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Doctor Who\u2019s release schedule has always been a little timey-wimey. Season premieres on Christmas?<\/a> It\u2019s odd. But this takes things to a new level. Two episodes of Doctor Who long thought to be forever destroyed have been recovered and restored, and they will be added to the BBC streaming service soon. According to the Associated Press<\/a>, season three\u2019s \u201cThe Nightmare Begins\u201d and \u201cDevil\u2019s Planet\u201d have been discovered in an anonymous benefactor\u2019s estate. They feature original Doctor William Hartnell and his eternal foe, the Daleks. Even with these two found, there are still 95 episodes that have been lost to time. And space.<\/p>\n But why are there so many missing Whos in the first place? Before digital tape, the BBC would reuse old tapes. It would record over old programs (or programmes, as the Brits\u2019d spell it) because these things cost money and the BBC was government-funded. As a result, there are several episodes of Doctor Who that, ironically enough, have been lost to time. \u201cThe main broadcasters in the U.K. in the 1960s, \u201970s, up to the \u201980s really, junked quite a lot of content,\u201d De Montfort University professor Justin Smith told the AP. \u201cIn some ways finding missing Doctor Whos is the holy grail.\u201d In fairness to those BBC workers of old, who\u2019d have thought people would still care about a children\u2019s show from 60 years ago?<\/p>\n Sign up for the Vulture Daily<\/p>\n An entertainment newsletter for the pop-culture obsessed.<\/p>\n Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice<\/p>\n