Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks

This much-loved adventure featuring the debut of Davros, topped

the Doctor Who Magazine greatest story polls in 1998 and 2004,

and came third in 2003 and 2009. Genesis was also voted the best

story of the 1970's for DWM's The First 50 Years (2014), and was

placed third overall. The drama was reappraised yet again for the

publication's 60th anniversary poll, and was now runner-up to City

of Death, and third overall again.

It is the most repeated story of the classic run on British terrestrial

TV, shown again in 1975 (at Christmas), 1982, 1993, 1998, and

2000 (The Sea Devils has been re-shown four times).

The Target novelisation, penned by Terrance Dicks and published

 in 1976, had the largest print run - over 100,000 - of any of the

original series, and this six-part gem also inspired a play, The

Trial of Davros, staged only twice, in 1993 and 2005.

So do these facts reinforce the popularity and merits of Terry

Nation's  scripts? A tale now almost fifty years old still has much

to offer, and has been given a new lease of life. Genesis was shown

at BFI Southbank and selected American cinemas to mark the

release of Tom Baker's first season on Blu-ray.

BBC Records first issued the drama in an abridged sixty-minute

format on LP and tape in 1979, when Baker recorded new linking

narration.

BBC Audio then re-released Genesis (with Slipback) in 1988, and

again in 2001 (now paired with Exploration Earth). AudioGo's CD

variant (styled as a vinyl LP in 2011) was re-mastered by Doctor

Who composer Mark Ayres. Then in April 2016, Record Store

Day was marked with a brand new reissue of Genesis from

Demon Records, now pressed in blue vinyl.

Big Finish Productions recreated their own iteration for The Lost

Stories strand. Daleks! Genesis of Terror featured Baker, Sadie

Miller (as Sarah), Christopher Naylor (Harry), and Terry

Molloy (Davros).

I fondly remember buying my first copy of Genesis on cassette

 from Boots, circa 1981, and listening to it on my new Walkman.

Good times!

Doctor Who On This Day #130

 

1935 - Writer Terrance Dicks born

in East Ham

1965 - The Daleks, Episode 5: The Expedition repeated
and Marco Polo, Episode 5: Ride from Shang-Tu first 
screened, both on ABC 
1968 - Planet of Giants, Episode 1 and The Rescue,

Episode 1: The Powerful Enemy both repeated on

TV1
1969 - The War Games, Episode

4 first screened on BBC1

1970 - The Dominators, Episodes

2 and 3 both repeated on ABC

1971 - The Enemy of the World, Episode

1 repeated and Episode 2 first screened,

both on TV1

1972 - The Krotons, Episode 2, The Space Pirates, Episode 2

and The War Games, Episodes 5 and 6 all repeated on ABC

1973 - The Space Pirates, Episode 4 and The

Silurians, Episode 4 both repeated on ABC

1974 - The Silurians, Episode 1, The Ambassadors of Death,
 Episode 5 and Colony in Space, Episode 1 all repeated on ABC

1975 - The Monster of Peladon, Part 1 repeated on ABC; and
Revenge of the Cybermen, Part 4 first screened on BBC1
1978 - Spearhead from Space, Episodes 2 and 3 and

The Robots of Death, Part 1 all repeated on ABC

1979 - The Power of Kroll, Part 1 repeated

and Part 3 first screened, both on ABC

1982 - The Keeper of Traken Omnibus

repeated on WTTW 11; and Four to

Doomsday, Part 4 repeated and Kinda,

Part 1 first screened, both on ABC

1983 - Revenge of the Cybermen, Part 2 repeated on

KQED Plus; and Mawdryn Undead, Part 3 repeated and

Part 4 first screened, both on ABC

1984 - The Face of Evil, Part 2 repeated on KQED

Plus; and Logopolis, Part 1 repeated on ABC

1985 - The Krotons, Part 4 first screened and Spearhead

 from Space, Episode 1 repeated, both on TV2; and The

Green Death, Episode 6 repeated on KQED Plus

1986 - Warriors' Gate, Part 4 repeated on KQED Plus

1987 - The Brain of Morbius, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated

on ABC; and Black Orchid Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus

1988 - The Ark in Space, Part 1 first screened on TV3

(Spa); The Seeds of Doom, Part 1 repeated on TV de

Galicia; The Horns of Nimon, Part 3 repeated on TV2;

and State of Decay, Part 3 repeated on KQED Plus

1989 - The Monster of Peladon, Part

3 repeated on KQED Plus

1990 - Attack of the Cybermen, Part

4 (of 4) repeated on KQED Plus

1991 - The Armageddon Factor, Part 6 and The Mark

 of the Rani Omnibus both repeated on KQED Plus

1993 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episode 1 repeated

on UK Gold; Nightmare of Eden Omnibus repeated on

KQED Plus; and The King's Demons, Part 1 repeated

on ABC

1994 - The Leisure Hive, Part 2 repeated on UK Gold; and

The Paradise of Death, Episode 4 repeated on Radio 2

1995 - The Daemons, Episode 2 repeated on UK

Gold; and Timelash, Part 1 repeated on VOX

1997 - The Ark in Space and The Sontaran Experiment
Omnibuses both repeated on UKTV (Aus); and Planet

of Evil, Part 2 repeated on ZTV

1998 - The Keys of Marinus, Episode 5: Sentence of Death 
repeated on Space; and Revelation of the Daleks Omnibus
repeated on UK Gold
1999 - The Dominators, Episode 5 repeated on Space; Planet 

of the Spiders, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Colorado PTV;

 The Brain of Morbius Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus; and

The Talons of Weng-Chiang, Part 5 repeated on  UKTV (Aus)

2000 - The Dominators, Episode 5 repeated on UKTV (Aus);

and Inferno, Episode 4 repeated on TG4

2001 - The Ark in Space, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on BBC 
America; The Pirate Planet, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus);

The Armageddon Factor, Part 2 repeated on Prime; and

Mawdryn Undead, Part 4 repeated on BBC Prime
2002 - The Robots of Death, Part 1 repeated on BBC Kids

 (Can); Terminus, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on NHPTV;

 Silver Nemesis, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus); and

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD screened on Channel 4

2003 - The Ark in Space Omnibus repeated on UK Gold;

The Keeper of Traken, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on BBC

Kids (Can); Earthshock Omnibus repeated on KERA; The

Happiness Patrol, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Colorado

 PTV; and The Ghosts of N-Space, Episode 6 repeated on

Radio 7
2004 - The Mind of Evil, Episode 2 repeated on ABC;

 and Time Flight Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids (Can)

2005 - The Power of Kroll, Part 2 repeated on ABC
2007 - Dalek and Doctor Who Confidential: The Daleks

both first screened on WLIW 21; and The Empty Child

first screened on SVT2
2008 - The War Games, Episode 10 and Spearhead from Space, 
Episode 1 both repeated on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; The Unquiet Dead 
and Doctor Who Confidential: TARDIS Tales both repeated on WLIW
21; The Age of Steel first screened on OETA; Planet of the Ood first
screened on Syfy (US); The Doctor's Daughter first screened on
BBC1; Doctor Who Confidential: Sins of the Fathers first screened
on BBC3; and Dr. Who and the Daleks screened on Syfy (Spa)
2009 - The Idiot's Lantern repeated on Ozarks PTV; Fear Her and
Doctor Who Confidential: The Fright Stuff both repeated on KERA;
Smith and Jones repeated on WXXI and Idaho PTV; Human Nature
 first screened on WTVP; The Family of Blood and Doctor Who 
Confidential: Bad Blood both first screened on MPTV; and Doctor 
Who Confidential: Meet Martha Jones repeated on Idaho PTV
2010 - Daleks in Manhattan repeated on WTTW 11 and Syfy
(Spa); Planet of the Ood and The Sontaran Stratagem both
repeated on Syfy (Spa); Evolution of the Daleks repeated on 
Syfy (Ben); and The Vampires of Venice repeated on BBC HD

2011 - The Hand of Fear, Parts 3 and 4 repeated on BBC4;
 State of Decay, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on MTV3 SciFi,
TV2 and TV4; The Lazarus Experiment repeated on 

Space; The Beast Below and Doctor Who Confidential 

Cutdown: All About the Girl both repeated on UKTV

(Aus); and Greatest Moments: The Master repeated

on ABC2

2012 - The Giant Robot, Episode 8 repeated on Radio 4 Extra;
The Mysterious Planet, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on MTV3

SciFi and TV4; Aliens of London repeated on YLE TV2; Dalek

and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: The Daleks both

repeated on ABC2; Amy's Choice repeated on BBC America;

and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Sins of the Fathers

repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2013 - World War Three repeated on Syfy (Port); The Family

 of Blood repeated on Watch; Planet of the Dead first screened

on YLE TV2; The Pandorica Opens repeated on DR3; The Curse

 of the Black Spot repeated on BBC Nordic; Let's Kill Hitler

 repeated on BBC America; and The Crimson Horror repeated

on BBC3

2014 - State of Decay, Parts 2 to 4, Warriors' Gate, Parts 1 and
2, Black Orchid Omnibus, Earthshock, Part 1, Doomsday, The 
Runaway Bride, Smith and Jones, Gridlock and The Shakespeare 
Code all repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Long Game and Father's 
Day both repeated on Space; Bad Wolf repeated on KCPT2;
Evolution of the Daleks and The Lazarus Experiment both
repeated on RAI4; The Family of Blood repeated on TV3 (Spa);
The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky and The Doctor's 
Daughter all repeated on BBC America; Turn Left, The Stolen 
Earth and Journey's End all repeated on Really Scary TV; Day 
of the Moon repeated on BBC Nordic and Syfy (Spain); The
Curse of the Black Spot, The Doctor's Wife, The Rebel Flesh,
The Almost People and A Good Man Goes to War all repeated
on Fox (FRG); Night Terrors repeated on Jeem TV (ME);
The Wedding of River Song repeated on Syfy (Port); The Rings 
of Akhaten repeated on WGVU and UKTV (NZ); Cold War and 

Hide both repeated on BBC Entertainment EU, Rom and

ME; The Crimson Horror and Nightmare in Silver both

 repeated on France 4; The Name of the Doctor repeated

on OETA and France 4; and Best of the Doctor repeated

 on BBC Nordic HD and BBC Polska HD

2015 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episodes 2 to 5 all repeated
on Retro TV; Terror of the Autons Omnibus repeated on KERA;
The Brain of Morbius, Part 1 repeated on KPTS; Nightmare of 
Eden, Part 2 and The Wedding of River Song both repeated on
Syfy (Aus); Earthshock, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC;
Rose and The End of the World both repeated on France 4; New 
Earth first screened on Disney XD (US); The Age of Steel and
Doctor Who Confidential: From Zero to Hero both repeated on
UNC-TV; The Impossible Planet and Doctor Who Confidential: 
You've Got the Look both repeated on Iowa PTV; Doomsday
 repeated on KNCT; Voyage of the Damned, Doctor Who 
Explained, Greatest Moments: The Doctor, The Companions
and The Enemies all repeated on BBC Entertainment Latin
America; Gridlock repeated on WILL; Daleks in Manhattan, 
Evolution of the Daleks, The Lazarus Experiment and 42 all
repeated on EBRU; Utopia and Doctor Who Confidential: The 
Writer's Tale both repeated on BBC Entertainment AP;
The Beast Below and Victory of the Daleks both repeated on
KCPT2; The Time of Angels repeated on Watch and KCPT2; 

Flesh and Stone repeated on BBC Entertainment EU, Romania,
 ME, Watch and KCPT2; The Vampires of Venice, Amy's Choice, 
The Hungry Earth and The Rings of Akhaten all repeated on
 Watch; Vincent and the Doctor repeated on KCPT; The 
Doctor's Wife repeated on OETA; The Doctor, the Widow 
and the Wardrobe repeated on WPT; Hide repeated 

on MPTV; The Crimson Horror repeated on WVPB 
and KLRU; Robot of Sherwood repeated on BBC

Entertainment LA HD; and Last Christmas first 

screened on TLC TV

2016 - The Mark of the Rani, Parts 3 and 4 (of 4)

both repeated on Retro TV; The Girl in the Fireplace 

and Rise of the Cybermen both repeated on France

4; The Impossible Planet repeated on BBC Polska

HD; The Sound of Drums, Closing Time and Hide all 

repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Unicorn and the Wasp

 repeated on TV Cultura; Flesh and Stone and Doctor 

Who Confidential: Blinded by the Light both repeated

on ABC2; Day of the Moon repeated on Syfy (Bra) and 

Syfy (LA); The Doctor's Wife repeated on BBC

Entertainment AP and Syfy (LA); The Rebel Flesh

repeated on Syfy (LA); Let's Kill Hitler repeated

on Einsfestival; and The Girl Who Died repeated

on BBC First (ME)

2017 - The Sontaran Experiment, Part 1 repeated 

on The Zone; The Happiness Patrol, Parts 2 and

3 both repeated on Retro TV; Father's Day repeated 

on BBC Polska HD; Vincent and the Doctor repeated

on Syfy (LA); The Lodger repeated on BBC Polska HD

and Syfy (LA); The Pandorica Opens repeated on FX

(Ind); Cold War, Hide, Journey to the Centre of the

 TARDIS, The Crimson Horror, Nightmare in Silver and 

The Name of the Doctor all repeated on BBC America;

and The Caretaker and Kill the Moon both repeated on

Syfy (Bra)

2018 - The Gunfighters, Episode 4: The OK Corral and
 The War Machines, Episode 1 both repeated on Retro TV;
Midnight repeated on W; Kill the Moon and Mummy on

the Orient Express both repeated on Fox (FRG); Dark

Water repeated on ABC; Death in Heaven repeated on

 ABC ME; Thin Ice and Knock Knock both repeated on

Sony SciFi; and Extremis repeated on Sony SciFi and

Syfy (Bra)

2019 - Inferno, Episodes 3 and 4 both repeated on Retro
TV; The Invasion of Time, Parts 3 to 5 all repeated on 

Jones! too; Nightmare of Eden, Part 2 repeated on KPTS;

 The Empty Child repeated on ABC; The Eleventh Hour 

and The Beast Below both repeated on Sony SciFi; and 

Smile repeated on BBC Entertainment EU
2020 - Robot Omnibus repeated on Retro TV; The Robots
of Death Omnibus repeated on WSRE; Underworld Omnibus
repeated on MPTV; Four to Doomsday, Parts 2 and 3 both
repeated on KBTC; The Mysterious Planet Omnibus repeated 
on Idaho PTV; Love & Monsters, Fear Her, Army of Ghosts,
Doomsday and The Runaway Bride all repeated on W;
The Snowmen repeated on RAI4; The Witch's Familiar and
Under the Lake both repeated on BBC Polska HD; and

Arachnids in the UK repeated on Fox (FRG)

2021 - The Eleventh Hour repeated

on BBC First Turkey; The Power of

Three repeated on ABC2; and The

Doctor Falls repeated on BBC

America

2022 - Dragonfire, Parts 1 and 2

both repeated on Retro TV; The

Stolen Earth repeated on Fox SciFi;

and Let's Kill Hitler repeated on BBC

Polska HD

2023 - The Mind Robber, Episode

3 and 4 both repeated on Retro TV;

 and The Timeless Child and Revolution

of the Daleks both repeated on Fox SciFi

2025 - Inferno, Episodes 3 to 6 all

repeated on U&Eden; Journey to the

Centre of the TARDIS repeated on

ABC Entertains; The Story and the

Engine first screened on BBC1 and

released on Disney+ and BBC

 iPlayer; and Doctor Who: Unleashed,

Episode 19 first screened on BBC3

2026 - The Web Planet, Episodes

5 and 6 both repeated on Retro TV;

Planet of Fire, Parts 3 and 4 both

repeated on KBTC; and Paradise

Towers Omnibus repeated on Iowa

PTV