The Daleks

Christopher Barry, Richard Martin

Directed by

Runtime

175 minutes

Time Travel

Future

Tropes (Potential Spoilers!)

Corridors, Monster Vision

Inventory (Potential Spoilers!)

Fluid Link, Food Replicator

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Skaro

Synopsis

The TARDIS has brought the travellers to the planet Skaro where they meet two indigenous races — the Daleks, malicious mutant creatures encased in armoured travel machines, and the Thals, beautiful humanoids with pacifist principles. They convince the Thals of the need to fight for their own survival.

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7 Episodes

The Dead Planet

First aired

Saturday, December 21, 1963

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.9 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Time Unknown, Planet Unknown. The TARDIS lands in an eerie petrified forest overlooking a magnificent steel city. The Doctor wants to explore the city – but what is waiting there?

The Survivors

First aired

Saturday, December 28, 1963

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.4 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The dead planet is not uninhabited after all. The Doctor is about to meet what will become his greatest enemies. And he and his crew are dying of radiation sickness.

The Escape

First aired

Saturday, January 4, 1964

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

Richard Martin

UK Viewers

8.9 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Imprisoned on Skaro by the scheming Daleks, the Doctor and his companions work to escape their clutches.

The Ambush

First aired

Saturday, January 11, 1964

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.9 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The time travellers work desperately to both escape the Dalek city and prevent a bloody massacre.

The Expedition

First aired

Saturday, January 18, 1964

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.9 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The time travellers have escaped from the Daleks, but left a vital piece of the TARDIS behind. Getting it back will mean pushing the Thals to mount a dangerous operation.

The Ordeal

First aired

Saturday, January 25, 1964

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

Richard Martin

UK Viewers

10.4 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Ian, Barbara and the Thals struggle through the caves to reach the Dalek city. Will they get there in time? Is there even a way through the treacherous caves? And what are the Daleks planning?

The Rescue

First aired

Saturday, February 1, 1964

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

Richard Martin

UK Viewers

10.4 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Time is running out as the Doctor and his companions try to defeat the Daleks before they wipe out all life on Skaro.

Characters

First Doctor

William Hartnell

Susan

Carole Ann Ford

How to watch The Daleks:

Watch on iPlayer

DVD

The Monster Collection: The Daleks

DVD

The Beginning – An Unearthly Child / The Daleks / The Edge of Destruction

Blu-Ray

The Daleks in Colour [Steelbook]

Blu-Ray

The Daleks in Colour

DVD

The Daleks in Colour

The Daleks (VHS) (Part 1)

The Daleks (VHS) (Part 2)

Daleks: The Early Years (VHS)

The Daleks (VHS) (Limited Edition Boxed Set)

The Daleks (VHS) (Remastered)

Reviews
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28 reviews

If the Thals were as glamorous as they were in the 1965 movie adaptation this would've scored higher.

The Dead Planet 8/10

The Survivors 7/10

The Escape 7/10

The Ambush 5/10

The Expedition 5/10

The Ordeal 4/10

The Rescue 6/10

Total 6/10

attimoth

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Review last edited on 23-06-25

I love these episodes so much. It is so impressive how realized the Daleks were early on. Their design has held true for just about 60 years for a very good reason and The Daleks is an excellent showcase of that. The story itself manages to be creative while also clearly inspired by Terry Nation's perspective on fascism. It's a little slow and uneven at times but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it and thinking it is a very accessible, excellent introduction to the most iconic villains in all of Doctor Who.

dema1020

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Review last edited on 19-05-24

This review contains spoilers!

The big introduction! Interesting how the daleks are so calm and calculating here (also, I think I heard the word “exterminate” only 2 times). The Thaals are pretty boring to me, but the characters sell it again! Which really surprises me from this era. I expected generic monster stories, like a cartoon for kids, but there’s really some good moments and characterization in the background. The doctor being mischievous leads into this entire adventure. Susan wanders the jungle, possibly alone for the first time ever. Barbara forms a believable relationship with one of the thaals and Ian proves his worth in many scenario’s. The doctor himself is mostly relegated to sitting around this episode. But at the end he gets his moment:

“I’ll never give you advice, never! But if I did: Always search for truth. My truth is in the stars, yours might be here.” That could be a modern day speech and no-one would bat an eye. It shows that twinkle of a man who wants to travel more than anything else, yet also keeps that stubbornness which he still has. Amazing.

Joniejoon

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Review last edited on 5-05-24

This review contains spoilers!

📝7/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"The Daleks: The Birth of an Icon"

Returning to the spirit of mystery and exploration from the series' very first episode, The Daleks kicks off with a strong tone-setting opener. Part One masterfully establishes the eerie, alien setting of Skaro, with a cliffhanger so iconic it remains one of the most talked-about moments in Doctor Who history. I wish I could have experienced its impact firsthand.

This serial marks the TARDIS crew’s first real moment of cohesion, showcasing teamwork while still pushing each other’s boundaries. The Doctor, as portrayed by William Hartnell, retains his manipulative and stubborn edge here. However, by the end of the story, we catch the first glimpses of the warmer, more heroic figure he will grow into. Even Susan gets a touch of character development—though it's minimal, it’s a step in the right direction.

The Daleks themselves make a strong debut. Inspired by the Nazis, they are simple yet terrifying, even if they aren't at their most menacing here. Their design and the way they interact with the world set the foundation for the cultural phenomenon they would become.

Behind the scenes, Christopher Barry and Richard Martin share directing duties, with Barry’s work clearly standing out. His direction is creative and effective, particularly in how he creates a sense of scale and atmosphere within the studio confines. Martin's contributions, by contrast, feel less polished.

The set design deserves special mention. The alien city and petrified forest are both excellent examples of Doctor Who’s ability to craft convincing, immersive worlds on a tight budget. From the start, the stakes feel monumental, almost as if this were a series finale rather than just the second story.

That said, the pacing falters towards the end. At seven episodes, The Daleks could have easily lost one without harming the narrative. The cave sequence in Part Six drags considerably, draining much of the energy and tension built up over the earlier episodes. Its clumsy direction and reliance on suspension of disbelief don't help matters.

Lastly, the food dispenser is a delightful piece of sci-fi world-building. It’s a shame it doesn’t see much use in later stories.

The Daleks is a landmark serial, introducing not only the show’s most iconic villains but also setting a new standard for tension, teamwork, and atmosphere. Despite its minor flaws, it remains a vital part of the First Doctor's legacy and the foundation of Doctor Who’s enduring appeal.

MrColdStream

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Review last edited on 10-12-24

This review contains spoilers!

And here's where it really all began, Doctor Who's first aliens, the first alien world, the introduction of the iconic villians.

Overall, I think it's... yeah no, I think it's good!

I think there's some really great stuff here. First off, as someone who's never really cared to learn anything about the Thals, I found myself surprised by how much I enjoyed them here, their presence really humanises what could otherwise be a very alien story. I think Barbara's growing fondness with one is a highlight of the story too. It's also pretty interesting to compare them with the cavemen of the previous story, both more 'primitive' peoples, one lusting for the power of fire, one where having it all brought them to ruin. One generally acting violently and confrontationally with the TARDIS team, the other trying to help them, before even having met them.

My favourite part of this story however is the start, the building of the atmosphere and dread, landing on a dead planet, finding out that something horrific has clearly happened here and learning more as the group explore, then seeing the magnificent city in the distance. How different the city is and how empty it is at first, with that magnificant cliffhanger, Barbara through the Dalek's eyes. It really is incredible.

Unfortunately, the rest of the serial suffers from the same problem I have with a lot of Classic Who, the story seems to drag a bit for me, and it gets a little repetitive with the TARDIS Team once again being captured multiple times in a single story. I also dont' think this story really needed to be Seven parts (though admittedly, my ADHD doesn't help with that).

It definitely helped that I didn't watch this story all at once for me, and in writing this review, I think I've realised that I like it a lot more reflecting on the whole than I did watching any individual part.

If nothing else, it's a piece of Doctor Who History, and it'll always have a place for being that, the fact it holds up as an solidly entertaining story sixty years on just makes that even more deserved.

JayPea

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Review last edited on 22-02-25