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"Mission to the Unknown" is the second serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by Terry Nation and directed by Derek Martinus, the single episode was broadcast on BBC1 on 9 October 1965. The only standalone regular episode of the show's original run, it serves as an introduction to the 12 part story The Daleks' Master Plan. It is notable for the complete absence of the regular cast and the TARDIS; it is the only serial in the show's history not to feature the Doctor at all. The story focuses on Space Security Agent Marc Cory (Edward de Souza) and his attempts to warn Earth of the Daleks' plan to take over the Solar System. After the show's second production block was granted an additional episode, outgoing story editor Dennis Spooner commissioned Nation to write an extra episode as a cutaway to set up The Daleks' Master Plan. Nation wrote the episode while considering a Dalek focused spin off; he used film character James Bond as inspiration for Marc Cory. "Mission to the Unknown" was produced by the same team as its predecessor, Galaxy 4, in a five week period that concluded the show's second production block; the two serials were held back to open the third season. Failing health prevented original director Mervyn Pinfield from continuing, replaced by Martinus. Production took place at the Television Centre in August 1965. "Mission to the Unknown" received 8.3 million viewers, a drop from the previous serial. Contemporary and retrospective reviews were generally positive, with praise for the script and direction, though some viewers were confused that the following serial did not immediately continue the narrative. The videotapes of the episode were wiped by the BBC in July 1974, and it remains missing with no remaining footage. Usually alongside The Daleks' Master Plan, "Mission to the Unknown" received print and audiobook adaptations, with off air recordings used to construct the latter. In 2019, director Andrew Ireland and University of Central Lancashire students recreated the episode in live action, replicating the 1960s production values.

On the planet Kembel, Marc Cory (Edward de Souza) and Gordon Lowery (Jeremy Young) of UN Deep Space Force Group 1 are attempting to repair their spaceship to reach their rendezvous when they are attacked by the third crew member, Jeff Garvey (Barry Jackson), who was in a violent state of mind upon waking up in the jungle. Cory shoots Garvey dead when he was about to fire at Lowery. Bringing Lowery into the spaceship for debriefing, Cory explains himself to be a Space Security agent assigned to investigate a possible Dalek base for universal invasion with the presence of a Varga plant confirming their presence. Outside, Garvey's body mutates into a Varga. At the Daleks' base, the Dalek Supreme is informed that representatives from seven planets will soon arrive, and sends a Dalek platoon to destroy Cory and Lowery. Cory stands guard against the slow moving Varga plants while Lowery finishes building a rescue beacon. They notice a spaceship flying above them, Cory deducing the Daleks are planning something big. As Lowery was about to record a message, Cory notices something moving in the jungle. Lowery and Cory flee as the Dalek platoon arrives and destroys their ship. In the Dalek base, the representatives from the seven galaxies have gathered in a conference room. The Dalek Supreme assures representative Malpha (Robert Cartland) that the human intruders will be dealt with. Cory is forced to kill Lowery upon discovering he became infected by a Varga plant and records a message, only to be surrounded by the Daleks and exterminated. At the Dalek base, the representatives approve an alliance, agreeing with the Daleks' plan to take over the Solar System.

In October 1964, BBC Head of Drama and Doctor Who co creator Sydney Newman had granted producer Verity Lambert an additional episode in the second production block to compensate for the second season's Planet of Giants—the penultimate serial of the first production block—being cut from four episodes to three. As most stories were generally structured as four or six parts, this extra episode failed to fit the regular schedule. Outgoing story editor Dennis Spooner commissioned Terry Nation—creator of the Daleks and the writer of the first season's The Daleks (1963–1964) and second season's The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964) and The Chase (1965)—to co write the third season's The Daleks' Master Plan (1965–1966), and it was decided the extra episode would be used as a cutaway to set up the 12 part story. By April 1965, Donald Tosh was in the process of replacing Spooner as story editor. The episode was produced by the same team as its predecessor, Galaxy 4; they were the final to be filmed in the show's second production block, but were held back to open its third season in September. Mervyn Pinfield—an experienced BBC figure who acted as the show's associate producer from its origins to January 1965—was originally assigned to direct both serials, but his failing health prevented him from continuing, and Lambert brought on new director Derek Martinus to direct the five episodes. Martinus had recently completed the BBC's internal directors' course and had no previous experience leading a television production. Having only seen a few episodes of Doctor Who, Martinus reviewed some of the previous stories with Lambert; he found them disappointing, which shocked Lambert, but stated that he wanted to aim for higher standards. Though Lambert was credited as producer on "Mission to the Unknown"—the final story for which she was credited—her role had essentially been replaced by John Wiles. Nation was commissioned to write the episode on 25 February 1965; he delivered the script by 14 May, having been writing for The Saint at the time. He approached the episode as a technical problem, requiring a small cast and self contained narrative. The success of the Daleks—particularly due to their imminent American debut in the film Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965)—led Nation to consider the viability of a Dalek focused spin off. In writing "Mission to the Unknown", he realised such a story would need a hero and wrote Marc Cory as a "space age Bond", inspired by the recent release of Goldfinger (1964). The episode was originally set on the planet Varga, home of the Varga plants, but this was renamed Kemble (later spelled Kembel) during script revisions for The Daleks' Master Plan. The episode's draft script was titled "Dalek Cutaway", while the rehearsal script received the name "Mission to the Unknown"; the names were alternated and combined in internal documentation, and the final title has been the subject of much debate.

"Mission to the Unknown" was unique in that it does not feature any of the main cast or the TARDIS—the only serial in the show's history not to feature the Doctor at all—a decision made partly to save money on their fees. Despite not appearing in the episode, William Hartnell was still credited for portraying the Doctor, while Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves received credits in Radio Times as Vicki and Steven Taylor, respectively, but not in the episode itself. Young had previously starred as Kal in the first Doctor Who serial, An Unearthly Child; he was excited to work with Hartnell again but disappointed when he discovered his absence. Cartland had also appeared in Galaxy 4, directed by Martinus. The Dalek voices—provided by regular actors David Graham and Peter Hawkins—were pre recorded in Lime Grove Studios on 4 August 1965. The episode was Richard Hunt's first on Doctor Who as set designer; he made the jungle design, while series veteran Raymond Cusick on the rocket and message launcher, made both from stock set elements and by Shawcraft Models. For the Daleks' conference room, Cusick was inspired by the Nuremberg rallies. The episode used stock music composed by Trevor Duncan. Pre filming for "Mission to the Unknown" took place on 25 June 1965 at Ealing Studios; the scene in which Garvey mutates into a Varga plant was recorded on 35 mm film. Rehearsals for the episode began on 2 August at the Territorial Army Drill Hall on Uxbridge Road, and the episode was recorded in Studio TC4 of the Television Centre on 6 August. The final scene of Galaxy 4 was recorded alongside the episode so as to avoid re hiring Jackson and rebuilding the set; the scene was later inserted into Galaxy 4 during editing. Four of the Dalek props from The Chase were used in the episode. Recording for "Mission to the Unknown" cost .

The episode was broadcast on BBC1 on 9 October 1965. Viewership dropped from the preceding serial, while the Appreciation Index remained reasonable at 54. 16 mm film recordings were made available for international sale, but the episode was never sold overseas, and BBC Enterprises withdrew it in 1974. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation considered the recording, but it was rejected by the Film Censorship Board in September 1966 as it was considered to constitute "horror", particularly the masked aliens, Varga mutations, and dialogue about murder. The original 405 line tape was cleared for wiping in July 1969, and the episode was erased in July 1974. It remains missing; no known footage exists, though an off air audio recording was made by fan David Butler.