The Daleks' Master Plan

021 – The Daleks' Master Plan
Doctor Who serial
A photograph[a] of the Doctor's address to the audience in the seventh episode, a self-contained comedic story broadcast on Christmas Day, which drew criticism from the production crew, viewers, and critics.[2][3]
Cast
Doctor William Hartnell – First Doctor
Companions Peter Purves – Steven Taylor Adrienne Hill – Katarina Jean Marsh – Sara Kingdom
Guest Kevin Stoney – Mavic Chen Peter Butterworth – The Monk Nicholas Courtney – Bret Vyon Brian Cant – Kert Gantry Pamela Greer – Lizan Philip Anthony – Roald Michael Guest – Interviewer Julian Sherrier – Zephon Roy Evans – Trantis Douglas Sheldon – Kirksen Dallas Cavell – Bors Geoffrey Cheshire – Garge Maurice Browning – Karlton Roger Avon – Daxtar James Hall – Borkar Bill Meilen – Froyn John Herrington – Rhynmal Clifford Earl, Norman Mitchell, Malcolm Rogers, Kenneth Thornett – Policemen Reg Pritchard – Man in Mackintosh Sheila Dunn – Blossom Lefevre Leonard Grahame – Darcy Tranton Royston Tickner – Steinberger P. Green Mark Ross – Ingmar Knopf Conrad Monk – Assistant Director David James – Arab Sheik Paula Topham – Vamp Robert G. Jewell – Clown Albert Barrington – Professor Webster Buddy Windrush – Prop Man Steve Machin – Cameraman Terence Woodfield – Celation Roger Brierley – Trevor Bruce Wightman – Scott Jeffrey Isaac – Khepren Derek Ware – Tuthmos Walter Randall – Hyksos Peter Hawkins, David Graham – Dalek Voices Kevin Manser, Robert Jewell, Gerald Taylor, John Scott Martin – Daleks May Warden – Old Sara (uncredited)[4]
Production
Directed by	Douglas Camfield
Written by	Terry Nation (1–5, 7) Dennis Spooner (6, 8–12)
Script editor	Donald Tosh
Produced by	John Wiles
Music by	Tristram Cary
Production code	V
Series	Season 3
Running time	12 episodes, 25 minutes each
Episode(s) missing	9 episodes (1, 3–4, 6–9, 11–12)
First broadcast	13 November 1965 (1965-11-13)
Last broadcast	29 January 1966 (1966-01-29)
Chronology
← Preceded by The Myth Makers Followed by → The Massacre
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Daleks' Master Plan is the fourth serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner and directed by Douglas Camfield, the serial was broadcast on BBC1 in twelve weekly parts from 13 November 1965 to 29 January 1966. It was the show's longest serial until 1986 and remains the longest with a single director and production code.^[b] In the serial, the First Doctor (William Hartnell) and his travelling companions Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) and Katarina (Adrienne Hill) become embroiled in the Daleks' scheme to design the ultimate weapon. They are joined by Bret Vyon (Nicholas Courtney) and Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh).

The serial was commissioned due to the Daleks' popularity, and was preceded by a prequel episode, "Mission to the Unknown". Nation shared the workload by writing six episodes while former script editor Spooner wrote the other six. The seventh episode's Christmas Day broadcast prompted the production team to write a self-contained comedic story, which ends with the Doctor addressing the audience. The Daleks' Master Plan is the first story to feature companion deaths: Katarina, proving difficult to write, was killed and replaced by Sara, who was also later killed. It marks Courtney's first appearance in Doctor Who; he returned in 1968 to portray recurring character Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

The Daleks' Master Plan received an average of 9.35 million viewers across the twelve episodes, an increase from the preceding serial but lower than the previous year. Contemporary reviews were mixed, with interest in the Daleks waning as the serial progressed and some viewers critical of its violence. Retrospective reviews praised the direction, writing, and production design, but criticised the serial's length, incongruous seventh episode, and violent deaths of female companions. The serial's videotapes were wiped by the BBC in the late 1960s; three episodes were subsequently discovered and released on DVD, but the rest remain missing besides off-air audio recordings. The story was novelised in two volumes by John Peel, and the off-air recording was released as audiobooks.

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