Just not written by Gatiss this time?

The Daleks do just need to do more large-scale nasty stuff, though. Can't be debating in their parliaments all day!

How about a story where the Doctor turns up on a beautiful planet where the friendly civilised people just don't believe how evil the Daleks are. It's a fairy tale, a legend, spin to them. And they've just opened negotiations with the Daleks. There's a Dalek "diplomatic delegation" on the planet. You could have lots of "fun" like in the first part of Victory of the Daleks, with the Doctor futiley trying to get them to believe. And then of course the Daleks reveal their true selves. And the Doctor is unable to save the planet or its people from destruction and enslavement. We really need to see the evil of the Daleks.
Or maybe at the last he inspires them to rebel, and the Daleks destroy the planet. A pyrrhic victory. A dark story for a dark Doctor?

This is like half of all Star Trek episodes...

...and it's genius.

There's always that one guy in a village of people trying to rally the others against the one trying to save them. But then the hero always gets close to another of the villagers who has mild influence and convinces the others to take their fate in to their own hands.

But there's always somebody left behind because "it's their own and they don't have to leave."

Not exactly "Errand of Mercy". No Organians to save the day.

There'd have to be a really good reason why the Daleks didn't just go in, guns blazing. Some turning point in their expansion? The planet has some key resource they need to continue. And the planet is rich in natural dalekanium! And the planet is technologically advanced, able to defend itself, but gone a bit soft or decadent.

Yes, I agree. A story like this would definitely help. Then the next time the doctor did defeat them it really would seem like a bigger deal. You could even have davros in two dalek stories a series or so apart and in the second one he could be gloating about the last time, and about all the death and destruction that they achieved that time and how the doctor was unable to stop them, making it even more important for the doctor to defeat them this time.


I like the basis of the idea, but if it were me, I would take it even further. I wouldn't just have it as the people don't believe they are evil, but I'd have where they are completely convinced without a shadow of a doubt that they are completely good, with the people telling the doctor stories of how dalek's have saved lives on there planet, often live in homes with the people and can never do enough for charity and the elderly etc. I could imagine a fantastic scene in which the doctor could get run out of town or even physically attacked because he won't stop badmouthing the people's beloved daleks.

Then of course we'd find out they'd been playing some sort of long game on the planet and there was some very dalek-y reason behind it all.

Very much like your idea about the daleks destroying the planet when the people do realise what they are though. NIce to have a dark ending to a story once in a while, it's why the waters of mars ending was so good.

The Doctor turns up towards the end of a first contact situation. A treaty is about to be signed. "Historical records" have been exchanged, showing how good, wise and benevolent the Daleks are. At first the Doctor doesn't get a clear view of the records, or the ship making contact, but then he hears the classic Dalek sound...

The Daleks are, for them, weak. It's early in their re-expansion after their near destruction at the hands of the Doctor. They need Dalekanium to continue expanding and that's why they don't go in gun blazing. This planet is naturally rich in a precursor element necessary to make Dalekanium and technologically advanced enough to defend itself effectively.

We see the Daleks gain the trust of the planetary leadership, but a significant minority oppose the treaty, despite the apparent benefits. Rather like in "V", the Daleks offer advanced technology, a way for the elite to retain control and to help "deal with" the opposition.

After much action and plot detail, in which we see Dalek atrocities, death camps, brainwashing, strip mining, etc, etc, the Daleks' influence grows till they betray the leadership and take control of the planet themselves. The Doctor and other opponents are eventually imprisoned. About to be executed in one of thousands of death camps, they are rescued by other opponents. The Doctor rallies the planet, the Daleks will be overthrown and expelled from the planet.

The Daleks have gone. Celebrations begin, but the Doctor isn't so sure all is won. Planetary defences are down, sabotaged by the Daleks or collaborators.

The Daleks destroy the planet from orbit. It's a moral victory for the Doctor. He's slowed their expansion by denying them Dalekanium but couldn't save the planet. It's a Pyrrhic victory for the Daleks, they collected some Dalekanium, but not enough. They beat the opposition, but destroyed the planet in doing so. And the Doctor escaped. again.

Unfortunately already been done. Power of the Daleks was made in 1966.

Fair enough. Good point, well made.

In fairness, I was only six back then and don't remember clearly much before the Pertwee era.

[Edit] Having now checked the synopsis, I don't think the two are very similar, beyond the Daleks' recovery. Oh well, each to their own.

As doctor blue box said it's well past time to show (not tell) the evil of the Daleks.
Last edited by GDK : 11-01-2015 at 15:17