Genesis of the Daleks

(Series 12, Episodes 11-16)

Summary: The Time Lords hypocritically send the Doctor back into the history of Skaro to try and prevent the creation of the Daleks.  On Skaro, the Kaleds are jackbooted and sinister and even the Thals aren’t quite as nice as they were when they had hexagons in their trousers.  Sarah befriends a mutant, Harry continues to be posh and the Doctor is given fancy jewellery by the Time Lords, only to promptly lose it and spend the whole serial looking for it.  The story is creepy, atmospheric and multi-layered, the high point being the Doctor's mesmerising "Do I have the right?" speech.  In the end, Davros shoots himself in the foot (well, if he had a foot, he would have) and amoral sidekick Nyder gets his well-deserved comeuppance.

Watch it because: Davros Begins.

Original Air Date: 8 March – 12 April 1975.

Doctor: Tom Baker.

Companions: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter).

Writer: Terry Nation.

Director: David Maloney.

Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe.