Welcome to volume three of WBW Tops!
Here are the Top Ten Missing Doctor Who stories I want to be animated.
To make this list, the story needs to have at least half of it’s material missing (unfortunately, this does disqualify Web of Fear episode 3), it can’t have a previous individual DVD release (so Web of Fear and Underwater Menace are out, but the rest of the Lost in Time box set is fair game) and the stories shouldn’t already be completed by animation (so Power of the Daleks, Moonbase, Tenth Planet, The Invasion, Ice Warriors and Reign of Terror are all obviously disqualified). Also, since Shada was indeed animated, it is not eligible for this list. So, with those criteria in mind, let’s get on to the list:
#10: The Celestial Toymaker (1965, episodes 1-3 missing)
Now don’t roll your eyes, Ponken. Though not very much liked overall, I would like to experience this story in a more complete format, considering that we only have the final episode of it. Besides, it’s got Alfred as the Celestial Toymaker! What’s not to love? Well, apart from a little racist thing here, the Doctor not being there for most of the run time, and just the overall childish tone. So, while I will pick it up if it makes it to DVD, I may hold off for awhile.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Celestial Toymaker!]
#9: The Wheel in Space (1968, missing episodes 1, 2, 4, 5)
I was so close to putting this story higher on the list. Why? Because Cybermen, that’s why. I’m a self-proclaimed Cyberman fanboy, so why is it so low the list? Because though I like the Cybermen, I’m not a huge fan of this story. I know it’s probably the next likely one from Troughton to get done (when it happens, I’ll pick it up right away!). But for now, I want to see other stories done.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Wheel in Space!]
#8: The Highlanders (1967, completely missing)
As much as I love Season Four, The Highlanders is a very average Troughton story. Add on that it’s completely missing and you may have a product similar to Power of the Daleks. Though I love the Power animations, they aren’t 100% accurate and do have some animation errors here and there. Though the team has significantly improved between Power and Shada, I don’t see them going for another fully missing story just yet, especially an average one like this.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Highlanders!]
#7: The Myth Makers (1965, completely missing)
Myth Makers is a Hartnell story that totally deserves an animated reconstruction. Not only is it completely missing, but we haven’t had a Hartnell release in such a long time! Besides, we barely have any material from Season Three, and what we do have is mediocre at best! Also, Vicki leaves here, so I would love to see her exit story in some kind of completed format.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Myth Makers!]
#6: The Crusade (1965, missing episodes 2 & 4)
Though this episode comes in just before the Top 5, I would really like to see it complete. Season 2 of the Classic Series is the most complete out of the entire 60’s run. So, why not take some time to complete Season 2 with The Crusade? Maybe then we could finally get full box sets for the 1960’s. Maybe that’s just a dream. Still, it’s a wonderful dream to have. Besides, it’s a small project, like previous releases (before Power of the Daleks). So, it is definitely one of those stories that should be completed with animation.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Crusade!]
#5: Marco Polo (1964, completely missing!)
Marco Polo appears at the halfway point on the list. It’s probably one of the most sought-after missing stories on this list, but I would love to see other episodes go before this one. Like Power of the Daleks, this story has no episodes in the archives. Heck, there isn’t even any footage from it. However, I would love to see it animated if it can’t be recovered. It’s surprising when you find out several copies of this episode were made and all of them are MIA. So, while there’s hope, I’m sure when Hartnell gets his first Power-like animated release, it might just have to be this one.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of Marco Polo!]
#4: The Evil of the Daleks: (1967, missing episodes 1, 3-7)
In 2016, we finally got The Power of the Daleks in an animated format (two if you count the color version). So, it stands to reason that the next logical step is to animate The Evil of the Daleks. I mean, if you can animate at least six episodes worth of content, then I suppose this could also work. You already have a lot of models/characters left over from Power that could be reused if needed. Plus, I think it would pair well with Power of the Daleks. Not having it completed is a real blow to Troughton fans like me. Definitely something I would love to see done.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Evil of the Daleks!]
#3: Fury From the Deep (1968, completely missing!)
I prioritize this over Evil of the Daleks because A) it’s completely missing, B) it sees Victoria’s departure from the TARDIS and C) the only long clip we have from this story is that really creepy minute-long one. I’m sure we have a picture, so refer to that. Like Marco Polo, I believe that this story should take higher priority because there are no complete episodes from this serial. At least, none that we know of. Also, it’s one of those stories to have a villain unique to the story. It would be a real departure from the Dalek/Cybermen-related releases we have gotten more of in the past.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of Fury From the Deep!]
#2: The Macra Terror (1967, completely missing!)
Like the Macra themselves, these episodes do not exist. I really do love the recons of this story, but I want to see these creatures move! The reason I put it above Evil of the Daleks and Fury From the Deep is because sure we can get Daleks and a companion departure, but this story features a villain that has returned to the New Series only once in Series Three’s “Gridlock”. Most of the uninitiated will probably think the Macra were created for that episode. But they made their debut in 1967 alongside my favorite Doctor, Patrick Troughton. So, for the people who don’t want to watch the recons to see where the Macra came from, I definitely would love to see this one done. Besides, it’s only four parts! If you can do a six-parter, why not do a four-parter?
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Macra Terror!]
#1: The Daleks’ Master Plan (1965-66, missing episodes 1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11, 12) & Mission to the Unknown (1965, missing one episode)
This is my dream story for the Harnell Era animated reconstruction. This is the only Dalek story from the Hartnell Era that is incomplete. After Power of the Daleks got the animated treatment, I believe that if any story deserves to go next, it’s this one. Like with Myth Makers, this story is from Season Three, which is the season that suffered heavily during the Hartnell Era. Though it would take such a long time to animate, I’m sure it would be so worth it to experience this story in its full splendor. I also threw in Mission to the Unknown because it’s basically the preview for Master Plan and I believe that the story wouldn’t be complete without it. This is the Hartnell Era at its finest. Definitely deserves to be complete and out on DVD.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Daleks’ Master Plan!]
HONORABLE MENTION: The Savages (1966, completely missing!)
Now, I know I already put a companion exit story on the list for being completely missing, but I will give this honorable mention spot to The Savages because it does feature Steven’s exit. The reason it misses out on the list is because I really don’t care for the story all that much. It’s nothing spectacular, but it isn’t terrible, either. It’s just kinda meh. Though I would love to see it animated, I think other stories need to come before this one.
[Listen to the Who Back When review of The Savages!]
What missing Doctor Who episodes do you want animated? Let me know in the comments below!
WRITER’S NOTE: I’m glad two of my top picks are getting animated. But the status of the rest of these serials lies in mystery. Which do you think will come next?
I’m going to say something wildly unpopular here. As much as I love that they are animating missing episodes, I’m not a huge fan of the animations. Dont get me wrong I love the style by itself and the effort and I am appreciative, however the animations have a comic book flavor that doesn’t often add to the gravity trying to be portrayed in the stories. Further I would argue that they are a severe contrast in style from the original content and can thus be too unrelatable to the style.
If they were stand alone, or they did the whole story top to bottom I would be over the moon about them, but intermixed with the original content I feel like they are someone’s style imposed improperly on dr who just for the sake of adding movement.