Genesis of the Daleks isn’t just one of the best stories to watch from Doctor Who’s original run. It’s also one of the most essential to watch.
If you’re a fan of Doctor Who, but have only seen the New Series, then the Classic Series might come across as rather daunting. After all, with eight Doctors and almost 700 episodes (some of which are actually missing), it can be difficult to dive into. Especially from the very beginning, when the slower pace and rough editing of the First Doctor’s episodes are definitely noticeable.
Fortunately, there’s much of the Classic Series that’s worth checking out in almost any order. Many of the best stories work completely standalone, and can even work as a simple introduction to both a particular Doctor and companion for new viewers. (This has been one of the joys of introducing the Classic Series to a friend of mine.)
But if there’s one story from the Classic Series that every fan should check out, one story that’s essential to watch, in fact, it’s Genesis of the Daleks. Here are a few reasons why.
Major mythology
Starring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Genesis of the Daleks is one of those stories that establish a lot of major mythology for Doctor Who. Not just for the Classic Series, but even the New.
First of all, it introduces the legendary and iconic Doctor Who villain, Davros. What’s noticeable about this is that – unlike other major Doctor Who villains, such as the Master or the Rani – the Doctor is completely unaware of who Davros is before this story. So we actually get to see them meet each other for the first time. Needless to say, it’s a meeting that neither one of them will forget.
However, perhaps more important than the introduction of Davros himself – especially in terms of New Series mythology – is the Doctor’s mission. In this story, the Doctor is sent back in time by the Time Lords to wipe out the Daleks at their very creation. Perhaps find another way and alter them into something different, but his main mission is to change Dalek history completely.
The roots of the Time War
To say that this is a bold move by the Time Lords is an understatement. At this point, they’re clearly seen to be a race that tries not to interfere in the affairs of other planets. When they have shown an interest in interfering, it’s mainly been in small matters of diplomacy and galactic politics. Always, they’ve sent the Doctor to do their dirty work for them.
But never before had they sent their favorite renegade to change history in such a big way. Not only is it a huge step for them, but it arguably crosses the line. In fact, in Doctor Who Annual 2006, former showrunner Russell T Davies suggested that this move eventually leads to the Time War – the originally off-screen conflict between the Time Lords and the Daleks that resulted in the apparent destruction of both races. (At least, when the New Series begins.)
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Clear inspiration
So if you’re a fan of the New Series, especially Davies’s run on the show, then Genesis of the Daleks is absolutely essential to watch in order to understand what lead to the Time War in the first place. On top of that, it’s also used as a clear inspiration for the Series 9 two-part story The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar, as the Doctor makes a speech in Genesis that comes back to haunt him many incarnations later.
Lastly, one of the best reasons why Genesis of the Daleks is essential to watch is that it’s an extremely fantastic story. Dark, gritty, and thrilling, the serial still holds up as an extremely entertaining watch from the Fourth Doctor’s era. In short, it’s not just an important story from the Classic Series, but it’s also arguably one of the best.
You can watch Genesis of the Daleks on DVD as an individual story, as part of the Season 12 Blu-ray box set (Also known as Tom Baker: Complete Season One in North America), or on the streaming service BritBox.
What do you think? Do you consider Genesis of the Daleks to be one of the most essential stories in Doctor Who for fans to watch? If not, what do you consider to be the most important? Let us know in the comments below.