The Daleks

David Whitaker

1963 (original broadcast date)

What makes a great science fiction series? Originally scheduled to run for 6 episodes, Dr Who clearly had a sympathetic production team.

But a vital part of the reason was some of the most unusual alien protagonists in the annals of televised science fiction and of these, the daleks must be the strangest.

Introduced in this story, broadcast in seven episodes between 21/12/63 and 1/ 2/64 in black & white, the daleks are a race of severely mutated creatures that travel in casings that are impervious to most forms of weaponry. The casings also carry a sucker like extension and a weapon stick which can kill from a distance. The top part of the casing carries a camera like eye unit. Over the decades of Doctor Who, the Daleks became his most consistent enemy.

The whole unit is powered by static electricity transmitted through the floors of their city though this clearly evolves throughout their appearances in order to give them greater mobility.

Apart from the daleks, there is a humanoid race of people called the Thalls who are super evolved in danger of being eliminated by the genocidal daleks. The Doctor and his band of travellers enlist their help to try and overthrow the dalek tyranny.

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