A 75-minute, colorized version of seminal Doctor Who serial “The Daleks” will air on BBC Four on November 23.
The serial is noteworthy for introducing the Daleks, who are arguably the Doctor Who franchise’s most iconic villains. Following their encounter with William Hartnell’s First Doctor in “The Daleks,” the Daleks went on to plague all six of the Doctor’s subsequent incarnations across the show’s original run. They made their final appearance in classic Doctor Who in 1988’s “Remembrance of the Daleks.”
The Daleks would later make a brief, audio-only cameo in the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie, before making their fully-fledged return in the 2005 Doctor Who revival. Here, the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) encountered a somewhat sympathetic lone Dalek early on, only to subsequently go head-to-head with an entire fleet of its decidedly more villainous compatriots in the two-part Series 1 finale.
The Ninth Doctor ultimately emerged victorious, however, the Daleks would remain a thorn in the side of each of his successors. The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), and Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) all tangled with the Daleks during their respective tenures in the TARDIS, as did Eccleston’s retroactively added predecessor, John Hurt’s War Doctor.
BBC to re-release first-ever Dalek story as a colorized movie
Given the Daleks’ major role in Doctor Who’s history, it’s unsurprising that the BBC decided to revisit their debut story as part of the franchise’s 60th anniversary celebrations. That said, few fans would likely have anticipated the drastic reimagining of “The Daleks” that the broadcaster is set to air on BBC Four on November 23.
The Daleks return… and this time in COLOUR! 💥This year for the 60th anniversary, the Doctor’s first fearsome encounter with the Daleks with be rebroadcast, this time in a brand new colourisation. It’s a battle 60 years in the remaking… pic.twitter.com/12QRoCA5p2
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) November 2, 2023
As detailed in the BBC’s official announcement, the revamped version of “The Daleks” combines the original serial’s seven episodes into a single “75-minute blockbuster.” It also employs cutting-edge technology to colorize the episodes’ black-and-white footage and boasts new sound effects and a new score composed by Mark Ayres.
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According to the BBC, the rationale behind these artistic changes was to make “The Daleks” accessible to modern audiences, while still retaining the appeal of the 1960s serial. The broadcaster also confirmed that the colorized version of “The Daleks” isn’t intended to replace the original, and fans will have access to both versions of the story via the BBC iPlayer’s Whoniverse portal.
The BBC’s Whoniverse launches with a new Doctor Who spinoff
The Whoniverse launched on November 1 and features over 800 Doctor Who episodes. Its library also houses several Doctor Who spinoffs, including a new six-part series, Tales of the TARDIS. An anthology show, Tales of the TARDIS reunites several classic Doctor Who duos, such as Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) and Tegan (Janet Fielding), the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant), and the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred).
In a recent interview, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies confirmed that Tales of the TARDIS is “absolutely” part of the franchise’s official canon, despite it debuting exclusively on iPlayer. Davies also hinted that the spinoff is a key part of his wider vision for Doctor Who’s future once the 60th anniversary festivities wrap up.
Not sure how to watch Doctor Who in your region? Check out our guide on where to stream every episode of the series.