The second season of British science fiction television programme Doctor Who was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 1964 and 1965. The season began on 31 October 1964 with Planet of Giants and ended with The Time Meddler on 24 July 1965. It continued to star William Hartnell as the first incarnation of the Doctor, an alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside. Carole Ann Ford continued her role as the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman, who acts as his companion alongside her schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, portrayed by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Ford departed the series in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, replaced by Maureen O'Brien as Vicki in the following story, and Russell and Hill departed in The Chase, replaced by Peter Purves as Steven Taylor.
Throughout the season, the Doctor and his companions travel throughout history and into the future. Producer Verity Lambert worked with story editors to keep the show feeling fresh, attempting new avenues such as humorous and pseudo-historical content. Viewership for the season was considered strong, and the first episode of The Web Planet reached a series-high of 13.5 million viewers. The season received generally positive reviews, with praise directed at the scripts and performances, particularly Hartnell and Hill, though some stories and special effects were criticised; the final scenes of Ford, Russell, and Hill received particular praise for their emotional impact. Several episodes were erased by the BBC between 1967 and 1969, though most were eventually recovered; of a total 39 episodes, only two episodes of The Crusade remain missing. The serials received several VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases as well as tie-in novels.
