Doctor Who: 5 Best Dalek Stories
2. The Dalek Invasion Of Earth (1964)
The Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara arrive in London in the year 2164 only to discover a desolate world that is ruled over by the Daleks.
Later adapted into a film that starred Peter Cushing and future Doctor Who companion Bernard Cribbins, this is a real step-up from the Daleks debut story. In The Daleks, they were somewhat limited and we never really got to the see the full extent of their power. Here they really flex their villainous muscles as, for the first time, we see what the Daleks are truly capable of with the Earth in ruins after their takeover. Its a brilliantly written story that really takes a deep look into how people would resist a conquering alien regime. Its got slave labour, black marketeers, people collaborating with the Daleks for food, and Barbara running a trio of Daleks over with a lorry. Its a bit drawn out and the defeat of the Daleks is a bit abrupt but those are only minor niggles. Its an expansive story with well defined characters and theres clearly a lot of thought put into it. This is particularly evident in the stunning location work in Episode Three as the Daleks mobilise their forces around London to hunt down members of the resistance. As well as the main plot of overthrowing the Daleks, this was also the story that saw Doctor Whos first goodbye as the Doctor left his granddaughter Susan behind to build a life for herself on Earth after falling in love with freedom fighter David Cambell. And finally, it saw the birth of this now iconic speech from the Doctor... Best Quote One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. The First Doctor Useless Trivia This was the first story to feature the Daleks endlessly repeated command of Exterminate.