10 Behind The Scenes Reasons For Doctor Who Characters' Quirks

The Daleks quickly became a public icon, booming the infamous Dalek Mania period during the 1960s. It can be argued that the success of the Daleks led to Doctor Who's ultimate success, which naturally comes across as ironic considering they're the Doctor's greatest adversary. But what led to their gigantic popularity across the globe?

Terry Nation utilised his hellish experiences during World War II to encompass the embodiment of evil itself within his newly created monster. If you didn't know, basically, the Daleks are based off the Nazis. Though over the years this comparison has somewhat wavered. However, in their earliest tales, particularly The Daleks and The Dalek Invasion of Earth, this was fully realised. Their dedication to purity was a symbolism of the Nazis' desperate attempt to commit genocide on those they felt were inferior, and jeopardised their unpolluted bloodline and imagery.

This led to their second outing becoming an adventure based around Britain's fears of Nazis Germany invading, with the Daleks roaming around iconic London landmarks to reaffirm this nightmarish alternative scenario. Add that in with location filming within damaged ruins left by the Blitz and you have yourself one hell of a disturbing dystopian future built from the memories of someone who lived through a world that could've been a far different place had circumstances changed.