Since the first glimpse of a menacing plunger at the end of Doctor Who’s fifth episode on 21 December 1963, Skaro’s hate-filled mutants have been a permanent fixture in the show’s 51-year history.

Despite some periods off screen, their unique design has always kept them in the public consciousness and any match between the Daleks and the Doctor, especially a freshly regenerated Doctor, always causes a bit of a stir.

Over the years, their evil plans have varied between brilliantly bold and dastardly underhand. From duplicates to pig-slaves, time corridors to robotic Doctors, they keep coming back and the Twelfth Doctor has just been closer than any of his predecessors, going literally ‘Into the Dalek’.

To celebrate, CultBox decided to count down every Dalek story on screen (cameo appearances notwithstanding) and reveal our all-time favourite…

 

25. ‘The Chase’ (1965)

Having twice thwarted their plans, the Daleks launch an ambitious scheme to track the TARDIS through time and space, using their own time machine and a decidedly dodgy copy of the Doctor.

 

24. ‘Destiny of the Daleks’ (1979)

Bringing back Davros with diminishing returns, the Fourth Doctor and Romana find themselves back on Skaro where the Daleks are in trouble, stuck at an impasse in their conflict with the Movellans and seeking their creator’s input.

 

23. ‘Daleks in Manhattan’ / ‘Evolution of the Daleks’ (2007)

In a divisive move, Dalek Sec, leader of the Cult of Skaro tries to create a bold future for his species, which involves freeing them from their travel machines and walking as human hybrids. Set in 1930’s New York, the two-parter soaks in some of the political situation of the time, a future Spider-Man, a little musical theatre and a Desperate Housewives actor turned into a pig.

 

22. ‘Day of the Daleks’ (1972)

For their debut turn on colour TV, the metallic mutants meet the Third Doctor as they become twisted into a temporal adventure involving freedom fighters and the fate of an international peace conference, but remain firmly in the background for the most part.

 

21. ‘Victory of the Daleks’ (2010)

The Eleventh Doctor’s first encounter sought to re-stablish the Dalek menace with a new look. Beginning with patriotic Daleks supporting Churchill’s war effort, all hell breaks loose when the Doctor unwittingly kick starts their progenitor. Some great ideas but a rushed story, plus the iDalek design failed to have the desired impact.

 

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