The Daleks (TV story): Difference between revisions
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Behind the scenes, the Doctor's non-[[humanoid]] adversaries caught on immediately with the [[British]] public, as was obvious from the [[serial]]'s ratings. A significant improvement over ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'', ''The Daleks'' cemented ''Doctor Who'''s position on the [[1964]] [[BBC One]] schedule. | Behind the scenes, the Doctor's non-[[humanoid]] adversaries caught on immediately with the [[British]] public, as was obvious from the [[serial]]'s ratings. A significant improvement over ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'', ''The Daleks'' cemented ''Doctor Who'''s position on the [[1964]] [[BBC One]] schedule. | ||
The [[serial]] was [[writer]] [[Terry Nation]]'s first for the programme, and its | The [[serial]] was [[writer]] [[Terry Nation]]'s first for the programme, and its reception led to his recommissioning for ''[[The Keys of Marinus]]'' later in the season, as well as the return of the Daleks every season thereafter until [[season 5]]. It also was the proximate cause for Nation's financial success, since his agent had cunningly negotiated Nation's co-ownership of the Daleks. | ||
Importantly, ''The Daleks'' was the source material for both a theatrical film and an [[American comic book]] called ''[[Dr. Who and the Daleks]]''. Both would be the first instances that ''Doctor Who'' had been represented in those media formats. | The ramifications of this deal on the history of ''Doctor Who'' are difficult to overstate. Indeed, though agents are usually unknown and uncredited workers, this deal was known to have been negotiated by future British television legend and studio boss, [[Beryl Vertue]] — mother of [[Sue Vertue]] and mother-in-law of [[Steven Moffat]]. | ||
Importantly, too, ''The Daleks'' was the source material for both a theatrical film and an [[American comic book]] called ''[[Dr. Who and the Daleks]]''. Both would be the first instances that ''Doctor Who'' had been represented in those media formats. ''The Daleks'' was the the basis for the first attempt to take ''Doctor Who'' to the [[United States]] market. | |||
== Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
[[The TARDIS]] arrives on the planet [[Skaro]], ruined by an age-old atomic war. The [[First Doctor]] and crew become caught in the struggle between the mutated survivors: the [[Dalek]]s, ruthless xenophobes dependant on robotic travel machines, and the physically perfect pacifist [[Thal]]s. When a vital component of the TARDIS is left behind in the Dalek city, and facing annihilation from a Dalek [[neutron bomb]], the Thals must be persuaded to fight both for our heroes and for their own survival. | [[The TARDIS]] arrives on the planet [[Skaro]], ruined by an age-old atomic war. The [[First Doctor]] and crew become caught in the struggle between the mutated survivors: the [[Dalek]]s, ruthless xenophobes dependant on robotic travel machines, and the physically perfect pacifist [[Thal]]s. When a vital component of the TARDIS is left behind in the Dalek city, and facing annihilation from a Dalek [[neutron bomb]], the Thals must be persuaded to fight both for our heroes and for their own survival. | ||
Revision as of 07:29, 1 December 2011
The Daleks was the second story of season 1 of Doctor Who. Its most obvious contribution to the Doctor Who mythos was the introduction of the Daleks, the Thals and the planet Skaro. It also continued and deepened the antagonistic relationship between the Doctor and his new human companions, Ian and Barbara, which would eventually come to a head in the next story.
Behind the scenes, the Doctor's non-humanoid adversaries caught on immediately with the British public, as was obvious from the serial's ratings. A significant improvement over An Unearthly Child, The Daleks cemented Doctor Who's position on the 1964 BBC One schedule.
The serial was writer Terry Nation's first for the programme, and its reception led to his recommissioning for The Keys of Marinus later in the season, as well as the return of the Daleks every season thereafter until season 5. It also was the proximate cause for Nation's financial success, since his agent had cunningly negotiated Nation's co-ownership of the Daleks.
The ramifications of this deal on the history of Doctor Who are difficult to overstate. Indeed, though agents are usually unknown and uncredited workers, this deal was known to have been negotiated by future British television legend and studio boss, Beryl Vertue — mother of Sue Vertue and mother-in-law of Steven Moffat.
Importantly, too, The Daleks was the source material for both a theatrical film and an American comic book called Dr. Who and the Daleks. Both would be the first instances that Doctor Who had been represented in those media formats. The Daleks was the the basis for the first attempt to take Doctor Who to the United States market.
Synopsis
The TARDIS arrives on the planet Skaro, ruined by an age-old atomic war. The First Doctor and crew become caught in the struggle between the mutated survivors: the Daleks, ruthless xenophobes dependant on robotic travel machines, and the physically perfect pacifist Thals. When a vital component of the TARDIS is left behind in the Dalek city, and facing annihilation from a Dalek neutron bomb, the Thals must be persuaded to fight both for our heroes and for their own survival.
Plot
The Dead Planet (1)
When the TARDIS arrives in a petrified jungle, the Doctor and his companions are unaware that the planet is highly radioactive. The Doctor is eager to explore a futuristic city that they discover beyond the forest but Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright insist on returning to the ship. On the way back to the TARDIS Susan is separated from the rest of the crew and believes she is touched by a human hand. Once back at the ship Susan is disconsolate that nobody believes her and Barbara complains that she feels unwell. There is a knocking from outside the TARDIS, but the scanners show nobody outside. This provokes Ian and Barbara to demand that the Doctor remove them from this place. He seemingly complies, but determined to get his way, the Doctor sabotages the TARDIS, claiming that mercury is needed for the fluid link. The only place to find mercury is the city.
The next morning, when the travellers emerge from the TARDIS, they find a box outside that holds vials filled with an amber liquid, seemingly dropped by whoever was knocking the previous night. Susan places the box in the ship for safekeeping, after which the four travellers head off to the mysterious city. It is entirely built of metal with doorways that are fashioned as squat rounded arches. The travellers break up. Barbara walks down a series of corridors whose doors close behind her as she walks. As she becomes aware that she is trapped, a strange creature emerges, threatening her with a metal arm.
The Survivors (2)
Ian, Susan and the Doctor enter a room full of machines, including a Geiger counter, which confirms they’ve been exposed to radiation. The trio realise the gravity of the situation, prompting the Doctor to admit his sabotage of the fluid link and state that they should leave immediately, abandoning Barbara. This causes more mistrust between them and Ian takes the fluid link hostage to ensure the Doctor helps him look for Barbara. The Doctor agrees and as they leave the room are surrounded by beings known as Daleks, who imprison them. Ian tries to run but is shot by the Daleks rendering him paralysed. The trio are locked up alongside Barbara.
The Daleks summon the Doctor who is interrogated by them. They explain they are survivors of a neutronic war with the Thals, inhabitants of the planet, which has caused mutations to both races. The Daleks are now confined to their travel machines and limited to the boundaries of their metallic city. The Doctor persuades the Daleks that the travellers will die from radiation sickness if no drugs are found. The Daleks order one of them to leave straight away. The Doctor and Barbara are both too unwell and Ian is still paralysed so Susan is sent to retrieve the vials that were left outside the TARDIS. She makes her way out of the city and back into the petrified forest, being followed by a mysterious figure. The Daleks reveal that when the drugs are returned to their city they shall take them and leave the travellers to die. Having collected the anti-radiation drugs in the TARDIS Susan prepares herself for the return journey.
The Escape (3)
Outside the TARDIS, Susan encounters a stranger. He is a striking, handsome, blonde man named Alydon. His appearance proves his race, the Thals, have not suffered the same disfiguring mutations as the Daleks. Alydon is surprised to hear that the Daleks are still alive as his race has believed they were wiped out during the neutronic war. He explains that he brought the drugs to Susan and now gives her more, explaining that the Daleks should not be trusted and that she should keep the second stash secret. He explains that the Thals have travelled many miles across the planet in search of food as their race is near starvation. The Thals now hope to establish a treaty for food with the Daleks. Susan heads off to the Dalek city while Alydon returns to the Thal encampment and tells his friends about his encounter, hoping Susan can broker a peace and trade agreement.
Susan reaches her friends and passes round the drugs, then contacts the Daleks and explains that the Thals are now looking for peace and food. The Daleks imply acceptance, asking the Thals in return to help them cultivate the land, but in reality they are plotting revenge and extermination of their old enemies. The message of peace is conveyed to the Thals, who are invited to collect food from the entrance hall to the Dalek city the following day. They believe this a genuine sign of friendship as Susan promised them that if the message was signed by her name it would be genuine.
Having recovered from the radiation sickness, the Doctor’s party stages an argument amongst themselves that breaks out into a fight. In the ensuing struggle, Susan breaks off the camera that has been filming and recording their movement in the cell. Using this new-found freedom to talk amongst themselves, the foursome speculate that the Daleks are powered by static electricity due to the fact that the floors are made of metal and that the smell of dodgems comes off them. Ian theorises that if they were to break the circuit between the Dalek and the floor it would become inert. Susan reveals that Alydon gave her a cloak which they could use to achieve this. Barbara states that even if this was possible, the Dalek appears to be able to see very well with his eyestalk so it would be very hard to achieve. However, she then devises a plan wherein she uses the dirt off of Susan's shoes mixed with water to create mud. The next time a Dalek comes with their food the captives jam the door forcing the creature to return back into the cell wherein the foursome succeed in overpowering him. They then open up the Dalek removing the creature inside so they can use the robotic shell as a means of escape. The monstrosity within is dumped while Ian squeezes into the Dalek casing. In this guise he escorts his three friends through the city, hoping they can make a break for freedom. However, as they walk away the abandoned Dalek creature has survived.
The Ambush (4)
The ruse works when Ian discovers how to control the Dalek internally, rather than have the Doctor push him. The foursome are stopped by another Dalek; however, Ian tells it that he is one of them and is taking the three human prisoners for further questioning. However, when the same Dalek makes enquiries it discovers that it has been duped and sounds the alarm. In the meantime the Doctor has magnetically locked the door to stop the Daleks from getting to them. The Doctor and the girls try to get Ian out of the casing, but the catch is stuck. As the Daleks begin burning through the metal door, Ian convinces them to get in the lift and escape. After much persuading the trio leave Ian behind. Once safe, they send the lift down for Ian. The Daleks enter the room and blast through the Dalek casing to find it empty, with Ian just managing to escape in time and get in the lift. Once he has joined the other three, the Dalek summons the lift to catch up with them.
Ian and his friends find themselves at a window where they observe the Thals arriving to collect the food. The foursome try to shout to alert them that it is an ambush, but the Thals cannot hear. The foursome notice that the lift is coming up and begin to prise open a door so they can escape. In the meantime, Ian, Susan, and Barbara throw a Dalek sculpture down the lift shaft to slow down the approaching Dalek. By this time the Doctor has got the door open and they escape. Once outside Ian decides to go back and warn the Thals of the danger they are in whilst the other three run to safety.
As the Thals take the food, the elder Temmosus decides to plea with the Daleks for a longer lasting truce wherein he offers to work with the Daleks to create food and a stable enviroment. Whilst he is asking for this, unbeknownst to him and his fellow Thals, they are being surrounded by Daleks. Ian, who is watching this all unfold, shouts to the Thals that it's a trap and many manage to escape; however, Temmosus is exterminated.
The surviving Thals, including Alydon, and Ian regroup and join the Doctor, Susan, and Barbara at the Thal encampment, where a young Thal named Dyoni provides a history of the planet Skaro from a Thal perspective for the Doctor. It seems that the Daleks were once known as Dals, humanoids similar to Thals who mutated into their current form after the lengthy neutronic war. The Thals have reacted to their history by adopting pacifism as a creed even though their history reveals them to have been warriors. Ian attempts to convince the Thals they'll need to fight the Daleks to survive, but the Doctor suggests they leave. To everyone's horror, they discover they can't; the fluid link held by Ian was taken from him in a Dalek search of him. The fluid link is in the city, and the four are trapped on Skaro.
The Expedition (5)
After trying to convince the Thals that they should be more aggressive towards the Daleks, Ian eventually spurs Alydon on to display aggression when he threatens to take Dyoni to the Daleks as a trade for the fluid link, prompting the new Thal leader to hit him. This act of violence spurs the Thals into using violence only as a means to do good and the Thals agree to help the TARDIS crew. One group will accompany Ian and Barbara as they cross the swamp to the rear of the city situated near a radioactive lake filled with mutants, where they can enter the city unseen through a back entrance. The other group, led by the Doctor and Susan, will act as a decoy entering through the front door.
While the Daleks seem to have rudimentary abilities to film what is going on in the jungle, they cannot hear the gang hatching their plan. They are soon distracted as the Daleks use of the anti-radiation medication left by the travellers begins to have ill effect on them and two fifths of the Daleks fall ill. The Daleks deduce that they have become immune to radiation and in fact thrive off of it. As a response, they decide to increase the levels of radiation on Skaro by deploying another neutronic bomb. Whilst this would sustain the Dalek race it would be impossible for the Thals to survive.
The attack party heading for the Lake of Mutations makes good progress on their lengthy journey. Four Thals called Elyon, Kristas, Ganatus and Antodus, the latter two of whom are brothers and have been to the Lake before with fatal consequences to two of their party, have accompanied Barbara and Ian. The lake contains many mutated beings from the fallout of the neutronic war and Ian soon spots a multi-tentacled creature in the water. The next morning Ian discovers a series of pipes that suck the water from the lake into the city. The assembled party are shocked to hear one of their number, Elyon, scream as one of the monsters drags him below the murky surface in a large whirlpool.
The Ordeal (6)
Elyon is dead, but even though the Thals are upset (especially Antodus), the party must continue with their journey and climb the mountain so as to commit their end of the plan.
At the front of the city the Doctor’s party block the Daleks' video and radio communication masks by beaming light at the top of the masts so as to scramble the images they get. They use this radio silence to sneak into the city.
Whilst this plan is being put into action, the Dalek leaders receive the news that it would take 23 days to create a neutronic bomb powerful enough to sustain a suitable amount of radiation to ensure the Daleks' survival. As the Daleks absorb this news, the Doctor and Susan sabotage a static electricity control box which destroys some of the computer terminals of the Daleks. Unfortunately, their activity alerts the Daleks, who soon surround them. They are taken to the control centre of the city and are told of the Dalek plan to irradiate the entire planet. Instead of dropping a neutronic bomb the Daleks are planning to blow up their nuclear reactors to create the radiation they need to survive.
Meanwhile, Ian's party has found a tunnel that should lead to the Dalek city. They drop down into a crevasse that heads directly to the city. Antodus tries to persuade his fellow Thals that they should turn back, stating that even if they survive the journey the Daleks will kill them. As they are arguing a rockfall occurs which hurts Antodus and blocks any chance of retreat. The only way is onward – and a vast chasm is their next hurdle. Ian jumps first, followed by the second Thal who discovers another tunnel they can use. One by one the party has to jump across, supported by a rope that Ian ties to a rock and then around himself. The last to jump is Antodus, who loses his footing and falls into the abyss, his weight breaking the rock and dragging Ian toward the edge.
The Rescue (7)
Antodus sacrifices his life to save the others by cutting the rope and letting himself fall. The others press on and within a short while have found themselves at a dead end with their light source fading. They discuss going back; however, as the light cuts out, they see a light coming from a hole in the cliff and find an entrance point to the city.
The Daleks have now taken the Doctor and Susan to their control room where they tell him of their plans to wipe out all other life on Skaro so that they can survive from the neutronic fallout. In desperation, the Doctor says that he will help the Daleks build another TARDIS. They say they can do this themselves and don't need the Doctor to help them.
At the front of the city Alydon has also led another band of Thals in an assault, hoping to rescue the Doctor and Susan. By luck this party converges with Ian's gang and they elect to attack the Dalek control centre at the same time. Together they destroy the Dalek apparatus and prevent the radiation release. They also disable the power source for the Daleks in the city. The creatures become immobile and soon die, but not before they beg the Doctor to repair their system, which he refuses to do. The Thals are repulsed by all the death, but are grateful that their struggle is finally over.
They all return together to the Thal camp – this time with the fluid link – and the Doctor and his party make their farewells and return to the TARDIS. It is revealed that Barbara and one of the Thals have been having somewhat of a romance as they kiss just before Barbara is called into the TARDIS. No sooner than they are in flight there is an explosion on the console and the four travellers fall to the floor.
Cast
- The Doctor - William Hartnell
- Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford
- Ian Chesterton - William Russell
- Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill
- Dalek Voices - Peter Hawkins, David Graham
- Dalek Operators - Robert Jewell, Kevin Manser, Michael Summerton, Gerald Taylor, Peter Murphy
- Temmosus - Alan Wheatley
- Alydon - John Lee
- Dyoni - Virginia Wetherell
- Ganatus - Philip Bond
- Antodus - Marcus Hammond
- Kristas - Jonathan Crane
- Elyon - Gerald Curtis
- Thals - Chris Browning, Katie Cashfield, Vez Delahunt, Kevin Glenny, Ruth Harrison, Lesley Hill, Steve Pokol, Jeanette Rossinni, Eric Smith
- Uncredited Thal Double - Frans Van Nordo
- Double for Antodus - Peter Diamond
- Double for Alydon - Chris Browning
Crew
- Writer - Terry Nation
- Directors - Christopher Barry (parts 1,2,4,5), Richard Martin (parts 3,6,7)
- Producer - Verity Lambert
- Script Editor - David Whitaker
- Designers - Raymond Cusick, Jeremy Davies
- Assistant Floor Manager - Jeremy Hare, Michael Ferguson
- Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield
- Costumes - Daphne Dare
- Film Cameraman - Stewart Farnell
- Film Editor - Ted Walter
- Incidental Music - Tristram Cary
- Make-Up - Elizabeth Blattner
- Production Assistant - Norman Stewart
- Special Sounds - Brian Hodgson
- Studio Lighting - Geoff Shaw, John Treays
- Studio Sound - Jack Brummitt, Jack Clayton
- Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
- Title Music - Ron Grainer
References
Culture
- Ganatus is aware of the cultural conventions existing in England in the 1960s: "We won't use one of the customs of your planet: "ladies first". It's possible that Ganatus overheard Ian talking to Barbara using similar phrases.
- The moral philosophy of the Thals about refusing to fight as the only way to achieve peace is the same as that of Buddhism on Earth, which is explored in Marco Polo later in the season.
Daleks
- The Daleks are growing food with artificial sunlight, suggesting that they still need to eat. No evidence of this is revealed in later stories. They were later revealed to be lying.
- The Dalek Geiger counter has the word danger written on it in English. This has been explained in later stories as a result of the TARDIS's telepathic circuits.
Individuals
Organisations
TARDIS
- This is the first appearance of the TARDIS food machine.
- The TARDIS fluid link uses mercury.
- This is the first time the fault locator is seen.
Thals
- The length of time the Thals have travelled for is first stated as 4 years but is later reduced to 1 year.
The Doctor
- The Doctor reveals that there is a large age gap between him and Susan.
- The Doctor reveals that he was once a pioneer amongst his people.
Story notes
- This is the first story to feature the Daleks, Skaro and the Thals.
- The production team's final name for this story at the time of broadcast was The Mutants but is now referred to as The Daleks to avoid confusion with story NNN, the Third Doctor story of the same name. Working titles for the overall serial included The Survivors and Beyond the Sun. The working title of episode six was "The Caves of Terror" and the seventh episode was originally conceived as "The Execution". (REF: The First Doctor Handbook)
- It is never mentioned in the story whether the travellers are in the past, the present or the future. In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Doctor states this first encounter with the Daleks occurred "...a million years in the future.", (and implies it was) towards the end of Dalek history, though he gives no indication how he knows this. However, it should be noted that the Daleks themselves in this serial state that the Thousand Year War only took place 500 years ago, not millions of years. Planet of the Daleks suggests this first encounter occurred in the past, generations before the 26th century. This is now generally the accepted placement of the story, though the exact year is still a matter of debate and theorising among fans. In his A History of the Universe, Lance Parkin arbitrarily places the story in 1963, suggesting that the Doctor was attempting to return Ian and Barbara back to their own time and succeeded, only getting the planet wrong. In The Official Doctor Who & the Daleks Book by Terry Nation and John Peel, it is explained that the Daleks encountered in this story were not the main Dalek race, but the descendants of a group of mutated Kaled survivors from the Thousand Year War who crawled into a city of abandoned prototype Dalek casings built by Davros. The book argues that as Davros' technology for his Daleks progressed and gave them greater mobility, he left the metal city behind, and this is consistent with the explanation given by the Daleks themselves in this story that they were mutated survivors of the war, which is a different background to the Daleks from Genesis of the Daleks. This suggests that events happened very early on in Dalek history, before the Dalek race emerged from being entombed in Davros' bunker.
- It was Mervyn Pinfield who suggested that the Daleks use static electricity.
- It was Richard Martin who suggested that the Thal anti-radiation drug be lethal to the Daleks.
- Bands of sticky tape were affixed around the shoulder section of the Daleks after William Hartnell cut himself on one of the metal bands.
- This story replaced previous proposals including Beyond the Sun and The Masters of Luxor.
- Music from The Daleks was released in 2003 as part of Devil's Planet - The Music of Tristram Cary. This CD also includes tracks from The Daleks' Master Plan and (perhaps appropriately) The Mutants.
- The music from this story was reused in several stories: The Rescue, The Daleks' Master Plan, The Ark, and The Power of the Daleks.
- All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
- The episodes were all recovered from negative film prints, which were discovered at BBC Enterprises in 1978.
- The negative of episode 7 is a dub from the positive print.
- Telesnaps exist for episodes 1, 2, 4 and 5 in private collections.
- This story was originally scheduled to be designed by Ridley Scott who later went on to direct films such as Alien and Blade Runner.
- It was during the filming of this serial that American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated; the very next day, Doctor Who made its public debut when the first episode of An Unearthly Child was broadcast.
- This was one of the stories selected to be shown as part of BSB's Doctor Who Weekend in September 1990.
- "The Rescue" is the first episode of Doctor Who in which the (de)-materialisation of the TARDIS is achieved through the in-camera technique of "roll back and mix". This effect was extraordinarily difficult in the 1960s, which is why it was only done a few times in the monochromatic era of the programme. (REF: The First Doctor Handbook) As camera technology improved over the years, it became fairly straightforward, even easy, to do. In the 21st century it's commonly seen on chat shows and Blue Peter whenever Doctor Who guests arrive or depart.
Ratings
- Episode 1 - The Dead Planet - 6.9 million viewers
- Episode 2 - The Survivors - 6.4 million viewers
- Episode 3 - The Escape - 8.9 million viewers
- Episode 4 - The Ambush - 9.9 million viewers
- Episode 5 - The Expedition - 9.9 million viewers
- Episode 6 - The Ordeal - 10.4 million viewers
- Episode 7 - The Rescue - 10.4 million viewers
Myths
- Terry Nation named the Daleks after seeing the spines of a set of encyclopaedias. (He made up the name but invented this as a story to tell the press).
- There was a transmission fault at the start of the first episode that meant the opening moments were in negative. (This was intentional on the part of the production team who wanted to create the impression of heat).
- This story was intended to feature a Glass Dalek, but this was changed due to budget constraints. (The idea of the Glass Dalek was created by David Whitaker for his novelisation of the story) A Glass Dalek did appear in the Sixth Doctor story, Revelation of the Daleks.
- Electronic interference on the original tape meant that the first episode needed to be remade. (The first episode was remade but this was because instructions being relayed to the studio from the control gallery were clearly audible on the original recording).
- Raymond Cusick based the shape of the Daleks on pepper pots. (The inspiration for the Daleks was a woman moving in a ballroom gown, seemingly gliding as her feet were not visible. He did however use a pepper pot to demonstrate how he envisioned the Daleks moving). (The inspiration was the Georgian State Dancers, whose large, wide dresses give the impression that they are gliding along the floor.)
- Shawcraft, the company who made some of the special effects for Doctor Who until 1969, who also built the main dalek props, had built a prototype prop before actual work began. ('A rough mock-up was made at the BBC, but not by Shawcraft.)
Filming locations
Production errors
- In episode 1, a wind machine blows the forest backdrop as well as Ian's hair.
- In episode 2, a Dalek has faulty lights and an eye that will not turn on.
- In episode 3, In one shot of the interior of the Dalek city, a boom shadow is clearly visible.
- In episode 6, Barbara grabs a rock wall and ends up with polystyrene in her hand.
- In episode 6, When the Thals are jumping across the chasm, Ian grabs onto the rock wall when he lands. His handhold breaks off with the rip of tearing styrofoam, and the white spot where it was is visible for the rest of the scene.
- In episode 6, In the Dalek control room, one Dalek runs into the control console.
- In episode 6, One of the Daleks rattles as it moves down a corridor.
- When the Doctor shorts out a Dalek control panel the explosion happens too early.
- In the Dalek command centre the Daleks in the background are clearly visible to be cardboard stand-ups due to a bad camera angle.
- In episode 1, the hand of AFM Michael Ferguson is caught on camera. This is intentional, it is supposed to be Alydon's first attempt at contact with Susan.
Continuity
- The Daleks reappear in DW: The Dalek Invasion of Earth and then go on to become one of the Doctor's most famous enemies.
- This is the first time the TARDIS food machine is seen. It later reappears in DW: The Edge of Destruction and DW: The Space Museum. In these stories it produces nutrition bars with the taste of food. In NA: Legacy it is revealed that Ace has modified the machine to produce actual food.
- The history of the Daleks as revealed here differs from the account provided in DW: Genesis of the Daleks. (See the full Dalek history article page for more information).
- The Thals later reappear in DW: Planet of the Daleks, DW: Genesis of the Daleks, BFA: The Mutant Phase and EDA: War of the Daleks.
- The Doctor is shown to be the most susceptible to radiation. This seems to vary across this story and The Mutants, Planet of the Spiders, The Android Invasion and Destiny of the Daleks.
- Barbara and Ian later named their son John Alydon Ganatus Chesterton after their Thal friends (PDA: Byzantium!).
- This story was one of two stories in which the Daleks' dependence, for motive power, on static electricity from the floors of their city was a factor. In the other, DW: The Power of the Daleks, they need static electricity but are able to store power for a time.
- DW: Death to the Daleks has a few similarities to this story.
- This story is one of only two times the Daleks' ray-guns are used for a purpose other than to kill when they paralyse Ian's legs, albeit temporally. (The other, DW: Planet of the Daleks, involves paralysis of the legs of the Third Doctor.) However, it is implied that this can be made permanent. The Daleks also use their guns to kill the Thals later in the story, though the effect of their blast is not always fatal. (Much later in DW: The Stolen Earth it would be revealed that a glancing hit from a Dalek gun, while still potentially fatal, isn't necessarily an instant death.)
- The famous Dalek catchphrase – "Exterminate!" – is not used in this story, though the Daleks refer to "extermination".
- Susan establishes that the TARDIS has twenty false locks (though it is possible to learn how to turn the key as the Doctor does so for Barbara in MA: The Sorcerer's Apprentice); this changes when the Doctor replaces the lock in DW: The Sensorites.
- EDA: Alien Bodies suggests that it takes place at around the same general time as this story (there is an explicit mention of the Daleks' "the 'static electricity' phase of the Dalek development."')
- When they are trapped by the Daleks and Susan mentions the vials she found, the Doctor says that he thinks they might have been anti-radiation gloves... drugs. This was later referenced in BFA: Flip-Flop where the Seventh Doctor tells Melanie Bush of an invention by one of his earlier incarnations: anti-radiation gloves.
- In an alternative timeline in which the Doctor's exile on Earth did not begin until 1997, the Fourth Doctor's absence from the events surrounding the creation of the Daleks (DW: Genesis of the Daleks) meant that they abandoned their creator Davros instead of taking the chance to exterminate him. Consequently, the Daleks which the First Doctor had originally encountered on Skaro in an alternative version of the events of this story were a second batch, programmed by Davros with feelings of mercy and pity to ensure loyalty. (BFDWU: Sympathy for the Devil, BFDWU: Masters of War)
Timeline
This is the first instance of a disputed date. In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Doctor says that the story takes place a million years in the future. However, Planet of the Daleks takes place around 2540 and is set after this story. Many fans believe that the Doctor miscalculated in Invasion and that it took place in a more contempory timeframe. Doctor Who Monthly #75 gives the date as 150000, but this was changed in #77 to 2290. Lance Parkin's A History of the Universe states that the story takes place in 1963, but this was changed in AHistory to 2263.
Timeline
- This story occurs after DW: An Unearthly Child
- This story occurs before DW: The Edge of Destruction
Home video and audio releases
DVD releases
This story was released (as Doctor Who: The Daleks), together with An Unearthly Child and The Edge of Destruction, as part of The Beginning DVD box set.
Released:
- Region 2 30 January 2006
- PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1882
- PAL - Roadshow ????
Region 4 Australian cover
Region 2 UK cover
Box sets
This story was released along with An Unearthly Child and The Edge of Destruction in a box set called The Beginning.
Region 2 UK DVD box set cover
Region 4 Australian DVD box set cover
Region 1 US DVD box set cover
- NTSC - Warner Video E2489
Video Release
- First Release: Released as Doctor Who: The Daleks - The Dead Planet and Doctor Who: The Daleks - The Expedition, two separate volumes held together by a band of plastic.
Released:
- PAL - BBC Video BBCV4242 (2 tapes)
- PAL - Polygram BBCV4242 (2 tapes)
- NTSC - CBS/FOX Video 8253 (2 tapes)
- NTSC - Warner Video E1275 (2 tapes)
Notes: The "Next Episode" caption has been removed from Episode 7.
- Second Release: Released as Doctor Who: The Daleks (Remastered). An unedited, remastered edition that the BBC originally intended to release in a box set with An Unearthly Child and The Edge of Destruction. They changed their plans and decided to release each story individually.
Released:
- PAL - BBC Video BBCV6960 (2 tapes)
- PAL - Roadshow 6960 (1 tape)
- Editing for VHS and DVD releases completed by Doctor Who Restoration Team.
- DaleksVHS.jpg
Tape one over for the original 1989 VHS release
Tape two over for the original 1989 VHS release
Remastered second release Box art
Novelisation and its audiobook
- Main article: Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks
The novelisation, by David Whitaker, has no continuity with An Unearthly Child (which would be adapted into novel form 17 years later), with Ian and Barbara having never met each other or the Doctor and Susan prior to the events of the story.
It was originally titled Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks and was first published in hardback by Frederick Muller Ltd on 12 November 1964 at a price of 12s 6d. It was reprinted in December 1964. It featured cover art and 12 internal illustrations by Arnold Schwartzman.
A paperback edition was issued on 4 October 1965 by May Fair Books Ltd, under the "Armada Paperbacks for Boys & Girls" imprint (priced 2s 6d). This version did not use Schwartzman's artwork, using cover and 6 illustrations by Peter Archer. This version used the variant title Dr. Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks. It was followed by an American edition in 1967, the first US publication of a Doctor Who novel.
Novelisation first edition
Original Target cover
1992 Re-issued cover
It was then reprinted as the first title in the new range of Doctor Who novelisations planned by Target Books. It was published 2 May 1973 as Doctor Who and the Daleks (ISBN 0-426-10110-3) with the subtitle "Based on the popular BBC television serial", and with cover art by Chris Achilleos. It was later number as number 16 in the Target Books Doctor Who Library. It could be purchased for 25p.
Reprints
- Oct/Nov 1973 (25p)
- Jan/Feb 1974 (25p)
- Oct 1974 (30p "Second Impression")
- 1975 (40p "Second Impression")
- Autumn 1975 (40p)
- 1975 (60p)
- Jan 1976 (40p)
- 1977 (60p)
- 1977 (70p "Third Impression", print run 20,000)
- 1978 (85p "Fourth Impression", print run 6,000)
- 1979 (70p "Third Impression", print run 12,000)
- 1980 (85p "Fourth Impression", print run 15,000)
- 1982 (£1.50)
- 1983 (£1.50)
- 1984 (£1.50)
The book was re-issued as Doctor Who - The Daleks on 16 January 1992 (priced £2.99). It featured new cover art by Alister Pearson.
Script book
- In December 1989, Titan Books published the scripts for the serial as part of its Doctor Who: The Scripts line of books.
See also
- Dr. Who and the Daleks - The theatrical movie adaptation of this story.
- DW: Genesis of the Daleks - An alternative beginning for the Daleks
- Dalek history - An article plotting the development of the Daleks as a race.
External links
- The Daleks at the BBC's official site
- The Daleks at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- The Daleks at Shannon Sullivan's A Brief History of Time (Travel)
- Encyclopaedia of Fantastic Film and Television entry for The Daleks
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