Lost Doctor Who episode “Evil of the Daleks” returns in animated form

Doctor Who is making a comeback in the most interesting of ways thanks to the BBC. Years ago, nearly 97 episodes of the classic sci-fi series were wiped from the BBC’s archives to make space. They were lost to the world, never to been seen or heard from again…or so we thought.

Given the historical importance of the decades-old show, the network decided to bring these back to life through either restoration or a series of animated remakes with the source audio playing over new images. They’ve already redone episodes like “The Macra Terror,” “Power of the Daleks,” and “The Faceless Ones.” Now, it’s onto “Evil of the Daleks“.

“Evil of the Daleks” aired in 1967 during the show’s fourth season, which featured the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) and Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling), as well as Victoria’s father Edward (John Bailey).

Doctor Who “Evil of the Daleks” plot

In “Evil of the Daleks,” the Doctor and his companions are transported into the past to a time when the Daleks are trying to come up with a way to become deadlier by inserting “the human factor” into their genes. The episode was originally supposed to be the final battle between the Doctor and the Daleks ahead of a planned spinoff called The Daleks. That didn’t work out, and Daleks wouldn’t show up on Doctor Who for five years apart from occasional cameos.

Fun fact(s) about the episode? It marked the first true live-action appearance of the Dalek Emperor. It also featured a fez, a hat that went on to become a staple in the Eleventh Doctor’s (Matt Smith) wardrobe. Check out a preview below:

“Evil of the Daleks” release date

“The Evil of the Daleks” will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray and as an exclusive steelbook on September 27, 2021. If you’re hoping to get your hands on a copy you can do so via Amazon, Rarewaves, HMV, and Zavvi in the UK, on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada, and from JB HiFi and Sanity in Australia.

The three-disc release will allow fans to truly enjoy “The Evil of the Daleks” in either color or black and white, and will include extra content like a Making Of feature, a photo gallery, audio commentaries, and much more.

Kudos to the BBC for reviving lost Doctor Who episodes and allowing new and old fans alike to experience the early days of the franchise. There’s nothing like watching episodes from the past and getting to relive what kickstarted an amazing journey for one of the most beloved television franchises of our time.

Keep them coming, BBC!

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime, and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels

h/t io9