4E. Genesis Of The Daleks
Season Twelve - 1974/1975
Synopsis
During the transmat back to the Nerva Beacon the beam is intercepted by a Time Lord. The Time Lord claims that they have seen the future and found that the Daleks do eventually become the sole creatures in the Universe, and requests that the Doctor visits Skaro and either destroys the Daleks before they were created, or alter their creation so they are less aggressive.
The Doctor agrees, and along with Sarah and Harry, is deposited on Skaro. Their only escape lies with a time ring which they must guard with their lives, and their lives are in danger from a fierce war which is raging on the radioactive surface.
During a gun battle Sarah is believed to have been shot, but the Doctor and Harry are taken into the Kaled city. The Doctor is believed to be a spy, and is taken for interrogation by a crippled Kaled scientist, Davros.
The Doctor learns of the war that has been raging for some time, and that Davros has mutated the Kaleds to find their final form. This was then placed inside an armoured, armed, mark III travel machine, otherwise known as a DALEK.
Davros betrays his own people by giving the Thals the formula for the Kaleds' protective dome. When the Kaled city is destroyed Davros blames members of his own elite, and sends a squad of Daleks into the Thal city in revenge.
The Doctor, with the unwitting aid of a Dalek, destroys the Dalek incubation area but it is later repaired. The Daleks turn on Davros. He says he is their leader and creator, but he has programmed them not to accept any superiors. The last thing the Doctor sees is Davros fired upon before fleeing. The Thals explode a bomb at the entrance of the Kaled city, sealing it forever.
The Thals, disgusted with the violence, later adopt a pacifist approach.
Regular Cast
- Sarah Jane Smith: Elisabeth Sladen
- Harry Sullivan: Ian Marter
Guest Cast
- Davros: Michael Wisher
- Security Commander Nyder: Peter Miles
- Dalek Operators: Keith Ashley (3-6), John Scott Martin, Cy Town (3-6)
- Dalek Voice: Roy Skelton (3-6)
- Gharman: Dennis Chinnery (1-2,4-6)
- Kaled Leader: Richard Reeves (1-3)
- General Ravon: Richard Reeves (1-3)
- Time Lord: John Franklyn-Robbins (1)
- Servin: Stephen Yardley (2-6)
- Senior Researcher Ronson: James Garbutt (2-4)
- Intrrogator Tane: Drew Wood (2)
- Gerrill: Jeremy Chandler (2)
- Thal Soldiers: Pat Gorman (2), Hilary Minster (3), John Gleeson (6)
- Kavell: Tom Georgeson (3-5)
- Thal Politician: Michael Lynch (2-3)
- Councillor Mogren: Ivor Roberts (3)
- Thal Guard: Max Faulkner (3)
- Bettan: Harriet Philpin (4-6)
- Kaled Guard: Peter Mantle (5)
- Kravos: Andrew Johns (6)
- Kaled Boy: Paul Burton (1)
- Kaleds: (all 1) Michael Brinker, Steve Butler, Tony O'Reefe
- Thals: (all 1) Kirk Klugston, Julian Peters, Douglas Rossiter; Thing: Dod Watson (2)
- Kaled Prisoner: Ken Tracey (2)
- Teddy Driver Guard: John Dunn (2)
- Thal Policitian: Peter Whittaker (3-4)
- Thal Guards: David Cleeve (2), Jim Dowdall (3), Dinny Powell (3), Patrick Scoular (2), Terry Walsh (2)
- Thal Officers: David Billa (6), Tim Blackstone (6), Les Conrad (6), Philip Mather (4), Keith Norrish (3), David Roy Paul (3)
- Thal Generals: John Beardmore (4), Eric Rayner (4)
- Kaled Guards: Alan Chuntz (5), Jim Dowdall (5)
- Thal Soldiers: John Gleeson (6), Terry Walsh (1-2)
- Mutos: Stephen Calcutt (2-4), John Delieu (2-4), James Muir (2-3), Roger Salter (3), Terry Walsh (4)
- Elite Guards: Bob Watson (1), Barry Summerford (1-4), Peter Kodak (1), Giles Melville (2), Roy Caeser (3-4)
- Kaled Councillors: Ronald Nunnery (1), Anthony Lang (1,3), George Romanoff (1,3)
- Kaled Scientists: William Ashley (2-4,6), Charles Erskine (4), Tony Hayes (6), Richard Orme (2), Harry van Engel (2,5,6), Charles Rayford (2,3,6), Mike Reynell (6), Paddy Ryan (6), Alan Charles Thomas (6), John Timberlake (2,3,6), Pat Travis (2,3,6), Terry Walsh (5)
- Walk-Ons: David Cleeve (1), Michael Crane (1), Peter Duke (1), David Billa (1-2), Tim Blackstone (1-2), Christopher Holmes (1-2), Julian Hudson (1-2), John Sowerbutt (1-2), Reg Tunrer (1-2)
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 392. Part One |
|
10.7M | |
| BBC 1 | 393. Part Two |
|
10.5M | 57% |
| BBC 1 | 394. Part Three |
|
8.5M | |
| BBC 1 | 395. Part Four |
|
8.6M | 58% |
| BBC 1 | 396. Part Five |
|
9.8M | 57% |
| BBC 1 | 397. Part Six 1 |
|
9.1M | 56% |
| 1: | Scheduled for 17:30 |
Click here to show repeat broadcasts on the BBC
Studios
- Ealing Film Studios
- Television Centre Studio 3
- Television Centre Studio 6
- Television Centre Studio 8
Outside Locations
- Betchworth Quarry, Betchworth, Surrey
Bloopers
Part 4: When Gharman is hit over the head by Nyder, just listen to the squeak he makes.
Part 4: Watch closely when the Doctor grabs the stalagtite to help free Harry from the giant clam. The rock comes away suddenly and the Doctor hits a "boulder" which wobbles back and forth.
Part 6: In a few of the final scenes, watch as the Daleks talk to Davros. The voice-lights are sometimes totally out of sync with the speech.
Part 6: The Doctor enters the Dalek incubation chamber wearing a short red jacket, without his hat. He emerges wearing a long brown overcoat, and his hat (last seen in episode 1). He is wearing this costume at the end of the story when he, Sarah and Harry use the time ring to proceed to Nerva Beacon. [More interestingly, at the start of Revenge of the Cybermen (immediately afterwards when they find themselves on Nerva Beacon again), the Doctor's long coat and hat have vanished. In their place is his short red jacket!
Working Titles
Genesis of Terror
Notes
Part Two has a freeze frame ending; the first use of this device.