Missing episodes: a hypothetical question

[diankra]

Maybe this should be a poll, but I was struck by something and wondered how others felt...

Suppose 10 missing episodes were found. Which option would you prefer:
a) They all come from stories which already exist in part (and complete those stories). Any combination you like (eg: Evil of the Daleks and Faceless Ones, or Masterplan and 10th Planet, or Web of Fear and Abominable Snowmen), but there's nothing at all from stories which are entirely missing (such as Marco Polo or Power of the Daleks).
or
b) One sample episode from each of the 10 stories that are entirely missing (which means we get one complete story, Mission to the Unknown).

I think I'd got for b), just so we've got an idea what the rest of them was like, even though a single episode can be misleading...

[The Borgified Corpse]

I think I'd prefer the first option. Watching complete stories is generally easier than watching random smatterings of incomplete stories. If I could pick which stories would be re-completed, I think my first pick would be "The Web of Fear." It's a painful irony that the one episode of this story that still exists is the only one that doesn't have Col. Lethbridge-Stewart in it.

On the other hand, presuming we got some of the most important episodes back from the missing stories, that might be worth it. "Mission to the Unknown" would be interesting. Then you have Vicki's departure in "The Myth-makers," the titular massacre at the end of "The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve," Steven's departure at the end of "The Savages," Patrick Troughton's 1st full episode in "Power of the Daleks," and Jamie's introduction in "The Highlanders."

[Christopher]

How about c) They all come from stories that are entirely missing? Say, "Power of the Daleks" plus "The Highlanders." Or a mix of partially and entirely missing, like all of "Marco Polo" plus the rest of "The Crusade" plus the final episode of "The Tenth Planet."

[diankra]

Sorry Chris, no easy option c. It's either a frustrating single episode from the stories you've not seen at all, or the rest of stories you've seen part of (and the risk that the other episodes are a let down).

[Christopher]

Well, if I'm fantasizing, why do I have to settle for unsatisfying options?

But if those are my only choices, I'd go for the completion of partial stories.

[Allyn Gibson]

Option A.

Reign of Terror 4 and 5. (2 episodes)
The Crusade 2 and 4. (2 episodes)
Evil of the Daleks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. (6 episodes).

There's my ten to complete stories.

[diankra]

Christopher wrote:

---

Well, if I'm fantasizing, why do I have to settle for unsatisfying options?

'Cos even getting 10% of the missing episodes back would still be far too few, so the question is meant to be a choice between equally unsatisfying (but better than getting nothing back) options.

[Candlelight]

Going by the audio I'd choose my fav instalment:

Marco Polo 6
Mission to the Unknown
The Myth Makers 3
The Massacre 4
The Savages 2
The Smugglers 4
The Power of the Daleks 4 or 6
The Highlanders 1
The Macra Terror 3
Fury from the Deep 3

Or simply the final episode of each of those stories.

[John Clark]

I'd go for completion of series too.

Web of Fear is missing 5 episodes - and so is Abominable Snowman according to wiki.

Those would do for me

[Lonemagpie]

Option a)

Tenth Planet 4
Moonbase 2 & 4
Ice Warriors 2 & 3
Web Of Fear 2-6

would do nicely...

[Mr Awe]

I'm not really into watching isolated episodes from an incomplete story. So, I'd prefer to completely finish a story rather than a batch of island stories.

However, in all honestly, I'll be thrilled at any additional discoveries.

Mr Awe

[Candlelight]

If I were to pick option A)

The Reign of Terror 4 5
The Evil of the Daleks 1 3 4 5 6 7
The Invasion 1 4

[VDCNI]

I think I would prefer episodes from stories we have nothing from, completing stories like Web would use up 5 episodes all on its own while having one episode from various missing stories would at least give us an idea of what each story was like. Probably best to have the first episode as they work best in isolation.

Marco Polo - Episode 3 maybe - 1 takes a while to get to the main story and 2 lacks the Doctor while 3 is quite a busy episode for everyone.
The Myth Makers - Episode 1
The Massacre - Episode 1
The Savages - Episode 1
The Smugglers - Episode 1
The Power Of The Daleks - Episode 1
The Highlanders - Episode 1
The Macra Terror - Episode 1
Fury From The Deep - Episode 1

That's 9 episodes so for the tenth it would be Episode 3 of The Web Of Fear as I love that story and it is the first appearance of the Brig.

[Candlelight]

VDCNI wrote:

---

That's 9 episodes so for the tenth it would be Episode 3 of The Web Of Fear as I love that story and it is the first appearance of the Brig.

Has to be Mission to the Unknown by default; Web already has an existing episode.

[VDCNI]

Yes I forgot that - I always count it as part of Masterplan, oh well. I have no particular interest in the Daleks so its probably the episode I would be least bothered about being returned.