According to the book "Sir Huge: The Life of Huw Wheldon" (Paul Ferris, 1990), Monitor was just one of the titles considered for the series, which was still to be decided less than three weeks before transmission: "Dozens of ideas had been circulating, among them Vista, Argus, Arena, Around, Silhouette, Mirror, Monitor, Lens and Periscope."
As with many archive BBC programmes, a lot of the material of Monitor is lost, believed wiped.
As of 2022, then from the first series only the first episode is believed to exist in its entirety, while Episode 10 is missing altogether. The remainder have one or more sequences still in the archives, but the complete episodes are lost.
The second series has two episodes completely missing (7 and 21) while episode 6 still exists in the archives, but without sound. The remainder all have at least one sequence in the archives, but none of them complete.
The third series only has Private View (1960) intact, with two episodes (3 and 18) missing completely. The remainder have at least one sequence in the archives, but are incomplete.
The sixth series has just two episodes in existence (5 and 12), though at least one sequence from sixteen others. Four episodes are missing entirely: 8, 9, 15 and 18.
The seventh series has three episodes existing (8, 14 and 18) and at least one sequence from fourteen other episodes. However, episodes 6, 12 and 16 are missing entirely.
The eighth and final series has its 10th, 13th, 15th and 18th episodes still in the archives, along with at least one sequence from many of the other episodes - however, episodes 1, 4 and 8 are missing completely.
As of 2022, then from the first series only the first episode is believed to exist in its entirety, while Episode 10 is missing altogether. The remainder have one or more sequences still in the archives, but the complete episodes are lost.
The second series has two episodes completely missing (7 and 21) while episode 6 still exists in the archives, but without sound. The remainder all have at least one sequence in the archives, but none of them complete.
The third series only has Private View (1960) intact, with two episodes (3 and 18) missing completely. The remainder have at least one sequence in the archives, but are incomplete.
The sixth series has just two episodes in existence (5 and 12), though at least one sequence from sixteen others. Four episodes are missing entirely: 8, 9, 15 and 18.
The seventh series has three episodes existing (8, 14 and 18) and at least one sequence from fourteen other episodes. However, episodes 6, 12 and 16 are missing entirely.
The eighth and final series has its 10th, 13th, 15th and 18th episodes still in the archives, along with at least one sequence from many of the other episodes - however, episodes 1, 4 and 8 are missing completely.
Director Ken Russell, who cut his cinematic teeth working on the show, declared in 1973 that it "was and still remains the one and only English experimental film school ever, and Huw Wheldon was its guiding genius."
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