Genesis of the Daleks

078 – Genesis of the Daleks
Doctor Who serial
The serial sees the introduction of Davros, creator of the Daleks.
Cast
Doctor Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor)
Companions Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) Ian Marter (Harry Sullivan)
Others Michael Wisher — Davros Peter Miles — Nyder Stephen Yardley — Sevrin Harriet Philpin — Bettan Dennis Chinnery — Gharman James Garbutt — Ronson Guy Siner — Ravon Jeremy Chandler — Gerrill Drew Wood — Tane Andrew Johns — Kravos Tom Georgeson — Kavell Ivor Roberts — Mogran Richard Reeves — Kaled Leader Peter Mantle — Kaled Guard Michael Lynch — Thal Politician Pat Gorman, Hilary Minster, John Gleeson — Thal Soldiers Max Faulkner — Thal Guard John Scott Martin, Cy Town, Keith Ashley — Daleks Roy Skelton — Dalek Voices John Franklyn-Robbins — Time Lord
Production
Directed by	David Maloney
Written by	Terry Nation
Script editor	Robert Holmes
Produced by	Philip Hinchcliffe
Executive producer(s)	None
Incidental music composer	Dudley Simpson
Production code	4E
Series	Season 12
Length	6 episodes, 25 minutes each
Setting	Skaro
Date started	8 March 1975
Date ended	12 April 1975
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → The Sontaran Experiment Revenge of the Cybermen
List of Doctor Who serials

Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks

Author	Terrance Dicks
Cover artist	Chris Achilleos
Series	Doctor Who book: Target novelisations
Release number	27
Publisher	Target Books
Publication date	22 July 1976
ISBN

Genesis of the Daleks is the fourth serial of the twelfth season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Terry Nation and directed by David Maloney, and originally broadcast in six weekly parts from 8 March to 12 April 1975 on BBC1.

In the serial, the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) are sent by members of the Doctor's race, the Time Lords, to the time of the Daleks' creation, to avert their future terrorisation of other species. The Doctor faces the dilemma of whether he has the right to do so.

Genesis of the Daleks was originally commissioned under producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks, who felt that the outline submitted by Nation was too similar to his previous Dalek adventures, and encouraged him to explore the origin of the Daleks. The story introduces the Daleks' creator Davros (played by Michael Wisher), who had a unique visual design. The script was handed to Letts and Dicks' successors, producer Philip Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes, who made changes to the original script which gave it a darker tone. Nation, having intentionally modelled the Daleks on the Nazis, further explored the theme in Genesis. It also addresses the moral issues that come with time travelling and genocide. The story was filmed over January and February 1975, with some location filming done in a quarry in Betchworth.