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Mission to the Unknown (TV story): Difference between revisions
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==Story Notes== | ==Story Notes== | ||
*[[First Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Steven Taylor]] and [[Vicki]] never appear and never get a mention in this adventure. We experience the story through [[Marc Cory]]. | *[[First Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Steven Taylor]] and [[Vicki]] never appear and never get a mention in this adventure. We experience the story through [[Marc Cory]]. | ||
*''Mission to the Unknown'' is the only Doctor Who story that does not feature the character of the Doctor or the TARDIS at all. Despite this, William Hartnell | *''Mission to the Unknown'' is the only ''Doctor Who'' story that does not feature the character of the Doctor or the TARDIS at all. Despite this, William Hartnell was still credited on-screen — this was because his contract specified he would be credited for all episodes. While the revived series frequently would do "Doctor-lite" episodes, to date these have all featured the Doctor in cameos. | ||
*The Doctor's companions Vicki ([[Maureen O'Brien]]) and Steven Taylor ([[Peter Purves]]) do not appear either. Unlike Hartnell, their contracts did not guarantee they would be credited | *The Doctor's companions Vicki ([[Maureen O'Brien]]) and Steven Taylor ([[Peter Purves]]) do not appear either. Unlike Hartnell, their contracts did not guarantee they would be credited. ''Radio Times'' credits 'William Hartnell as Dr. Who, and Maureen O'Brien, Peter Purves', but omits their characters from the actual cast list. | ||
*[[Terry Nation]] wrote this partially as an attempt to create a story about the Daleks that did not involve the Doctor | *[[Terry Nation]] wrote this partially as an attempt to create a story about the Daleks that did not involve the Doctor so that he could eventually develop and sell the idea of a Dalek television series, divorced from the ''Doctor Who'' universe. In the proposed series (which would not have featured the Doctor, as Nation had no copyright in the character), the [[Space Security Service]] was tasked with hunting Daleks, and it would follow their adventures — an approach that can be seen in short stories and comic strips written for the 1965 Dalek [[Outer Space Book]] (cover dated 1966). An unmade pilot titled "[[The Destroyers (unproduced spin-off)|The Destroyers]]" was written, but the series concept was never sold. | ||
*This episode was produced due to the editing of ''[[Planet of Giants]]'' from 4 episodes to 3. | *This episode was produced due to the editing of ''[[Planet of Giants]]'' from 4 episodes to 3. | ||
*The episode was made by the same team as ''[[Galaxy 4 (TV story)|Galaxy 4]]'', with both stories sharing pre-filming and, possibly, the same production code | *The episode was made by the same team as ''[[Galaxy 4 (TV story)|Galaxy 4]]'', with both stories sharing pre-filming and, possibly, the same production code | ||
*It is also one of the relatively few stories from the Hartnell era that does not lead directly into the next serial. It was followed by ''[[The Myth Makers]]'', an unrelated serial. A direct link to this story is made in the first episode of ''The Daleks' Master Plan'' when the Doctor recovers the tape recorder used by | *It is also one of the relatively few stories from the Hartnell era that does not lead directly into the next serial. It was followed by ''[[The Myth Makers]]'', an unrelated serial. A direct link to this story is made in the first episode of ''The Daleks' Master Plan'' when the Doctor recovers the tape recorder used by Cory to record his final message. | ||
===Story Title and Production Code=== | ===Story Title and Production Code=== | ||
Perhaps more than any other Doctor Who story, ''Mission to the Unknown'' generates confusion and debate over both the title used and the serial/production code allocated. | Perhaps more than any other Doctor Who story, ''Mission to the Unknown'' generates confusion and debate over both the title used and the serial/production code allocated. | ||
All Doctor Who stories from this period have no overall onscreen title, with the story referred to either by a production code or an internal title by the production team. (For example the early 1965 story featuring Nero was "Serial M" or ''The Romans''.) The two were confusingly used interchangeably in many production and overseas sales documents. | All ''Doctor Who'' stories from this period have no overall onscreen title, with the story referred to either by a production code or an internal title by the production team. (For example the early 1965 story featuring Nero was "Serial M" or ''The Romans''.) The two were confusingly used interchangeably in many production and overseas sales documents. | ||
''Mission to the Unknown'' generates further confusion because some documents do not refer to it as a serial but rather as a "cutaway episode". As the story was produced alongside ''Galaxy 4'' the two appear to have been referred to together. Several of the production codes offered are either Serial T or Serial T +, an appendage. | ''Mission to the Unknown'' generates further confusion because some documents do not refer to it as a serial but rather as a "cutaway episode". As the story was produced alongside ''Galaxy 4'' the two appear to have been referred to together. Several of the production codes offered are either Serial T or Serial T +, an appendage. | ||
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===Myths=== | ===Myths=== | ||
*The members of the alliance were named [[Malpha]], [[Desmir]], [[Stifka]], [[Hjbuj]], [[Pteron]], [[Dbremen]] and [[Leemon]]. (''These names, apart from Malpha, were made up for an Australian fan-published novelisation | *The members of the alliance were named [[Malpha]], [[Desmir]], [[Stifka]], [[Hjbuj]], [[Pteron]], [[Dbremen]] and [[Leemon]]. (''These names, apart from Malpha, were made up for an Australian fan-published novelisation. In the transmitted story only Malpha and the planet Gearon are named.'') | ||
*This is the only episode not to feature the Doctor. (It is true that this is the only televised STORY not to feature the doctor, but other episodes have also not featured the Doctor - such as The Keys of Marinus episodes 3 and 4) | *This is the only episode not to feature the Doctor. (It is true that this is the only televised STORY not to feature the doctor, but other episodes have also not featured the Doctor - such as The Keys of Marinus episodes 3 and 4) | ||
