this was such a brilliant start to season 9. the Daleks return was fun but not even the most intriguing part of the serial, the most intriguing part has to be the idea of trying to change your history and instead causing your history. Jo feels a lot more refreshed in this serial -she feels more active and engaged overall making her feel a lot more of a companion to the doctor. the crew have three Daleks and mirror props, and by Davros they will get the use out of them.

An entertaining conclusion brings up what would otherwise be a rather boring outing for Doctor Who's most famous foes.

The first three episodes of the story are entertaining, but definitely moreso thanks to Pertwee, Manning, and the UNIT family (part 1 especially having some truly delightful moments). The actual plot seems to be somewhat treading water for episodes 2 and 3 after Jo and Three end up in the future, which is a shame, showing us a future under Dalek rule should be exciting and scary, but the vast majority of the world-building is just allusions to what's happening off screen, we don't get enough of a sense as to what this world really looks like, and it feels like you're meant to see that the Daleks are there, and for that to be enough.

On the subject of the Daleks, they do almost feel like a non-entity for most of the story. Humans and Ogrons to most of the heavy lifting which is a real shame for the Daleks' big return to the silver screen after five years off. On the one hand, I appreciate this not watering them down, making them a force that UNIT can equal, or even defeat, on the other, it does feel like they could be replaced with a lot of other enemies here, once again it feels like the fact that we're seeing Daleks is meant to be enough, but looking back on the story 50+ years on, it's just not.

That all said, as I mention at the top of the review, that last part really does bring the story up for me immensely. The bootstrap paradox with the rebels going back in time being what ends up causing the Daleks to come to power is brilliant, and you can really feel the 'oh s**t' moment when the characters all realise that's the case. I love the politician's arguing with Three and The Brig, and the self-sacrifice of the rebel at the end is a brilliant moment. Changing history in the simple act of waiting, bringing down the Daleks that'd made their way to the present. The speech Three has to the politician afterwards as well, stressing the importance of the conference, of peace between nations, and what can happen when it's not achieved, is great, and a perfect reminder that Doctor Who has always been political, absolutely to its benefit.

Day of the Daleks is a serial that is incredibly well remembered for Terrance Dicks’ novelization more than the actual serial itself.  It’s the first appearance of the Daleks in five years and as a script it actually injects them into Louis Marks’ The Ghost Hunters to become Day of the Daleks.  Directed by first time director Paul Bernard as a season opener it’s a bit odd in places, Bernard shoots it well but the climax is infamous for having only three Daleks invading present day Earth with several Ogrons instead of Marks’ wish for 20.  The climax is on paper great, but in practice it is underwhelming, though there is a special edition with updated effects, new Dalek voices (Oliver Gilbert and Peter Messaline are notoriously bad), and a reshot climax  that improves things.  I watched the transmitted version.

It’s actually quite surprising that despite a lot holding it back and the memory of older fans cheating, this is a good little story.  Sure Jo is served poorly as Louis Marks makes her a little too dumb but Katy Manning is a delight.  The use of UNIT in the first half is also a great example of building tension.  The guerrilla characters coming back in time to assassinate a diplomat are surprisingly humanized as true freedom fighters throughout the story, which does a lot to help the story work as well as it does.  Jon Pertwee, while not quite working as well against the Daleks does get to match performance with Aubrey Woods playing the Controller, the future collaborator with the Daleks, plus the few scenes with Styles keeps the Doctor as the anti-authoritarian (and specifically anti-fascist in this story especially).  The Daleks only becoming active in the back half does mean there’s a lot waiting and the initial reveal in the first episode just kind of happens, but it’s very much a good time.  Certainly better than all the other 1970s Dalek stories bar one.

Honestly? Not counting TDMP, this is probably my favorite Dalek serial so far, although the Daleks are not very present in it.

I LOVED the debate between the Doctor and the human antagonist in episode 3.

A+. Maybe A.

A good start to season 9. The first appearance of the Daleks in 5 years/5 seasons. They don't do much until the last episode, but they're a constant overlord threat. The time travelling back and forth from the 20th to the 22nd century to prevent an oppressive future is cool, as those kind of stories usually are. I've usually said this is my favourite story from s9, let's see if it still is after my current rewatch.