The Faceless Ones

The Faceless Ones is the mostly missing eighth serial of the fourth season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 8 April to 13 May 1967.In this serial, the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his travelling companions Jamie (Frazer Hines), Ben (Michael Craze) and Polly (Anneke Wills) arrive at Gatwick Airport where identity-stealing aliens known as the Chameleons have taken refuge after their planet was destroyed, preying on university students by abducting them using the false holiday flight organisation 'Chameleon Tours'.A female nurse, Pinto, brings in the unconscious air traffic controller Meadows, and connects him to the alien and a machine.They then meet a young woman named Samantha Briggs who is searching for her brother, who went on a Chameleon youth tour, then vanished.The Doctor watches as Ben finds Polly suspended comatose in a metal cabinet, then himself gets caught and frozen by Blade and Spencer, then escapes to reunite with Jamie and Samantha.[3] Instead, script editor Gerry Davis tasked the team with a story with a scientific concept and menace, as well as a singular set such as a department store.Pickering had previously appeared as Eyesen in The Keys of Marinus (1964) and Ventham would go on to play Thea Ransom in Image of the Fendahl (1977).Christopher Tranchell previously appeared as Roger Colbert in The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve (1966) and would return as Leela's love interest Andred in The Invasion of Time (1978).[17] Paul Cornell, Martin Day, and Keith Topping gave the serial a favourable review in The Discontinuity Guide (1995), writing that "the realistic backdrop works very well, and the script is well constructed, augmented by the terrifying appearance of the aliens".[20] In The Television Companion (1998), David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker wrote that "the positive aspects of the story probably just about outweigh the negative."[21] They remarked that the "special effects tend to be rather lacklustre" and there was "far too much talk and not enough action to maintain the viewer's interest over the full six episodes."[21] In 2009, Mark Braxton of Radio Times noted that there were plot holes but the story "unveils its mystery with ease and elegance".[8] Reviewing the animated reconstruction in 2020 for The Guardian, Martin Belam gave the serial three out of five stars, noting that "the story drags a little" and, aside from Pauline Collins, did not have a memorable guest cast.[22] Kayti Burt from Den of Geek noted that the serial had a "slow start," but it had "generally nail-biting moments of suspense," particularly in the fifth episode.[17] In addition to the complete version, the archives also holds an incomplete print of episode 1, returned from ABC in Australia in late 1978.[27] The soundtrack was also included in the 2012 CD Lost TV Episodes: Collection Four: 1967 from AudioGo, accompanied by PDFs of scripts and interviews with Hines and Wills.
Doctor WhoDoctorPatrick TroughtonSecond DoctorCompanionsAnneke WillsMichael CrazeBen JacksonFrazer HinesJamie McCrimmonColin GordonDonald PickeringWanda VenthamPauline CollinsBernard KayGeorge SelwayVictor WindingChristopher TranchellPeter WhitakerMadalena NicolLeonard TrolleyDavid EllisMalcolm HulkeGerry DavisInnes LloydPeter BryantStock musicSeason 4Episode(s) missingThe Macra TerrorThe Evil of the DaleksList of episodes (1963–1989)mostly missingfourth seasonscience fiction televisiontravelling companionsGatwick Airportremain missingBBC StudiosTARDISThe DoctorBen, PollyMeadowsdoppelgängerZurichwhen they first left in the TARDISthe next storyHeathrowTime-Flighttheme musicQueen VictoriaTooth and ClawThe Dalek Invasion of EarthThe CrusadeColony in SpaceTime and the RaniThe Keys of MarinusImage of the FendahlThe Massacre of St Bartholomew's EveThe Invasion of TimeEpisode is missingAppreciation IndexPaul CornellMartin DayKeith ToppingDavid J. HoweStephen James WalkerRadio TimesThe GuardianDen of GeekDoctor Who MagazineCharlie Jane AndersBBC AmericaTerrance DicksTarget novelisationsTarget BooksAudioGoBBC WorldwideThe Web of FearThe Reign of TerrorLost in TimeSlant MagazineCornell, PaulDay, MartinTopping, KeithThe Discontinuity GuideVirgin BooksHowe, David JWalker, Stephen JamesBBC BooksPanini ComicsDoctor Who Restoration TeamHachette PartworksBBC OnlineInternet Speculative Fiction DatabaseOriginal seriesSeason 1Missing episodesRevived seriesSeries 12008–2010 specials2013 specials2022 specials2023 specialsThe SmugglersThe Tenth PlanetThe Power of the DaleksThe HighlandersThe Underwater MenaceThe MoonbaseFirst DoctorMarco PoloSeason 2Season 3Galaxy 4Mission to the UnknownThe Myth MakersThe Daleks' Master PlanThe MassacreThe Celestial ToymakerThe SavagesSeason 5The Abominable SnowmenThe Ice WarriorsFury from the DeepThe Wheel in SpaceSeason 6The InvasionThe Space PiratesThe Tomb of the CybermenThe Enemy of the WorldThe DominatorsThe Mind RobberThe KrotonsThe Seeds of DeathThe War GamesThe Three DoctorsThe Five DoctorsThe Two DoctorsThe Name of the DoctorThe Day of the DoctorDimensions in TimeTwice Upon a TimeMissing AdventuresThe MenagerieInvasion of the Cat-PeopleTwilight of the GodsThe Dark PathPast Doctor AdventuresThe Murder GameThe RoundheadsThe Infinity DoctorsPlayersThe Final SanctionIndependence DayDying in the SunCombat RockThe Colony of LiesThe Indestructible ManWorld GameNovellasForeign DevilsWonderlandDalek AttackLego Dimensions