Well, would it really be a bonafide Doctor Who countdown without them? You should probably get used to them too, because this won't be the only time these persistent pepperpots will be making an appearance on this particular list, which is so unlike them! Suffice to say, the Daleks are now as iconic as the series itself (and not to mention, nearly as old!) having first crossed paths with our beloved Time Lord on screen on a cold winter's night in December 1963. It wasn't long before Dalekmania swept the nation so their inevitable return a year later was always going to be met with a heightened sense of occasion. Dalek Invasion of Earth - which aired in six weekly parts from 21st November to 26th December 1964 - also marked the first time that a Doctor Who enemy had reappeared and, as it turns out, they couldn't have chosen a better one to bring back because the serial peaked at 12.40 million viewers for its second episode (aptly called 'The Daleks') and their return was enough to keep the nation on the edges of their seats as the ratings subsequently held steady right up until its climactic Boxing Day conclusion in 'Flashpoint'. The adventure in question is widely cited as one of Doctor Who's hallmarks and the iconic image of the Daleks landing on Tower Bridge is one that will no doubt go down in TV history. It set the precedent for their ability to always come back, too, since they haven't stopped trying to take over the bloody universe ever since. 'Exterminate' indeed...
Dan Butler is the Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture.com. When he isn't writing his own articles or editing other people's, he can be found trawling the internet for gifs of Steven Moffat laughing. Contact him via dan.butler@whatculture.co.uk.
