The Dalek Invasion of Earth [TV/1964.11.21 ~ 12.26]

(artwork by David Burgess)

★★★★☆

  I was pleasantly surprised by how accomplished this was, and how my opinion on it has changed over the years. The Dalek Invasion of Earth was never my favourite Dalek serial, but even when I thought of it most lowly (that it was a botched attempt for the most part), I firmly held the notion that its conception was quite brilliant. Now my appreciation for the serial has gone on to encompass most of what it has to offer: the scope, the ambition, the dedication of the team in giving us the best execution possible. I mean, look at this thing; William Hartnell gives a strong performance, as he always does... Jacqueline Hill and William Russell get fun side plots that hardwire their contributions into the overall driving force against the Daleks... and Carole Ann Ford, unfortunate as it is that the serial doesn't focus more on her, nonetheless gets a few scenes and moments showing how her character's grown and how emotionally capable she is. Practically everyone gets to do something important, and it's a minor miracle that what everyone does (even those of the one-off side characters) manages to be entertaining. It's a genuinely exciting serial, this, and I had much more fun with it than I was expecting to with this rewatch. Sure, the six-parter loves to take its time developing the central driving story, but it fleshes out its ravaged setting whenever the main narrative takes a backseat. It's brilliant. 

  This is Doctor Who tackling the post-apocalypse genre, with a ruined post-Dalek invasion Earth brought to life with conviction and a set of characters rooted in the tropes of its subgenre (the brave rebel woman in the face of oppression, the dashing man catching the heart of our heroine, and a ragtag group of freedom fighters brought together by happenstance to save their world). I'm not one to mince words, and I'm telling you upfront that your enjoyment of this serial will depend heavily on whether or not you like your large-scale stories to slow down occasionally to dedicate itself to worldbuilding. Me? I love that sort of thing, and The Dalek Invasion of Earth does it much better than many people give it credit for. There are side characters with their own stories, their own tragedies pertaining to the Dalek occupation, and there are entire set pieces and locations brought to life so effortlessly by Richard Martin's direction, clever use of location shoots, and well-made miniature sets. It's so clear watching this serial that everyone involved was bringing their A-game, wanting to make this sophomore Dalek story to be something special, and after years of regarding it as a middling effort with some saving graces, I'm ready to conclude that this truly succeeds in that regard. It's not the flashiest, nor is it the most gruesome, but The Dalek Invasion of Earth takes itself incredibly seriously, and for once that approach pays off in droves.