The inimitable First Doctor, with his loyal companions bolshy Steven Taylor and perky Vicki, arrive at a vital communications installation, protected by a force shield, located on a radioactive alien world in the Fourth Sector. But their arrival soon proves non-coincidental, as the trio find themselves caught up in a battle against the dreaded Daleks, of whom a battered but effective group of the Skaroan monsters is trying to penetrate the base's defences and capture it. Could there be a Dalek Agent at work amongst the small band of trapped humans? And just how important a role will Steven play within a tense and brutal situation that has a seemingly irreversible, time-related fixed point?
Long-time Who scribe Steve Lyons returns with an intriguing and edgy adventure that effectively showcases Steven, and also fleshes out some of his background before his onscreen introduction in the series. As ever, the Daleks, once more voiced by Nicholas Briggs, prove a worthy, murderous foe - the true antagonists of the First Doctor, whilst Maureen O'Brien clearly and confidently enjoys being the storyteller and bringing the characters to vocal life. After years away from Who pursuing other career/life interests, it's nice to see her making more contributions to the series mythology.
Heroes, villains and monsters galore, the colourful and exciting Jon Pertwee era of Doctor Who cemented the show's popularity with audiences for years to come, of which all are well showcased in this lovely image composition by Lee Johnson.
It's well known that there are all kinds of nasty things within the legendary London River Thames, but who could ever in their wildest dreams (or nightmares!) expect an iconic patrol Dalek emerging from its depths...
A genuinely classic scene from The Dalek Invasion of Earth, which I'm sure excited audiences young and old enjoyed no end back in the day, hungry for their return phenomenon..
The monochrome Daleks are back: more evil than ever!
The two newly found episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan have arrived on BBC iPlayer via the dedicated archival support team that is Film is Fabulous!. And what a great Easter present for fans old and new they are. Enjoy! And let's hope that more lost Who will be found in the not too distant future.
The First Doctor and the Daleks return! Image colourisation: Clayton Hickman.
It's been thirteen years since the last major recovery, but now two excellent William Hartnell episodes are back in the BBC Archives, and we couldn't have asked for better with such important ones as The Daleks' Master Plan Parts One and Three. Welcome back, and many thanks from us fans worldwide to Film is Fabulous and BBC Studios for all their work liaising with the film collector who had them, sadly now deceased. I'm sure we'll all be eagerly awaiting the episodes, which will released on BBC iPlayer this Easter, 2026.
I've heard rumours for quite a while now that there is another potential episode out there incoming, possibly a Troughton one. Fingers crossed...
The Daleks' plan of war and revenge against the Time Lords via the trapping of the Doctor and his companions, finding the solution to the Movellan virus affecting them via the return of their creator, Davros, and the conquering of Earth via Robot Duplicates - all in a day's work for the evil, scheming creatures of Skaro in the classic Resurrection of the Daleks.
I'm looking forward to seeing the all-new CGI effects replacements for the story within the upcoming The Collection - Season 21 box set, available in the Spring.
It may be the deadliest exterminating force in the universe, but who doesn't regardless like seeing a Dalek in the snow at this festive time. If anyone knows the artist of this great sixties TV Comic visual homage, please get in touch...
We wish all our worldwide readers a Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous 2026!
They've been gradually eroding/sabotaging the planet Earth and its soon weary, vulnerable population over a period of time, and now the dreaded Daleks of Skaro have begun their devastating invasion of that world in this great art representing the First Doctor's classic adventure, The Dalek Invasion of the Earth, originally novelised by Terrance Dicks and later part of a unique collection known as The Dalek Omnibus, a hardback publication of June 1983, from W.H.Allen, with the above splendid cover artwork by Andrew Skilleter.
Skilleter's immense art work legacy linked to Who (both official and private commissions) has featured the iconic Daleks many times, of which the artist has now put together a splendid showcase publication that I'm sure the late, great Terry Nation would be proud and which would make a perfect Xmas/New Year's present for fans of all ages.
Caught in a lure, the Doctor meets Davros and his evil creations once again. Target Books cover image by Anthony Lamb.
The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Peri to the planet Necros, where the Doctor plans to visit his old friend Professor Arthur Stengos. But after an encounter with the Great Healer, Stengos is not quite the man the Doctor once knew.
The Great Healer works in the catacombs beneath Tranquil Repose, the galactically-famous final resting place for the dead and the not-quite-yet-dead. In the upper chambers the busy workers prepare the deceased for their final burial, while deep below the Great Healer is using their bodies for a sinister project of his own. For the Great Healer is also known by another name - Davros, creator of the Daleks, who's using the bodies to build himself a brand new Dalek army.
The Doctor attempts to stop Davros while Stengos' daughter searches for her missing father and the local DJ uses rock n' roll music as a defence against the Daleks. Many are searching for Davros, but the evil scientist has a plan that will eradicate all opposition and enable him to lead his Daleks on a new mission of universal conquest...
BBC VHS Video release synopsis - 1999
In a season of truly diverse stories, with something for everyone to enjoy, Colin Baker's first year as the Time Lord hero couldn't have had a better nor more successful ending than the highly original, darkly humoured, darkly dramatic Revelation of the Daleks, a tale that genuinely surprised and thrilled me on its original viewing in 1985, what with its unique change-of-pace storytelling flavour, especially after Eric Saward's last all-action tale for the Daleks in Resurrection of the Daleks for Peter Davison. That we were getting a second Dalek story in two years, after such a notable drought, was also welcome, but Revelation would prove superior to its equally popular predecessor, wrapped around a tale that was deliberately inspired by Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One, mixed with unique Who supporting characters that would make Saward's beloved Robert Holmes proud. And with direction from Graeme Harper (who should have directed the whole season in my opinion! LOL!), the quality threshold went up in further notches, bringing his own visual flair and freshness to Davros (Terry Molloy comfortably chewing up the scenery in all the right ways) and his all-new white colour schemed Daleks (mostly voiced by Roy Skelton) on Necros. The black comedy of the Tranquil Repose set-up and the dysfunctional characters working within its Dalek-controlled hell could have been a disaster with a weaker, less-accomplished director, but Harper casts beautifully, alongside such notable character actors as William Gaunt and Eleanor Bron, who clearly relish such great parts that don't come along too often on television during the eighties.
As for Colin Baker as the Doctor? Well, by season's end, and mostly overcoming a forty-five minute episode length format change that proved of mixed fortunes in story structuring, it's clear that the actor was now totally at ease in the part and that the audience had become used to him, despite the ongoing frustration of having 'Sixie' and Peri still arguing all the time, a situation that irked Baker and his attractive colleague and friend Nicola Bryant by year's end. So what a shame then that Colin's Doctor had to be pulled away from us by the cigar-chompingly inept Michael Grade and his hapless cronies for eighteen months of limbo, of which the star would then have to rebuild the role with audiences all over again with the eventual debut of The Trial of a Time Lord...
Such a poor internal BBC decision of that time wasn't fair on Colin, it wasn't fair on the show, it wasn't fair on fans, it wasn't fair on the loyal viewers.
The Doctor and Peri should have gone to Blackpool after all...
Colin Baker's dream to work with the Daleks comes true in his first season.
Atmospheric shot of the TARDIS newly arrived on the funereal world of Necros.
In his blue mourning attire, the Doctor surveys the bleak snow landscape which adds greatly to the story's visual feel in Part One.
The Doctor and Peri walk to the Tranquil Repose funeral parlour facility, where the Doctor has heard strange and disturbing news about an old friend's death.
Our heroes encounter a deformed mutant (Ken Barker) escaped from his suspended animation coffin prison. It still shocks me that producer John Nathan-Turner would offer such a role to Sir Lawrence Olivier!
The mutant dies after a brief combat with the Doctor, but not before telling him about the mysterious figure behind Tranquil Repose, the Great Healer.
The acclaimed Great Healer who has ended famine in the universe: the dreaded Davros (once more played by Terry Molloy), escaped from the prior events of Resurrection of the Daleks.
The new white Daleks created by Davros to guard the facility, whose suspended animation patients are being used for grisly purposes to continue the Daleks legacy.
Determined to wipe out Davros and control the galaxy's food supplies, the ambitious Kara (Eleanor Bron), helped by secretary Vogel (Hugh Walters) secretly hires two noble assassins from Oberon, Orcini (William Gaunt) and his smelly squire, Bostock (John Ogwyn).
Another lure for the Doctor and Peri, and a rather grim one too.
Meeting the egotistical woman-chasing Jobel (Clive Swift), the face of Tranquil Repose and a skilled Chief Embalmer.
Peri has fun meeting the quirky DJ (Alexei Sayle) who provides humorous anecdotes and stories to the 'dead' of Tranquil Repose.
As the white Daleks attack all opposition to their plans with the arrival of the Doctor, the DJ takes a final stand with his rock and roll cannon.
The Great Healer senses danger from Orcini and Bostock.
The duo soon find themselves caught in a trap. Orcini is injured and noble squire Bostock killed.
Orcini faces the wrath of the real Davros!
The injured Orcini makes plans.
Kara schemes have been thwarted and she is soon killed.
The Doctor and Peri, with Orcini, engage with Davros and discover his shocking plans.
Davros prepares to activate his incubated legion of Daleks.
Called in by unhappy Tranquil Repose staff, the Daleks of Skaro arrive to arrest Davros and have him face trial.
More on the grey Daleks arrival.
Mister Takis (Trevor Cooper) confers with the grey Daleks.
As white and grey Daleks clash, the Doctor fights back.
As the grey Daleks capture Davros and take him away, the Doctor and a sacrificial Orcini destroy the next generation of Davros's Daleks at Tranquil Repose.
Terry Molloy on set in his Davros mask.
The story's memorable Glass Dalek cameo makes a fine cover star for Doctor Who Magazine issue 102, July 1985.
Colin Howard's unused VHS cover that became the cover to the In-Vision magazine coverage of the story with its 84th issue.
Visually messy UK VHS release cover from the 90's.
Bizarre US DVD cover photo composition.
UK DVD release sleeve composition.
Interesting Doctor Who DVD Files cover for the UK.
Eric Saward with the adaptations of his two Dalek stories, which were released in 2019.
Lovely Target Cover fan art by Philip James Allison.
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