Destiny of the Daleks
(DVD)

 

Starring Tom Baker
4 Episodes
1979
99 minutes (color)
Single Disc




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Tom Baker

Romana
Lalla Ward

Written by
Terry Nation

Directed by
Ken Grieve
Produced by
Graham Williams

Original Airdate
Sept 1, 1979 - Sept 22, 1979

Region 1 DVD Release Date
March 2008

Warner Home Video
#3000014486

U.K. Cover


 



Cover Blurb

 

 

 

When the Doctor and the recently regenerated Romana arrive on a radioactive planet, the Time Lord has the strangest feeling that he has been there before.  Exploring the ruins of an old city, it is not long before they discover the disturbing truth.  The TARDIS has materialized on Skaro - original home to the evil Daleks.  But who are the mysterious Movellans and what terrible treasure are the Daleks seeking?  The answer lies deep beneath the city...

 

 

 



 

 

 

DVD Features

  • Terror Nation:

 The main featurette on this release is this 27 minute documentary about the man who first created the Daleks, writer Terry Nation.  Contributors include producers Barry Letts and Phillip Hinchcliffe.  Other participants include Terrance Dicks (writer/script editor), Richard Martin (director), and Nick Briggs (new series Dalek voice artist).  There are also some audio interview clips from Terry Nation himself.
 

 
  • Directing Who:
 Nearly 10 minutes long, this interview features director Ken Grieve as he talks about the making of this story.
 

 
  • CGI Effects:
 This option allows you to view the story with newly created special effects shots.  If this option is not enabled then the default version is the original.
 

 
  • Trails & Continuity:
 Original continuity announcements are included.  This feature also includes the specially recorded Season 17 trailer with Tom Baker and a mysterious warning...
 

 
  • Prime Computer Ads:
 Around 1979-1980 Tom Baker and Lalla Ward recorded several commercials for Prime Computers (based in Australia).  All four of those commercials are included here.
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Lots of rare and never before seen photos taken during the production of this story.  Very nice.
 

 
  • Information Text:
 An incredible amount of trivia and tidbits of Whovian detail are provided.  The text appears intermittently along the bottom of the screen and is written by members of the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
 

 
  • Radio Times:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 Commentary is provided by  Lalla Ward (Romana), David Gooderson (Davros), and Ken Grieve (director).
 

 
  • Coming Soon:
 A specially made trailer for the upcoming DVD boxset Beneath the Surface which includes the classic stories "Doctor Who and the Silurians", "The Sea Devils" and "Warriors of the Deep".
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1 egg included in this release.  Scroll further down to find more details.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 


 

 

 

 

Easter Egg

#1. COUNTDOWN CLOCK
(For all 4 episodes)

 

Go to the 'Special Features' menu.
Click on the hidden Doctor Who logo to the left of the 'Audio Options'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes
  • Mary Tamm, unwilling to return as Romana is recast with Lalla Ward in the part.  It is explained as an offscreen regeneration.  To make matters more confusing, however, Lalla Ward had appeared as Princess Astra in the previous story "The Armageddon Factor."
  • The regeneration of Romana showed the character "picking" the body she wanted, rather than it being a random selection.
  • An on again/off again romance would develop between Baker and Ward culminating in a marriage in 1981 and a divorce shortly afterwards. 
  • Another person who failed to return for the season was the voice of K-9 (John Leeson).  Taking over for him for the season was David Brierly.  A brief mention of K-9's laryngitis was apparently used to explain the change in voice.
  • The Daleks return (as if the title didn't give it away) after a 4 year absence from the series.
  • The Movellans were introduced in this story as a competitive force against the Daleks in the universe.  Issues raised in this story continued in the next Dalek story, "Resurrection of the Daleks."
  • This would be the final Dalek story actually written by Terry Nation for Doctor Who.
  • Watch closely in episode 3 for Davros to go ricocheting off of a wall when he smacks into it.
     
  • Another well known gaff amongst fans occurs during episode 3.  Tom Baker, in an attempt to yell "Stay back" as well as "Back off" simultaneously manages to exclaim "Spack off!"  :)