The Doctor and Sarah meet up with Bellal, who helps them escape from the Daleks and explains the origin of the City.The Doctor and Sarah meet up with Bellal, who helps them escape from the Daleks and explains the origin of the City.The Doctor and Sarah meet up with Bellal, who helps them escape from the Daleks and explains the origin of the City.
Michael Wisher
- Dalek Voices
- (voice)
John Scott Martin
- Dalek Operator
- (as John Scott-Martin)
Murphy Grumbar
- Dalek Operator
- (as Murphy Grunbar)
Leslie Bates
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
Bob Blaine
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
Derek Chafer
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
Tex Fuller
- Exxilon Messenger
- (uncredited)
Steve Ismay
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
Kevin Moran
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
Dennis Plenty
- Exxilon
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Terry Nation
- Sydney Newman(uncredited)
- Donald Wilson(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode was watched by 10.5 million viewers on its original transmission.
- Quotes
[the Doctor gets his first look at the Exxilon's forbidden city]
The Doctor: [whistles] Well, now that must be one of the 700 Wonders of the Universe.
Featured review
Daleks with a difference.
Review of all 4 episodes:
This adventure has the Daleks in a bit of a different kind of story to usual. The TARDIS is stranded on a planet with all its power drained. The Doctor and Sarah Jane venture out onto the planet and come under attack from natives of the planet called Exxilons. They also find a small group of humans who are similarly stranded and powerless. The end of the first episode has a great cliffhanger as another ship arrives and as The Doctor and the humans gather to meet the ship's occupants, thinking it will be a rescue party they are faced with Daleks. A pity the title gives away their presence but the cliffhanger scene is done brilliantly.
Instead of being the usual invaders or destroyers, in this story the Daleks are also stranded on the planet with their ship and all their weapons drained of power. They have to agree a truce with the humans and work together to try to find a way to overcome their power loss and escape from the planet. Of course the Daleks evil intent is ever present and they quickly try to gain the upper hand. Really great that writer Terry Nation has brought something fresh to a Dalek story.
This adventure has credible, well acted human characters, great performances from Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen in the lead roles (with Sarah Jane again proving to be a gutsy companion instead of a damsel in distress like some companions) and interesting use of the Daleks. The Exxilons are good background characters with nice, effective costume/make up and a friendly Exxilon provides an endearing alien character with a little depth. There is plenty of action and thrills. The 'roots' of the city are an interesting idea and very well realised as robotic tentacles.
The production values are generally good and the music is mostly really nicely done. The plot is strong and the dialogue is mostly excellent. All the acting is excellent and effects are as good as anyone could expect for this era.
The final part is a little less brilliant in my opinion compared to the preceding episodes as the quest through the city does not really excite me, struggling to find imaginative puzzles/obstacles for them to face but it is still fun and has great elements with Sarah Jane's efforts to rescue the medical supplies and the climactic scenes of the city decaying. Also, after the great cliffhanger to episode 1 the 'cliffhanger' to episode 3 is pretty lame I suppose but the rest of that episode is absolutely great and thoroughly absorbing. Any flaws in this serial are minor and all in all this is an excellent Dalek story and an excellent sci-fi adventure.
My ratings: Parts 1 & 2 - 9.5/10, Part 3 - 10/10, Part 4 - 8.5/10. Overall - 9.38/10.
This adventure has the Daleks in a bit of a different kind of story to usual. The TARDIS is stranded on a planet with all its power drained. The Doctor and Sarah Jane venture out onto the planet and come under attack from natives of the planet called Exxilons. They also find a small group of humans who are similarly stranded and powerless. The end of the first episode has a great cliffhanger as another ship arrives and as The Doctor and the humans gather to meet the ship's occupants, thinking it will be a rescue party they are faced with Daleks. A pity the title gives away their presence but the cliffhanger scene is done brilliantly.
Instead of being the usual invaders or destroyers, in this story the Daleks are also stranded on the planet with their ship and all their weapons drained of power. They have to agree a truce with the humans and work together to try to find a way to overcome their power loss and escape from the planet. Of course the Daleks evil intent is ever present and they quickly try to gain the upper hand. Really great that writer Terry Nation has brought something fresh to a Dalek story.
This adventure has credible, well acted human characters, great performances from Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen in the lead roles (with Sarah Jane again proving to be a gutsy companion instead of a damsel in distress like some companions) and interesting use of the Daleks. The Exxilons are good background characters with nice, effective costume/make up and a friendly Exxilon provides an endearing alien character with a little depth. There is plenty of action and thrills. The 'roots' of the city are an interesting idea and very well realised as robotic tentacles.
The production values are generally good and the music is mostly really nicely done. The plot is strong and the dialogue is mostly excellent. All the acting is excellent and effects are as good as anyone could expect for this era.
The final part is a little less brilliant in my opinion compared to the preceding episodes as the quest through the city does not really excite me, struggling to find imaginative puzzles/obstacles for them to face but it is still fun and has great elements with Sarah Jane's efforts to rescue the medical supplies and the climactic scenes of the city decaying. Also, after the great cliffhanger to episode 1 the 'cliffhanger' to episode 3 is pretty lame I suppose but the rest of that episode is absolutely great and thoroughly absorbing. Any flaws in this serial are minor and all in all this is an excellent Dalek story and an excellent sci-fi adventure.
My ratings: Parts 1 & 2 - 9.5/10, Part 3 - 10/10, Part 4 - 8.5/10. Overall - 9.38/10.
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- A_Kind_Of_CineMagic
- Nov 15, 2014
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