This story includes the first Doctor Who Christmas episode (The Feast of Steven) and marks Nicholas Courtney’s TV debut as Lethbridge-Stewart in Episode 1.

The Daleks’ Master Plan stands as the longest, most ambitious Dalek story, broadcast over 12 weeks in 1965–66, spanning multiple worlds and eras.

Two missing Doctor Who episodes, Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet, have been unearthed and restored by the BBC after being found in a private collection donated to the Film is Fabulous! charity.

The episodes, dating to 1965 (series three), feature William Hartnell as the Doctor and the Daleks, with Peter Purves guest-starring as companion Steven Taylor.

A special London screening is planned for April 4, with Peter Purves as guest of honour, coinciding with their public release on BBC iPlayer.

Production tensions from the era are highlighted, including a strained relationship between producer John Wiles and Hartnell and the controversial mid-series exit of companion Vicki.

Context notes that Disney ended its working relationship with the BBC, Ncuti Gatwa departed, but Doctor Who programming continues under Russell T Davies, including a new Christmas special.

The upcoming Christmas special is written by Russell T Davies, with broader plans for Doctor Who in light of Disney’s withdrawal from a co-production deal.

Adrienne Hill’s Katarina debuts and dies in her first scene, while Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh) also dies in the final episode, marking a double companion death in a single story.

Fans remain engaged, with io9 coverage and related Doctor Who news maintaining interest in the recovered material.

Recovered material features Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon, Adrienne Hill as Katarina, and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen, with Courtney later becoming a recurring character, the Brigadier.

The arc faced broadcasting challenges abroad due to censorship in Australia and New Zealand, contributing to its past erasure; some copies survived as technical versions.