Doctor Who Rewind - Mission To The Unknown

We are on a jungle planet known as Kembel, three astronauts from Space Security Agency have crashed there and are trying to repair their spacecraft. One of the crewmen had been infected by a plant, called Varga, that is native to the Dalek home world of Skaro.

The infected man tries to kill one of the others but is seen and shot. His crew discover a thorn stuck behind his ear, he has been infected by the plant and is changing into the vegetable.

And so begins one of the most bizarre and strange episodes in Doctor Who's early history. It seems like the whole cast has gone on their holidays this time, as none of the regulars appears in this one part prequel to epic twelve part Daleks Master-plan coming later.

The Daleks have been plotting this one for a long time, there is talk of an alliance with seven other galaxies in an attempt to invalid our galaxy and the Earth.

The surviving astronauts discover the plot and try to warn Earth of the imminent attack.

I suppose if you follow this episode straight away with The Daleks Masterplan you could get away with it as it does serve some back story. But, one can't help thinking that the it was just slotted in at the last minute when they didn't have enough stories to fill the schedule.

It could only work too, with the favoured monster of the day, the Daleks. Who, lets not forget we're by this time, opening supermarkets, appearing at children's parties, on the back of cereal packets, sweet rappers and recreated as endless toys. The country just couldn't get enough of them.

Next time on Doctor Who Rewind we spend some time with The Myth Makers of Ancient Greece.