ROGUE ELEMENT!

The latest coerced agent of death for the menacing presence of The Black Guardian, new TARDIS occupant Turlough (Mark Strickson, giving an impressive performance in this intriguing Twentieth Anniversary story arc) joins the series with Mawdryn Undead and goes on to initiate an act of sabotage on the time vessel that will put the Fifth Doctor and his companions in a nightmare situation linked to the unusual realm of Terminus.

'WHO' IS 'THE WATCHER'?

Surely one of the series cleverest and most haunting ideas linked to the regeneration of our Time Lord hero, the mysterious The Watcher (played by Adrian Gibbs) would mysteriously guide our fourth incarnation hero to his fateful destiny on Logopolis and finally to Earth. On screen, the white-clad, facially-embryonic character had an aura that was both enigmatic and sad, accompanied by a memorable theme from one of the eighties WHO era's finest freelance incidental music composers, Paddy Kingsland.

WHEN MYTH AND POLITICS COLLIDE!

Politics, action, a little romance, and a big hairy monster running about called Aggedor. What more could anyone want in a classic four-part Jon Pertwee adventure? I greatly enjoyed seeing The Curse of Peladon in its repeat as part of the Doctor Who and the Monsters season of BBC 1 back in 1983. A quality tale from Brian Hayles that has stood the test of time well and presented a believable alien civilisation and populace in Peladon, and the galactic ambassadors visiting it, that rivaled anything of that time explored in the American Star Trek series (shades of that series' own classic Journey to Babel episode, though, are quite obvious).

In top form, Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning are clearly having a great time, whilst the return of the Ice Warriors, in the unexpected guise of goodies, proved inspired.

Of other special personal importance, when buying this story on VHS tape back in 1993, I, Scott Weller, became the official 'One Millionth Purchaser' of an official BBC release, of which I was given a special framed 30th Anniversary video covers plaque at London's once prime HMV Megastore in Oxford Street, presented to me via Sylvester McCoy no less! And only a day after the glorious officially approved 30th Anniversary Convention held in Hammersmith.

Great art from the Doctor Who - The Complete History partwork series.

THE ENDURING LEGACY OF 'THE POWER OF THE DALEKS'...

Striking composite art by Lee Johnson for the Doctor Who - The Complete History partwork series.

It may seemingly be lost forever from the archives in its original live-action form, but the legacy and artistic triumph of The Power of the Daleks nonetheless continues and remains potent in its status as one of Classic Doctor Who's All-Time Greats- a story that successfully introduced Patrick Troughton to series viewers and proved an inspired successor to the sadly departed William Hartnell, whilst also re-establishing the cunning and menace of the Daleks once again, thanks to the input of the series original script editor in David Whitaker, alongside further critical input from his own successor- Dennis Spooner, and sterling direction from Christopher Barry.

Great fan edited DVD release trailer (2021):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw61-OVyAjs

We hope you've enjoyed our eight-day tribute to the story, which is now available in revised animated form from BBC STUDIOS.

Get it here:
amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Daleks-Special-Blu-ray/dp/B0851LJYCH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=power+of+the+daleks&qid=1596475006&sr=8-1

A complete set of links for AITFD's tribute to The Power of the Daleks:

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/celebrating-patrick-troughton-and-power.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/regeneration-recovery.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-walk-into-danger.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/powers-dramatis-personae.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/come-and-meet-daleks.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-examiner-investigates.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-servants-of-vulcan.html

https://whoadventuresfifthdimension.blogspot.com/2020/08/conveyor-of-death.html

DEPARTING VULCAN!

A seemingly dead lone Dalek (presumably sent out to attack Colony perimeter areas) is found near the TARDIS. But as our heroes depart Vulcan, and the Doctor's recorder plays a happy tune, is it our imaginations, or has the creature's frame-imploded eye stalk moved?

From the original script as presented in DOCTOR WHO - THE SCRIPTS: The Power of the Daleks. By David Whitaker. Edited by John McElroy

(As they reach the TARDIS, they (THE DOCTOR, BEN and POLLY) see a DALEK standing nearby, dead and lifeless. THE DOCTOR edges past it and enters the TARDIS. BEN laughs and follows him in, slapping the DALEK as he passes.)

BEN: Oh, you needn't worry about them anymore, Doctor. Just a heap of old iron now.

(POLLY grimaces at the DALEK and enters the TARDIS. For a moment there is silence, then a familiar grating sound starts to echo across the swamp and the TARDIS starts to dematerialize. As it fades from view, the DALEK's eye-stick weakly rises up to follow it.)

Image: Derek Dodds Estate

THE DALEKS' END GAME!

A Dalek in the colony corridors.

Now emerged from their capsule en masse, the Daleks begin their attack and takeover of the Vulcan Colony, no longer supporting antagonistic human groups and wiping out anything that stands in their way.

A young family (actress unknown and Tony Rohr) are caught in the firing line.

The power of the Daleks is turned against them!

Just in time, and before more innocents can be slaughtered, The Doctor frantically turns the Daleks old/new power source against them, literally sending the war machines into a frenzied overload destruction. Though many lives have been lost, the Vulcan colony has been saved, and our heroes must make a swift departure...

Images: BBC/Derek Dodds Estate/June Bown for The Observer magazine

John Scott Martin, ready to suit up.

Behind the scenes at the BBC studios.

CONVEYOR OF DEATH!

The now-legendary Daleks' conveyor belt scene.

Their secret has been discovered by a shocked and on the edge of insanity Lesterson, but it's all to no avail. The human colonists of Vulcan are ear-marked for extermination regardless, as a Dalek army is created from scratch, with all-new genetic mutations inserted into the casings of the terror machines.

Once completed, and with their new static-generating power supply building, the army awaits its soon instructions to attack. 'DALEKS CONQUER AND DESTROY!'

A horrified Lesterson watches as Daleks are filled with mutants.

The classic front cover to the 1989 DWB fan magazine photonovel for the story.

One of the all-time classic scenes of the series.

Images: BBC/ Jane Bown for The Observer magazine

Preparing the scooped mutant for filming.

Behind the scenes of the Dalek control room/conveyor belt area filming.

Gerald Taylor 'suits up'!

The Daleks gather, awaiting the order to kill the colonists/

Assembling into readiness!

THE 'SERVANTS' OF VULCAN!

Despite The Doctor's severe and desperate warning of how dangerous the creatures are, the Daleks have been given free rein in their duty as 'servants' to the Vulcan colonist. Its seems that there are only three of the Daleks wandering the corridors, but soon the number visually don't tally up...

A selection of behind the scenes/publicity images taken of the Daleks, who were the publicity/ratings safety net for attracting viewers during the new Doctor's transition.

Images: Don Smith/Radio Times, BBC

Colourized version of a classic image.

'THE EXAMINER' INVESTIGATES...

Caught in a web of intrigue.

Already a troubled world before their arrival, alongside the subsequent discovery of the Daleks and its ramifications, The Doctor, in his guise and authority as 'The Examiner', with Ben and Polly, are soon caught in a web of intrigue linked to Human Rebels plotting to overthrow the planetary leadership, as well as further manipulation from a secondary force yet to be uncovered.

Then Polly is kidnapped as a warning message for our hero to stop interfering ...

Images: BBC, Derek Dodds Estate, Don Smith/Radio Times

The new Doctor thinks best to music!

The Doctor discovers sabotage in the Communications Room.