Doctor Who Rewind - The Dalek Invasion Of Earth

Doctor Who Rewind
The Dalek Invasion Of Earth

In the very first scene of this six part story a man with strange contraption on his head walks hypnotically into the Thames, never to be seen again. So we know things must be pretty bad on earth if people are prepared to just wade into the filthiest river in the world.

I say people, but technically these aren't people. They are Robomen. Automatons that are controlled by their masters.

The year is 2164 and although this looks like the London of the swinging sixties, it is far from it. Everything is in decay. The streets are deserted. Buildings are dilapidated and there are large circular saucer shaped craft whizzing around in the sky.

There seems to be a standard story pattern to these early episodes of Doctor Who. The TARDIS materialises. Something goes wrong with the TARDIS. A malfunction, a blown circuit, the doors won't shut, or there's a fault with the fault finder.

Something then, prevents the crew from hot footing it back in time in order to dodge the awaiting gruesome array of monsters and mayhem.

This time around the fault isn't with the TARDIS, but it does prevent the crew from returning. And before they know it the time travelling team are up to their necks in robotic men, mass murdering egomaniacs and pockets of desperate disheveled resistance fighters who have retreated underground in order to remain alive.

Such was the response from viewers to the first Dalek story set on Scaro, that Terry Nation (the writer behind the Daleks) was shoved into a small room and told not to come out until its sequel (or more aptly prequel - as this story is set in a time before that of the first) was written.

It was that original Dalek story back in 1963 that helped create the success of Doctor Who and assure it's continued presence on TV screens for years to come.

Children and adults went Dalek potty when this story was transmitted. The metal meanies were making public relations appearances, opening supermarkets and garden fetes, threatening everyone with extermination, and everyone loved it. Especially the children.

What Terry Nation did with his creations in this story really brought the Daleks into people's homes. By transplanting them from across the universe, from the safe distance of Scaro, and having them come rolling down the high street of the publics consciousness, he succeeded in cementing them in the psyche of viewers forever.

There couldn't have been a more unexpected entrance than having a Dalek rise slowly out of the depths of the Thames at the end of that first episode. Audiences must have been wetting themselves with excitement. And children awe struck with fear and fascination at the might and power that the Daleks wielded over humanity.

If this story had been shown in colour i'm almost certain it wouldn't have had the same impact. Colour would have highlighted and given away the imperfections created by such a low budget. But with black and white somehow everything washes together to create an ambience that supports the post apocalyptic feel of this story.

This story was the first to utilise extensive use of outside broadcast locations. There are some iconic London locations featured, Daleks are seen going across a deserted Westminster Bride, meandering around Nelson's Column and doing some kind of Nazi salute with there ariel antennas outside the royal Albert hall.

The leader of the London gang of resistance fighters is a disabled scientist called Dortmun. He is confined to a wheelchair but this doesn't stop him designing bombs that he thinks can destroy the Daleks. He's a brave fellow who's belief in his ability to stop the invasion is ultimately his downfall. While watching I couldn't help think that perhaps this character was the genesis of the Dalek leader to come. Davros too is confined to a chair, he's a scientist, and he is prepared to stop at nothing to see his master plan become reality.

Another thing I noticed while watching this is that the Dalek voices are a little on the adolescent side. They lack the fullness and strength of what will come later. The modulator that is used to make that terrifically manic Dalek voice isn't being utilised yet its fullest capacity and the result is an invasion by high pitched Dalek teenagers.

What's also apparent as the story progresses is Susan's imminent exit from the show. This is her last story. For whatever reason it was decided her character had run its course. Its a shame that the original idea of Susan's highly intelligent, strangely alien nature, was never really developed from that first opening Unearthly Child episode. What her character became was the standard screaming doctor dependant companion that would be followed for years to come.

Susan slowly begins to become involved with one of the resistance fighters called David. In one scene he tells her, "Things aren't made better by running away." And she replies that she has never really belonged to one time or place. It's the beginning of a new start for Susan.

Because of the scope of this story and the move to better filming studios with more space, the set designers had a field day. A Dalek saucer is built almost entirely in the studio complete with exterior ramp, and interior rooms and compartments. It's quite impressive even for the early sixties. Other outside locations are replicated in the studio, for example the location where the TARDIS lands, underneath Kew Railway Bridge is recreated with fine detail.

There are some dodgy saucer flying special effects as you would expect for the sixties but in other places there are some ingenious FX. For example when the Doctor uses acid to melt the casing of a Dalek bomb. We actually see the bomb exterior bubbling and melting away before our eyes and I wondered if some kind of real acid was used.

Incidentally there is an option on the DVD version of the story to watch it with some new CGI effects which include better flying mother ships.

You can't really talk about Dalek Invasion Of Earth without talking about the Slyther, a pet of the black Dalek. It's supposed to be a hideously slimy tentacled monster that lives out near the Dalek mines. Perhaps it's an early attempt at mutating human and Dalek DNA.

It's a bit of a pity then that what we actually see on screen with the Slyther, is a walking shag pile carpet with a bad case of the shakes. Perhaps the man inside had one too many ales in the local public house the night before filming. I actually think the poor creature is not trying to attack Ian and his friend during that scene near the mines, but seeking medical help!

Another first for a Doctor Who story is the use of a quarry, filmed at Stone in Kent. Nothing beats a good old quarry. Which can be made into any number of things from a strange desolate alien planet to a mine into the centre of the Earth, as machined by our evil metal meanies here.

The reason for the mine to the Earths core is pretty preposterous even for the Daleks, as they intend to carry out their plan by detonating a nuclear bomb at the Earths centre. It's a good job then that Barbara, who again really shines in this story as someone who is not afraid of taking action, whether it be obliterating a a group of Daleks by driving a lorry headlong at them, or wheeling Dortmun all over London at breakneck speed as Daleks give pursuit. She always seems to be in the thick of the action. Of all the characters, hers seems to have developed the most through her experiences with the Doctor.

In the final episode of The Dalek Invasion Of Earth she and her resistance fighting friend end up prisoners of the black Dalek. Barbara's plan is to out whit the Dalek leader by confusing him with lies about a plan by the resistance to launch a major offensive against them. She does this by including all kinds of historic figures and facts into her fabricated fictitious story. The Daleks understandably get agitated by this and instead of blowing a fuse, imprison Barbara and friend in a magnetic neck brace. It's not quite how Barbara had imagined it would go but she does have a chance to redeem herself when the Doctor and suited he-man Ian (who had earlier unknowingly climbed into a bomb bound for the centre of the Earth) turns up to rescue her.

The conclusion then to the story all seems to happen a bit to quickly. It's almost as if the BBC just ran out of film and had to quickly think of a way to end things. Again, it's feisty Barbara who saves the day and Earth. The Robomen revolt and start turning on their evil masters. All a bit too easily for my liking.

What is done well though is Susan's farewell exit. I won't spoil it but its very touching and is handled very sensitively. The Doctor is giving up his granddaughter so that she can grow up, have a home and someone or somewhere to care for. In his leaving speech he tells her he will one day return to her, but alas, unfortunately this has only happened in an un-broadcast Big Finnish audio story featuring Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor and original actress Carol Ann Ford.

If Susan does have Time Lord Blood then this reconciliation could still happen in a future story and would be an interesting option for the new Doctor portrayed by Peter Capaldi.

Next time on Doctor Who Rewind we travel to planet Dido and meet the Doctors new companion.