Doctor Who - Destiny Of The Daleks [1979]

Originally broadcast at the end of the 1970s, Destiny of the Daleks is notable for introducing a regenerated Romana, but across its four episodes we also find the seemingly-dead Davros with a little more life in him than the Doctor expected. And there’s also the small matter of the Daleks being locked in the midst of a long-running war, with seemingly no way to break the stalemate. In short, plenty for the Doctor to get his teeth into.

Yet while Destiny of the Daleks has plenty of tasty ingredients, you can’t help but share a little disappointment at the way some elements play out. Sure, there’s a lot still to enjoy, but the plot sometimes struggles to justify the running time, and the lack of budget is more obvious than is usual in classic Doctor Who.

But it’s to the credit of Destiny of the Daleks that it rides out its problems and still delivers an enjoyable story. It may not be a favourite of the dedicated fans of the programme, but there’s still plenty here for Doctor Who fans young and old. And you can’t beat the Daleks…! --Jon Foster

Synopsis
The Doctor (Tom Baker) and the newly-regenerated Romana land on a strangely familiar planet and investigate the drilling that is going on there. The Daleks are searching for their creator, Davros (last seen in 'Genesis of the Daleks'), in the hope that he can assist them in their war with the Movellans. The Doctor has to reach the evil Kaled scientist before the Daleks, but just who can he trust?