Deep Space Force Group 1 attempt to repair their spaceship to reach their rendezvous when they are attacked by their crew member Jeff Garvey (
Barry Jackson), who was in a violent state of mind upon waking up in the jungle. Cory shoots Garvey dead when he was about to fire at Lowery, pulling out a long thorn from behind his ear. Bringing Lowery into the spaceship for debriefing, Cory explains himself to be a Space Security agent assigned to investigate a possible Dalek base for universal invasion with the presence of a
Varga plant confirming their presence. Outside, Garvey gradually mutates into a Varga. At the Daleks' base, Dalek Supreme is informed that the representatives from the seven planets will soon arrive while sending a Dalek platoon to destroy Cory and Lowery.
Cory stands guard against the slow-moving Varga plants while Lowery finishes building a rescue beacon. They notice a spaceship flying above them, Cory deducing the Daleks are planning something big. As Lowery was about to record a message, Cory notices something moving in the jungle, ducking behind some bushes. The Dalek platoon arrives and destroys their ship with Lowery accidentally stabbing his hand on a Varga thorn as he and Cory flee. In the Dalek base, the representatives from the seven galaxies have gathered in a conference room. Dalek Supreme assures representative Malpha (Robert Cartland) that the human intruders will be dealt with. Cory is forced to kill Lowery upon learning he became infected and records a message, only to be surrounded by the Daleks and exterminated before he could launch the beacon. Back at the Dalek base, the representatives all approve in forming an alliance with the Daleks' plan to take over the
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
while chanting "Victory".
Production
Conception and writing
In October 1964,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
Head of Drama and ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' co-creator
Sydney Newman
Sydney Cecil Newman (April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian film and television producer, who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, Newman w ...
had granted producer
Verity Lambert
Verity Ann Lambert (27 November 1935 – 22 November 2007) was an English television and film producer.
Lambert began working in television in the 1950s. She began her career as a producer at the BBC by becoming the founding producer of ...
an additional episode in the show's second production block to compensate for the
second season's ''
Planet of Giants
''Planet of Giants'' is the first serial of the second season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Written by Louis Marks and directed by Mervyn Pinfield and Douglas Camfield, the serial was first broadcast on BBC1 i ...
''—the penultimate serial of the first production block—being cut from four episodes to three. As most stories were generally structured as four or six parts, this extra episode failed to fit the regular schedule. Outgoing
story editor
Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called "supervising producer". In live action television, a story editor is a member of the screenwriting staff who edits scripts, pitches stories, and reports ...
Dennis Spooner
Dennis Spooner (1 December 1932 – 20 September 1986) was an English television writer and script editor, known primarily for his programmes about fictional spies and his work in children's television in the 1960s. He had long-lasting profess ...
eventually commissioned
Terry Nation
Terence Joseph Nation (8 August 19309 March 1997) was a British screenwriter and novelist. Especially known for his work in British television science fiction, he created the Daleks and Davros for ''Doctor Who'', as well as the series '' Survivo ...
—creator of the Daleks and the writer of the
first season's ''
The Daleks
''The Daleks'' (also known as ''The Mutants'' and ''The Dead Planet'') is the second serial in the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on BBC TV in seven weekly parts from 21 December 1963 to ...
'' (1963–1964) and second season's ''
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
''The Dalek Invasion of Earth'' is the second Serial (radio and television), serial of the Doctor Who (season 2), second season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Written by Terry Nation and directed by Richard Ma ...
'' (1964) and ''
The Chase'' (1965)—to co-write the
third season's ''
The Daleks' Master Plan
''The Daleks' Master Plan'' is the Doctor Who missing episodes, mostly missing third serial of the Doctor Who (season 3), third season in the British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which orig ...
'' (1965–1966), and it was decided that the extra episode would be used as a
cutaway to set up the 12-part story. By April 1965,
Donald Tosh
Donald Tosh (16 March 1935 – 3 December 2019) was a BBC screenwriter who contributed to ''Doctor Who'' in 1965. He was the last surviving script editor and writer from the William Hartnell era.
Career
Before working on ''Doctor Who'' Tosh was ...
was in the process of replacing Spooner as story editor. The episode's
production code
The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...
changed throughout production: "DC" around April and May 1965, "T/A" in July, and later "T Episode 5".
The episode was produced by the same team as its predecessor, ''
Galaxy 4
''Galaxy 4'' is the first serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Written by William Emms and directed by Derek Martinus, the serial was broadcast on BBC1 in four weekly parts from 11 Septem ...
''; the two serials were the final to be filmed in the show's second production block, but were held back to open its third season in September.
Mervyn Pinfield
Mervyn Pinfield (28 February 1912 – 20 May 1966) was a British television producer and director who worked for the BBC during the 1950s and 1960s. By the time Pinfield joined the BBC to work in live drama at Alexandra Palace in the early ...
—an experienced BBC figure who acted as the show's associate producer from its origins to January 1965—was originally assigned to direct both serials, but his failing health prevented him from continuing, and Lambert brought on new director
Derek Martinus
Derek Martinus (born Derek Buitenhuis; 4 April 1931 – 27 March 2014)Michael Billington and Toby HadokObituary: Derek Martinus ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2014 was a British television and theatre director. Originally an actor, he directed episode ...
to direct the five episodes. Martinus had recently completed the BBC's internal directors' course, and had no previous experience leading a television production. Having only seen a few episodes of ''Doctor Who'', Martinus reviewed some of the previous stories with Lambert; he found them disappointing, which shocked Lambert, but stated that he wanted to aim for higher standards. Though Lambert was credited for "Mission to the Unknown"—the final story for which she was credited—her role had essentially been replaced by
John Wiles
John Wiles (20 September 1925 – 5 April 1999) was a South African novelist, television writer and producer. He was the second producer of the science fiction series ''Doctor Who'', succeeding Verity Lambert, and credited on four serials between ...
.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 102-16196, Nürnberg, Reichsparteitag, SA- und SS-Appell](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-16196%2C_N%C3%BCrnberg%2C_Reichsparteitag%2C_SA-_und_SS-Appell.jpg)
Nation was commissioned to write the episode—then known as "Dalek Cut-Away"—on 25 February 1965; he delivered the script by its due date of 14 May, having also been writing for ''
The Saint
The Saint may refer to:
Fiction
* Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations:
** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...
'' at the time. He approached the episode as a technical problem, requiring a small cast and self-contained narrative. The success of the Daleks at this time—particularly due to their imminent American debut in the film ''
Dr. Who and the Daleks
''Dr. Who and the Daleks'' is a 1965 British science fiction film directed by Gordon Flemyng and written by Milton Subotsky, and the first of two films based on the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It stars Peter Cushi ...
'' (1965)—led Nation to consider the viability of a Dalek-focused spin-off; in writing "Mission to the Unknown", he realised that such a story would need a hero. Inspired by the recent release of the film ''
Goldfinger'' (1964), he wrote Marc Cory as a "space-age
Bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...
". The episode was originally set on the planet Varga, the home of the Varga plants, but this was renamed to Kemble (later respelled as Kembel) during script revisions for ''The Daleks' Master Plan''. The episode's draft script was titled "Dalek Cutaway", while the rehearsal script received the name "Mission to the Unknown"; the names were alternated and combined in different internal documentation, and the final title has been the subject of much debate.
Casting and filming
"Mission to the Unknown" was unique in that it does not feature any of the main cast or the
TARDIS
The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior ap ...
— the only serial in the show's history not to feature
the Doctor at all—a decision made partly to save money on their fees. Despite not appearing in the episode,
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the First Doctor, first incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 to 1966. In film, ...
was still credited for portraying
the Doctor, while
Maureen O'Brien
Maureen O'Brien (born 29 June 1943) is an English actress and author best known for playing the role of Vicki in the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', although she has appeared in many other television programmes.
Early ...
and
Peter Purves
Peter John Purves (; born 10 February 1939) is an English television presenter and actor. He played Steven Taylor in ''Doctor Who'' under the First Doctor, a role he continued to play in audio dramas for Big Finish Productions. He later became a ...
received credits in ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' as
Vicki
Vicky, Vicko,
Vick, Vickie or Vicki is a feminine given name, often a hypocorism of Victoria. The feminine name Vicky in Greece comes from the name Vasiliki.
Women
* Family nickname of Victoria, Princess Royal (1840–1901), wife of German ...
and
Steven Taylor, respectively, but not in the episode itself. Jeremy Young, who played Lowery, had previously starred as Kal in the first ''Doctor Who'' serial, ''
An Unearthly Child
''An Unearthly Child'' (sometimes referred to as ''100,000 BC'') is the first serial of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast on BBC TV in four weekly parts from 23 November to 14 December 1963 ...
''. He acted in "Mission to the Unknown" while rehearsing for his role as
Macduff for ''
Macbeth
''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' at the
Edinburgh Festival
__NOTOC__
This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...
, and was excited to working with Hartnell again but disappointed when he discovered his absence. Robert Cartland, who played Malpha, had been recently hired by Martinus to provide the voice of the Rills in ''Galaxy 4''. The Dalek voices—provided by regular actors
David Graham and
Peter Hawkins
Peter John Hawkins (3 April 1924 – 8 July 2006) was a British actor. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, he was one of the most sought-after voice artists for radio and television, becoming a regular face and voice around the Soho-based cir ...
—were pre-recorded in
Lime Grove Studios
Lime Grove Studios was a film, and later television, studio complex in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England.
The complex was built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915. It was situated in Lime Grove, a residential street in Shepherd's Bush, and ...
on 4 August 1965.
The episode was Richard Hunt's first on ''Doctor Who'' as set designer; he made the jungle design, while series veteran
Raymond Cusick
Raymond Patrick Cusick (28 April 1928 – 21 February 2013) was a designer for the BBC. He is best known for designing the Daleks, a race of Extraterrestrial life, aliens who move around in tank-like travel machines, for the science fiction on t ...
on the rocket and message launcher, made both from stock set elements and by Shawcraft Models. For the Daleks' conference room, Cusick was inspired by the
Nuremberg rallies
The Nuremberg Rallies (officially ', meaning ''Reich Party Congress'') refer to a series of celebratory events coordinated by the Nazi Party in Germany. The first rally held took place in 1923. This rally was not particularly large or impactful; ...
. The episode used
stock music
Production music (also known as stock music or library music) is recorded music that can be licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media. Often, the music is produced and owned by production music libraries.
Background ...
composed by
Trevor Duncan. Pre-filming for "Mission to the Unknown" took place on 25 June 1965 at
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...
; the scene in which Garvey mutates into a Varga plant was recorded on
35 mm film 35 mm may refer to:
* 135 film, a type of still photography format commonly referred to as 35 mm film
* 35 mm movie film
35 mm film is a film gauge used in filmmaking, and the film standard. In motion pictures that record on f ...
. Rehearsals for the episode began on 2 August 1965 at the Territorial Army Drill Hall on
Uxbridge Road
Uxbridge Road is the name of the A4020 road in West London. The route starts at Shepherd's Bush Green and goes west towards Uxbridge. It passes through Acton, Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes, and Hillingdon.
Uxbridge Road is a major roa ...
, and the episode was recorded in Studio TC4 of the
Television Centre on 6 August. The final scene of ''Galaxy 4'' was recorded alongside the episode to avoid both hiring Barry Jackson and erecting the set; the scene was later inserted into ''Galaxy 4'' during editing. Four of the Dalek props from ''The Chase'' were used in the episode. Recording for "Mission to the Unknown" cost .
Reception
Broadcast and ratings
The episode was broadcast on
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
on 9 October 1965. Viewership dropped from the preceding serial, while the
Appreciation Index
The Audience Appreciation Index (AI) is an indicator measured from 0 to 100 of the public's appreciation for a television or radio programme, or broadcast service, in the United Kingdom.
Until 2002, the AI of a programme was calculated by the B ...
remained reasonable at 54.
16 mm film
16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...
recordings were made available for international sale, but the episode was never sold overseas, and
BBC Enterprises #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
withdrew it in 1974. The
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
considered the recording, but it was rejected by the Film Censorship Board in September 1966 as it was considered to constitute "horror", particularly the masked aliens, Varga mutations, and dialogue about murder. The original
405-line
The 405-line monochrome analogue television broadcasting system was the first fully electronic television system to be used in regular broadcasting. The number of television lines influences the image resolution, or quality of the picture.
It was ...
tape was cleared for
wiping
Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect.
Common reasons for loss
A significant prop ...
in July 1969, and the episode was erased in July 1974. It remains
missing
Missing or The Missing may refer to:
Film
* ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young
* ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras
* ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...
; no known footage exists, though an off-air audio recording was made by fan David Butler.
Critical response
Bill Edmund of ''Television Today'' described the episode as an "exciting start" to ''The Daleks' Master Plan''. Several viewers were confused by the lack of Daleks in the
following serial, and some felt that they had become less frightening; conversely, some felt that the episode's other monsters were too scary. In ''A Voyage Through 25 Years of Doctor Who'' (1988),
Ian Levine
Ian Geoffrey Levine (born 22 June 1953) is a British songwriter, producer, and DJ. A moderniser of Northern soul music in the UK, and a developer of the style of Hi-NRG, he has written and produced records with sales totalling over 40 million. ...
praised the "array of creatures", particularly the design of Malpha. In ''
The Discontinuity Guide
''The Discontinuity Guide'' is a 1995 guidebook to the serials of the original run (1963–1989) of the BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. The book was written by Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping and was first published as ''Doc ...
'' (1995),
Paul Cornell
Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as ''Doctor Who'' fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.
As well as ''Docto ...
,
Martin Day, and
Keith Topping
Keith Andrew Topping (born 26 October 1963 in Walker, Tyneside) is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He is most well known for his work relating to the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'' and for writing numerous official and unofficial g ...
described the episode as "macho, with a sinister atmosphere". In ''The Television Companion'' (1998),
David J. Howe
David J. Howe is a British writer, journalist, publisher, and media historian.
Biography
David Howe was born 24 August 1961 and established himself (in the early 1980s) as an authoritative media historian through writing articles for fanzin ...
and Stephen James Walker wrote that the presence of the lead actors was "hardly missed" due to Nation's script and Martinus's direction, praising the tense atmosphere and set designs.
Commercial releases
The story was novelised as part of ''The Daleks' Master Plan Part I: Mission to the Unknown'' by
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
with a cover by
Alister Pearson, published in paperback by
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well ...
and
W. H. Allen in September 1989. An unabridged reading of the book was published as ''Daleks: Mission to the Unknown'' by
BBC Audiobooks #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
in May 2010 as a five-disc set, read by Peter Purves and
Jean Marsh
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* Jea ...
with Dalek voices by
Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs (born 29 September 1961) is an English actor, writer, director, sound designer and composer. He is associated with the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs, particularly as the voice of the Dale ...
.
Audio from the episode featured on the first CD of the five-disc soundtrack ''The Daleks' Master Plan'', released by
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadcas ...
in October 2001 with linking narration by Purves; the first CD was distributed with the magazine ''
SFX
SFX may refer to:
Entertainment
* Special effects (usually visual), illusions used in film, television, and entertainment
* Sound effects, sounds that are artificially created or enhanced
* SFX (magazine), ''SFX'' (magazine), a British magazine c ...
'' to promote the full set. In April 2010, ''
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' printed vouchers for readers to obtain the CD from
WHSmith
WHSmith (also written WH Smith, and known colloquially as Smith's and formerly as W. H. Smith & Son) is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, England, which operates a chain of high street, railway station, airport, port, hospital and m ...
. A library edition of the audiobook was released by
AudioGO
AudioGO (formerly BBC Audiobooks) was a publisher of audiobooks and a range of spoken word and large-print titles. It was majority owned by AudioGO Ltd, and minority owned by BBC Worldwide. It was formed in 2010, when AudioGO purchased a majori ...
in 2011, and
Demon Music Group
Demon Music Group (DMG) is a record company owned by BBC Studios that is mainly concerned with back-catalogue rights and re-issuing recordings as compilations on physical media (CDs and vinyl) via supermarkets and specialist stores.
History
DM ...
published it as a
vinyl record
A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts nea ...
in March 2019.
Recreation
After writing and producing his
doctorate
A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...
thesis
A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
about a 1960s-style recreation of the 2006 ''Doctor Who'' episode "
Tooth and Claw" at
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a public university in Bournemouth, England, with its main campus situated in neighbouring Poole. The university was founded in 1992; however, the origins of its predecessor date back to the early 1900s.
The univer ...
in 2012,
Andrew Ireland wrote a proposal to recreate "Mission to the Unknown" the following year and brought it to the
University of Central Lancashire
, mottoeng = "From the Earth to the Sun"
, established = as Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledgere-established 1992 (University status granted)
, type = Public
, chancellor ...
(UCLan), but did not follow up; he specifically chose the episode as it was a self-contained story without any of the main cast. In mid-2018, when asked for an interview about his thesis by ''
Doctor Who Magazine
''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the followi ...
'', he revisited the idea. Now an academic and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Digital and Creative Industries at UCLan, he obtained permission for the recreation from the BBC and Terry Nation's estate, writing a passionate email to the latter, who was "very supportive". With a support team at UCLan, Ireland began researching the project around this time. Several teams at UCLan worked in different departments, including costume design, fashion, make-up, and music;
an external subcontractor constructed some of the sets based on the production team's designs.
The recreation was created in about five days in February 2019, and the
multi-camera
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, multi-camera or simply multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneous ...
shoot was done in three days from 20 to 23 February.
It was filmed in colour and converted to black-and-white in editing;
the on-set camera monitors also displayed the image in black-and-white. Ireland, who directed the recreation, used both the original camera script and a newly-formatted one. He edited the episode by placing it atop the original's audio for the sequences to closely match.
Mandip Gill
Mandip Kaur Gill (born 5 January 1988) is an English actress. Her first television role came in 2012 when she was cast as Phoebe McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. After departing the series in 2015, Gill went on to have guest ro ...
, a UCLan drama graduate who played
Yasmin Khan
Yasmin Khan is a historian of British India and Associate Professor of History at Kellogg College, Oxford.
Education and career
Born in 1977 to Pakistani and Anglo-Irish parents in Kingston-upon-Thames, Khan completed her BA in history at S ...
in ''Doctor Who'' from 2018 to 2022, sent a video message of support to the cast and crew alongside
Thirteenth Doctor
The Thirteenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the fictional protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme, ''Doctor Who''. She is portrayed by English actress Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to portray the character, sta ...
actress
Jodie Whittaker
Jodie Whittaker (born 17 June 1982) is an English actress who is best known for portraying the thirteenth incarnation of the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' (2017–2022) and as Beth Latimer in ''Broadchurch'' (2013–2017).
She came to prominence ...
. Peter Purves and Edward de Souza visited the set, and the former used his social media platforms to publicise the production. Janette Rawstron, the recreation's lead make-up artist who taught Media Make-Up at the nearby
Accrington and Rossendale College
Accrington and Rossendale College is a further education college based in Accrington, Lancashire, England.
The College
Accrington & Rossendale College ('Accross') is a further education college that specialises in vocational education.
The ...
, considered Malpha the biggest challenge, as the heat of the lighting caused parts of the make-up to shift around. The fashion department spent several hours sewing nodules onto both sides of the Varga plant, even though only the front is seen in the episode. For the jungle set, Ireland borrowed a technique used in the 1982 ''Doctor Who'' serial ''
Kinda
Kinda or Kindah may refer to:
Politics and society
*Kinda (tribe), an ancient and medieval Arab tribe
*Kingdom of Kinda, a tribal kingdom in north and central Arabia in –
Places
* Kinda, Idlib, Syria
* Kinda Hundred, a hundred in Sweden
* Kinda ...
'', spreading foliage across the studio floor; these were required to be moved to the side for the Daleks to move. Foliage and pot plants were sourced from around the university and from productions like ''
Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford.
Origi ...
''.
Nicholas Briggs portrayed the Daleks in the recreation, having returned to the country the day before production following the
Gallifrey One
Gallifrey One is an annual North American science fiction convention focusing primarily on the British television series '' Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs, ''Torchwood'', '' K-9'' and ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'', with an additional emphasis on ...
convention in Los Angeles. Briggs and Ireland met in 2013, when the former visited Bournemouth University. Briggs felt that the Dalek voices in "Mission to the Unknown" and ''The Daleks' Master Plan'' sounded "a bit more like" actors Hawkins and Graham than the Daleks; he adjusted his
ring modulator
In electronics, ring modulation is a signal processing function, an implementation of frequency mixing, in which two signals are combined to yield an output signal. One signal, called the carrier, is typically a sine wave or another simple w ...
to avoid this, but attempted recreate the original voices as closely as possible. James Burgess operated the Daleks and, alongside his father Mike, provided a blue-and-silver Dalek for use. In the recreation, Marco Simioni played Marc Cory, Dan Gilligan played Lowery, Jacob Marrison played Garvey, and Paul Stenton played Malpha. Several issues interrupted filming throughout the week—such as a fire alarm from the use of a
smoke machine, and a malfunction of Briggs's ring modulator and a camera—but filming ultimately finished about an hour ahead of schedule. The Dalek set was used in one scene in the original episode, and later returned for use throughout ''The Daleks' Master Plan''; however, due to the set's complexity and infrequent usage, the recreation uses models instead, with full-size close-ups for shots of the Daleks. The model shots were filmed some weeks after main production.
The recreation premiered on the ''Doctor Who''
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel on 9 October 2019 at 5:50p.m., exactly 54 years after its original broadcast.
A behind-the-scenes documentary about the recreation was also released, created by YouTuber Josh Snares.
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Martin Belam described the recreation as "effective", praising the Varga plants and Dalek death effect, but noted that the source material itself was "a bit stilted, stagey and even slapstick at points", calling it "an interesting curiosity rather than a 'must see.
Erik Amaya of ''
Comicon.com
Richard Veitch (born May 7, 1951) is an American comics artist and writer who has worked in mainstream, underground, and alternative comics.
Early life
Rick Veitch is a native of the small town of Bellows Falls, Vermont. One of six children, he ...
'' similarly felt that the dated techniques "make the 25-minute story feel slower than it actually is" but that this was "the whole point of the project", lauding the accuracy of the recreation.
The episode was awarded a Special Jury Prize at the
Learning on Screen Awards in 2020.
Notes
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{Authority control
1965 British television episodes
Fiction set in the 4th millennium
First Doctor serials
Dalek television stories
Doctor Who missing episodes
Television episodes written by Terry Nation