TV Review: Doctor Who: The Daleks (1963)

Doctor Who: The Daleks (1963) written by Terry Nation and directed by Christopher Barry and Richard Martin

The First Doctor (William Hartnell) lands the TARDIS on an unidentified planet. The local plants have all been petrified and radiation is high. As the Doctor and his companions investigate, they spot a seemingly abandoned city. Earthlings Ian (William Russell) and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) are eager to return to Earth (this being their second adventure with the Doctor, and indeed the second series of the show) and aren't interested in exploring the city. The Doctor is interested and contrives a reason to go to the city (the TARDIS is out of mercury!). Once they get there, the group is separated and Barbara is the first to be captured by the citizens of the city--the Daleks! They were at war with the Thals, a war that went nuclear, turning the planet into a wasteland five hundred years ago. The Thals are back in the area looking for food and to make peace with the Daleks, so everyone can live happily on the planet.

This is the very first appearance of the Daleks. The story includes a lot of background for the Daleks that has remained canon. They are cunning and xenophobic and do say they will "exterminate" enemies in their monotone, robotic voices (the shoutiness comes later). They have an aversion to stairs and are yucky little monsters inside that big metal casing. No wonder they became the iconic villains of the show.

The plot moves along slowly (it's seven half-hour episodes!) but intelligently. A lot of character development happens, something you don't quite expect from a show that was aimed at children. The Doctor's selfishness is depicted negatively, which surprised and satisfied me. Everyone has their flaws and their strengths. Overall, it's a great series.

Highly recommended.