Without the mutated remnants of the seemingly indestructible planet Skaro, we dont know ifDoctor Whowould have survived.
Instead, we do things likethis.
This list is not limited to the television series, becauseDoctor Whoisnt limited to the television series.
Daleks Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. Plus, instead of the Slyther, theres Philip Madoc.
This is a vast improvement.
Theres even bonus Eileen Way.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:The score.
It might be Jeffless jazz but its jauntier than the rakish system of a wide-brimmed hat.
The Dalek Master Plan
Yes reader, it is a big one.
And an episode set in ancient Egypt.
And the first of Kevin Stoneys two great villain roles.
And the return of the Meddling Monk.
And that incredibly bleak ending.
Twelve episodes of fun, adventure, death, and mayhem.
Typically,Doctor Whois a fun, action adventure.
Noticeably, many of its classics diverge from this by being fundamentally grim.
As the title suggests, this is one of those stories.
They shoot basically everybody when they see them.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:The Eighth Doctor properly loses it.
Plus, Davros is brilliant in this.
Its impossible to watch him in the position of a businessman without imaginingThe ApprenticeorDragons Den.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:
Well, this is new.
Remembrance of the Daleks
Ah, the McCoy era.
And didnt we have trouble with the prototype?
Featuring one of Keff McCullochs better soundtracks, the pre-credits sequence seems like its come from nowhere.
Short, compact, it sets the scene dramatically and features the first of several excellent model sequences.
Its as confident a statement of intent as the show has ever seen.
Its almost as seismic a shift asTheArk in Spacewas back in 1975.
Were back to questioning the Doctors morality, his origins, and his methods.
Meanwhile, Sylvester McCoy has nailed the role and Ace has calmed down a bit sinceDragonfire.
For the first time in a few years, things boded very well indeed.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:Activate the Special Weapons Dalek.
His only previous TV credit was for an episode ofBorn and Bred.
Even in its grimmer stories, there are plenty of moments of levity.
InGenesis of the Daleksthere is No tea Harry and thats pretty much it.
From its loadedSeventh Sealreferences to the slow motion machine gun death spasms, death is introduced in abundance.
Being their origin, much of the killing is not performed by Daleks til later in the story.
The Doctor and his friends spend much of their time suffering and losing.
Even after Tom Bakers definitive Do I have the right?
scene, the Doctor goes back on his decision and later attempts to destroy the Dalek incubation chambers.
Stakes are high and desperate acts are committed.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:The entire Kaled people.
You would go that far?
The Parting of the Ways
In many ways the 2005 series is just one big Dalek story.
You could even argue that series one is a sequel toGenesis of the Daleks.
One thing viewers want from Dalek stories because were all horrible people, you understand is nastiness and carnage.
Russell T Davies understood this perfectly, and delivered a seemingly invincible army zapping countless innocents and melting Australia.
Thus, he is saved and reborn.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:Coward.
Well, yeah, kinda.
The Daleks have never been as insidious, or as lethal.
Scene Where You Realise How Brilliant It Is:Yes.
You gave us life.
Fortunately theyre only in the first twenty seconds.
Pre-order Doctor Who: The Monster Collection Daleks, released on the 30th of September, at theBBC shop.
