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 Vs. Marple: Towards Zero

Agatha Christie's thirty-fourth crime novel
(which did not even feature Miss Marple, again

portrayed here by Geraldine McEwan) was

published in 1944, and was the fifth and final Superintendent Battle case.

The Scotland Yard detective (replaced here by

Mallard, played by Alan Davies) first appeared

in The Secret of Chimneys (1925).

Towards Zero was dramatised for the stage by

Christie in 1956, whilst a planned film version

was rejected by the author's estate in 1995 and

became a loose adaptation called Innocent Lies.

A four-part treatment for Radio 4 (which also

replaced Battle with another detective) first

aired in 2010. 

This ITV Studios serial (first shown in 2008) was repeated on ITV3 today - it featured Tom Baker,

Julian Sands, and these ten Doctor Who cast and

crew connections:

• Greg Wise (Strange) voiced Garrison Clay for Big Finish's Last Words (2024)
• Zoe Tapper (Kay) voiced Collis for Legion of the Lost (2016)
• Julie Graham (Mary) was Ruby White in The Sarah Jane Adventures: Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith, and Ravio in Ascension of the Cybermen and The Timeless Children - she also voiced Prime Minister 470 for Planet X (2016), Carolyn for The Blood Furnace (2017), Miss Beecham for Silver Medal, and Sovari for Deceived (both 2021)
• Amelda Brown (Barrett) voiced Margaret for The Gunpowder Plot
• Peter Symonds (Hurstall here; Whalley in The Big Four) was a Soldier in Terror of the Zygons
• Jo Woodcock (Alice; Jennifer in Cat Among the Pigeons) voiced Ziv for Starlight Robbery (2013), Susannah Nash for Static (2017), Marie for The Iron Maid (2018), and Kayla Worthington for The Day Before They Came (2021)
• Thomas Arnold (Jones) voiced Vaylen for Fear of the Light (2026)
• Paul Kennington was also a stuntman on Rise of the Cybermen, The Age of Steel, Army of Ghosts, Doomsday and The Doctor's Daughter
• for Michael Pickwoad and Jason Gill see At Bertram's Hotel

Doctor Who Vs. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1982)

This neglected treatment of Conan Doyle's best

loved and most staged work originally aired in

October 1982, and was adapted by Alexander

Baron - he had also dramatised The Musgrave Ritual and Wisteria Lodge in 1968, then

Granada's A Scandal in Bohemia in 1984.

Never released commercially in the UK, and rarely repeated, this drama (quite faithful to the

novel) only became available to purchase when

the sadly short-lived BBC Store launched in late

2015.

This BBC1 production was the first TV vehicle for Tom Baker after vacating the TARDIS - his

portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is reminiscent of

the Doctor (recalling Baker's pseudo-Holmesian

role in The Talons of Weng-Chiang). Baker is only the third actor to play both the Time Lord and the Great Detective, after Peter Cushing and Richard Hurndall.

Baker would reprise Holmes for the stage in The Mask of Moriarty in

1985, then for Auk Studios' Sir Sherlock (2026). Dr. Watson was

depicted here by Terence Rigby, who later appeared in The Sign of Four.

The four-part mystery was recorded at BBC Birmingham and filmed on

location in its Dartmoor setting. Produced by Barry Letts and script

edited by Terrance Dicks, the serial also featured Caroline John,

and these fourteen other Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Nicholas [Robin Frank] Woodeson (Sir Henry) voiced the Clocksmith for Big Finish's Doom Coalition 3 (2016), and the titular role for The Quest of the Engineer (2020)
• [Frank] Morris Perry (Barrymore) was Captain Dent in Colony in Space
• Gillian [Mary] Martell (Mrs Barrymore) and Terry [Philip Julian] Forrestal (Sir Hugo here; stuntman on Without a Clue) both appeared in K9 and Company, as Lilly Gregson and Tractor Driver
• Michael [John] Goldie (Selden here; PC Murcher in A Study in Scarlet; Artist in The Final Problem, 1985) was Craddock in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, and Elton Laleham in The Wheel in Space
• William [Arthur] Squire (Frankland) was the Shadow in The Armageddon Factor
• Hubert [Thomas Morgan] Rees (DI Lestrade here; Dr. Watson in The Baker Street Boys) was the Chief Engineer in Fury from the Deep, Captain Ransom in The War Games, and John Stevenson in The Seeds of Doom
• Peter Wragg was the VFX designer on The Visitation too
• costume designer Joyce Hawkins had worked with Baker on Horror of Fang Rock [also produced at Pebble Mill]
• Norma Flint was production assistant on Warriors of the Deep too
• David Hughes was also studio sound assistant on The War Machines, Fury from the Deep, The Space Pirates (6), Colony in Space, Horror of Fang Rock and K9 and Company
• Mark Kershaw (vision mixer), Sue Hedden (AFM) and Susie Bancroft (make-up artist) all worked on K9 & Company too
• scenic painter Brian Bishop began his career as an uncredited back- drop painter on (episode 1 of) The Aztecs

Doctor Who On This Day #20

1934 - Actor Thomas Stewart Baker

born in Bootle, Liverpool

1966 - Marco Polo, Episode 7: Assassin

 at Peking repeated on ABC

1968 - The Enemy of the World, Episode

5 first screened on BBC1
1970 - The Abominable Snowmen, Episode 6, The Enemy of the 
World, Episode 6, The Web of Fear, Episode 4 and Fury from the 
Deep, Episodes 1, 2 and 5 all repeated on ABC

1971 - The Dominators, Episode 1, The Mind Robber,

Episode 3 and The Invasion, Episode 1 all repeated on ABC
1972 - The Invasion, Episode 4, The Seeds of Death, Episode
5 and The Space Pirates, Episodes 3 and 5 all repeated on ABC

1973 - The Three Doctors, Episode

4 first screened on BBC1

1975 - Frontier in Space, Episode 5 and Planet of

the Daleks, Episodes 2, 3 and 6 all repeated on ABC

1979 - The Armageddon Factor,

Part 1 first screened on BBC1

1982 - The Android Invasion, Part 3 repeated

on KQED Plus; and Four to Doomsday, Part

2 first screened on BBC Cymru
1983 - The Androids of Tara, Part

1 repeated on KQED Plus
1984 - Arc of Infinity, Part 3 repeated

 on KQED Plus; and The Awakening, Part

2 first screened on BBC1

1985 - Planet of Fire Omnibus repeated 

on KQED Plus
1986 - The Horns of Nimon Omnibus

repeated on WTTW 11; Kinda, Parts 3

and 4 both first screened on TROS; and

Timelash, Part 3 (of 4) first screened on

 ABC

1987 - The Web Planet, Episode 3: Escape

 to Danger repeated on KQED Plus; and

The Ark in Space, Part 3 repeated on TV1

1988 - Horror of Fang Rock, Part 4 repeated

 on KQED Plus; and The Androids of Tara,

Part 4 repeated on TV2

1989 - The Claws of Axos, Episode

4 repeated on KQED Plus
1990 - Horror of Fang Rock Omnibus

repeated on WTTW 11; and Castrovalva,

Part 4 repeated on KQED Plus

1993 - The Krotons, Episode 2

repeated on UK Gold

1994 - The Robots of Death, Part 2 repeated on UK

Gold; and The Awakening, Part 1 repeated on ABC

1995 - Planet of the Spiders, Episode 3 repeated on KQED
Plus; and The Curse of Fenric, Part 4 repeated on UK Gold

1996 - The Ghosts of N-Space,

Episode 1 first broadcast on Radio 2

1997 - The Claws of Axos, Episode 1 repeated on UKTV

 (Aus); Colony in Space Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus;

and The Curse of Peladon Omnibus repeated on UK Gold

1998 - The Ark, Episode 3: The Return first screened on
Space; and Logopolis, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1999 - The Ark, Episode 3: The Return repeated on Space

2000 - The Daleks, Episode 2: The Survivors repeated

on UKTV (Aus); The Tomb of the Cybermen, Episode

4 repeated on Space; The Silurians, Episode 6

repeated on BBC2; and The Mind of Evil, Episode

2 first screened on TG4

2001 - Revenge of the Cybermen Omnibus repeated on UKTV
 (Aus); The Stones of Blood, Part 2 first screened on Prairie PTV;
The Creature from the Pit, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on
Colorado PTV and Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Iowa PTV;
and Black Orchid, Part 2 repeated on BBC Prime

2002 - Carnival of Monsters Omnibus repeated on MPT;
Genesis of the Daleks, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on

MiND; The Face of Evil, Part 4 repeated on WILL; The

Ribos Operation, Part 3 repeated on KUED; Nightmare

of Eden, Part 4 repeated on Twin Cities PTV; State 
of Decay, Parts 2 and 3 both repeated on WCET; Four to Doomsday,
Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on KBTC and Part 3 repeated on WQED;
Snakedance, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Colorado PTV; The Awakening Omnibus repeated on Iowa PTV; and The Greatest 
Show in the Galaxy Omnibus repeated on UK Gold

2003 - Planet of the Spiders, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on
KQED Plus; The Hand of Fear Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids 
(Can); and The Ghosts of N-Space, Episode 1 repeated on 
Radio 4 Extra

2004 - The Gunfighters, Episode 1: A Holiday for the Doctor
repeated on ABC; and The Seeds of Doom, Parts 5 and 6 both
repeated on BBC Kids (Can)

2005 - The Hand of Fear, Part

4 repeated on ABC

2006 - The Happiness Patrol, Part 3 and Silver Nemesis,

Part 1 both repeated on ABC; Rose first screened on

Yes Action; and Boom Town first screened on Jimmy

2007 - Inferno Omnibus repeated on UK Gold; Rose repeated
on één; The Long Game repeated on BBC America; School 
Reunion repeated on Jimmy; The Idiot's Lantern repeated

on France 4; and Army of Ghosts first screened on KBS2

2008 - The Androids of Tara, Parts 1 and

2 both repeated on WCET; The Creature

from the Pit Omnibus repeated on MPT;

Rose repeated on WXXI and Houston PM;

The Unquiet Dead and Doctor Who

Confidential: TARDIS Tales both repeated on WGVU and KERA; Dalek 

repeated on Idaho PTV and KQED Plus; The Long Game and Doctor 
Who Confidential: The Dark Side both repeated on WEDU; The Empty 
Child repeated on S Dakota PB; The Parting of the Ways repeated on
KTWU and NHPTV; Human Nature and The Family of Blood both first
screened on KBS2; Doctor Who Confidential: The Daleks repeated
on KQED Plus; and Doctor Who Confidential: The Last Battle both
 repeated on NHPTV
2009 - The Caves of Androzani, Part 4 and The Twin Dilemma, Part
1 both first screened on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; Aliens of London and
Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: I Get A Sidekick Out of You both
repeated on UKTV (Aus); Forest of the Dead and Doctor Who Con-
fidential: River Runs Deep both repeated on BBC3; and Doctor Who 
Confidential: The Last Battle repeated on KQED Plus
2010 - The Unquiet Dead repeated on Syfy (FRG); Aliens of London

repeated on Syfy (Rus); Tooth and Claw and Doctor Who Confid-
ential: Fear Factor both repeated on BBC3; and Human Nature
 repeated on Syfy (Spa)

2011 - The Satan Pit repeated on Space; Partners in Crime repeated 
on Syfy (Ben); and Planet of the Ood repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2012 - New Earth repeated on ABC2; Love & Monsters repeated on
Watch; The Pandorica Opens repeated on BBC America; Doctor Who 
Confidential Cutdown: The Saxon Mystery and After Effects both
repeated on UKTV (Aus); and The Skivers repeated on Radio 4
Extra

2013 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth Omnibus repeated on UKTV;
Robot, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC; The Parting of the 
Ways repeated on UKTV (NZ); Flesh and Stone and The Vampires 
of Venice both repeated on Fox (FRG); The Curse of the Black Spot 
and Doctor Who Confidential: Ship Ahoy! both repeated on MPTV;
Let's Kill Hitler first screened on WPT Flagship; and The Wedding
of River Song repeated on WTTW Prime

2014 - Planet of Evil, Parts 3 and 4 and Arc of Infinity, Parts
1 and 2 all repeated on Syfy (Aus); Tooth and Claw and School
Reunion both repeated on TV3; 42, Human Nature and The 
Family of Blood all repeated on Syfy (Port); Turn Left repeated
on Watch; Amy's Choice repeated on UKTV (Aus); The Power

of Three repeated on Ztélé; The Crimson Horror first screened
on KBS2; and Hide repeated on BBC Entertainment LA

and WPT

2015 - The Green Death, Episodes 4 and 5 both repeated on
Horror; The Deadly Assassin, Parts 1 and 2 both first screened
on Retro TV; The Robots of Death, Part 1, Boom Town and The
Pandorica Opens all repeated on Syfy (Aus); Human Nature and
The Family of Blood both repeated on BBC America; A Good Man

Goes to War repeated on Watch; The Wedding of River Song

repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; The Angels Take

Manhattan repeated on UKTV (NZ); and The Rings

of Akhaten repeated on KCPT

2016 - The Sun Makers, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Retro
TV; The Invasion of Time, Parts 1 and 2 and The Doctor's Wife all
repeated on Syfy (Aus); Snakedance, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated
 on Horror; Tooth and Claw and School Reunion both repeated on
BBC America; The Age of Steel and The Idiot's Lantern both 
repeated on France 4; The Satan Pit repeated on Watch; Victory 
of the Daleks and The Power of Three both repeated on BBC 

Polska HD; The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe repeated
on TV Cultura; Nightmare in Silver repeated on BBC

Entertainment AP; Into the Dalek repeated on WGVU;

and The Caretaker repeated on FX (Ind)

2017 - The Aztecs, Episode 4: The Day of Darkness repeated on 

The Zone; Destiny of the Daleks, Part 4 and City of Death, Part 1

both repeated on Retro TV; The End of the World repeated on FX

(Ind); The Family of Blood, Day of the Moon, The Curse of the

Black Spot, The Doctor's Wife, The Rebel Flesh and The Almost

People all repeated on Syfy (Aus); Vincent and the Doctor and

The Lodger both repeated on BBC Polska HD; Night Terrors and

The Girl Who Waited both repeated on France 4; The Witch's

Familiar, Before the Flood, The Girl Who Died and The Woman

Who Lived all repeated on Syfy (Bra); and Class, Episode 1 first 

screened on Prime

2018 - The Invisible Enemy, Parts 2 and 3 and Terminus, Parts

 1 and 2 all repeated on Retro TV; Rise of the Cybermen, The

Age of Steel, The Idiot's Lantern, The Impossible Planet and

 The Satan Pit all repeated on Star World Premiere; A Christmas

Carol, The Impossible Astronaut, Day of the Moon, The Curse of

 the Black Spot and The Doctor's Wife all repeated on BBC Polska

HD; The Witch's Familiar, Under the Lake and Before the Flood all 

repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived both repeated on Syfy (LA); Oxygen and Extremis both 

repeated on RAI4; Twice Upon a Time repeated on Sony

SciFi; and Destination Nerva repeated on Radio 4 Extra

2019 - The Krotons Omnibus repeated on KERA and Idaho PTV;

Terror of the Zygons Omnibus repeated on WSRE; Planet of Evil

 and Pyramids of Mars Omnibuses repeated on KBTC; The Brain

 of Morbius Omnibus repeated on MPTV; Meglos, Part 2 repeated 

on KPTS; The Mark of the Rani Omnibus repeated on Iowa PTV; 

Survival, Parts 2 and 3 both repeated on Retro TV; Human

Nature, The Family of Blood, Blink, Utopia, The Sound of Drums,

Last of the Time Lords, Partners in Crime, The Fires of Pompeii, 

Planet of the Ood and The Sontaran Stratagem all repeated on 

W; The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang both repeated on BBC

Polska HD; Closing Time and The Wedding of River Song both 

repeated on One ARD; The Woman Who Fell to Earth first 

screened on RAI4; and Rosa, Arachnids in the UK and The 

Tsuranga Conundrum all repeated on France 4

2020 - The Romans, Episodes 3 and 4 both

repeated on Retro TV; The Next Doctor

repeated on BBC America; The Lodger

repeated on Syfy (Fra); Extremis repeated

on Star World Premiere; and Nikola Tesla's

Night of Terror first screened on BBC

America and CTV SciFi

2021 - Spearhead from Space, Episodes

3 and 4 both repeated on Retro TV; The

Christmas Invasion repeated on ABC2;

A Good Man Goes to War repeated on

BBC Polska HD; and Ascension of the

Cybermen and Nikola Tesla's Night of

Terror both repeated on Syfy (Fra)

2022 - The Invisible Enemy, Parts

1 and 2 both repeated on Retro TV;

The Pyramid at the End of the World

repeated on ABC2; Resolution repeated

on NRJ12; and The Eternal Mystery

released online

2023 - The Eleventh Hour repeated

 on Fox SciFi; Night Terrors repeated

on ABC2; and Spyfall, Part 2 repeated

on BBC Entertainment EU

2024 - Spyfall Omnibus repeated

on Fox SciFi

2025 - Revolution of the Daleks

repeated on ABC Family and ABC

Entertains

2026 - Invasion of the Dinosaurs

Omnibus and Death to the Daleks,

Episodes 1 and 2 all repeated on

U&Eden