| abstract | - Marco Polo did a much better job of recreating historical societies than other serials. It showed a mixed-ethnic group rather than a stereotypical collection of one race. Reference is made to real world narcotics when Ping-Cho relates a fairytale that features hashish. Such references don't reappear until The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Almost uniquely for the 1963 series, this story has a narrator. Mark Eden reads aloud while the map of the travellers' journey is shown. Although it was the first two Dalek serials that eventually made it to film, Marco Polo was the first story to be considered for cinematic treatment. In fact, it was Disney who made the approach. Marco Polo is perhaps most notable as the earliest and longest Doctor Who story which is completely missing. Its first episode, "The Roof of the World", is the earliest-broadcast episode to be missing.
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