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.

This is a good episode with a nice balance of silly and intense moments. I'm pretty sure it's the first appearance of a clear precursor to the mind probe. I appreciate that among the (human) bad guys, morality is less clear than it seems at first—as is blame. Jo's innocent belief that anyone who treats her well must be in the right is sweet and believable. The Doctor's implied-torture scene is excellent. The timing of cut-aways is used to great effect. Yates and Benton are fantastic. There are great silly moments, like Ogrons chasing a fourwheeler, interspersed with more serious and intense ones. All around, a solid and enjoyable episode with good pacing.

A perfectly well-rounded story. If this was your first ever Doctor Who story, sure, 10/10. But for anyone else, it's too basic and predictable. Still, solid! Everything with the Controller was great, especially his conversation with the Doctor.

Veeery funny to see the little montage with One and Two when the Daleks use a mindscanner thingy on the Doctor to check if he's really the Doctor. Like, yes, past Doctors!!! But there's only two of them. Makes you think about how much more Who is to come.

The Brigadier was talking on 3 phones at once at some point, poor guy. I hope one day he's allowed to use swear words. He deserves it. Also slap a politician. I'm sure he dreams of it.

AH! And! Doctor, I saw you!!! I saw you shooting those aliens and exploding them on purpose!!!!