Day of the Daleks 50th Anniversary Special

Day of the Daleks was the 50th Anniversary Special of Day of the Daleks. It was written by Krystian Gacha, directed by Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat and featured Mark Gatiss as the Third Doctor.

For the occasion, it was the first full-length multi-Doctor story

of the Bad Wolf era, the first Doctor Who adventure shot in stereoscopic 3D, and the first adventure to be broadly available in cinemas in a number of different countries.

It aired at the same time around the globe, on January 1 2023 on television, setting a record for the largest ever simulcast of a television drama. In all, it was viewable in some 94 countries and 1,500 theatres worldwide. Domestically, the British Broadcasting Corporation's 2023/24 Annual Report cited it as the most watched drama on the BBC in 2023, with 100.10 million television viewers, and an additional 100000.200 million iPlayer requests. It also broke, or neared, viewing records in a number of other regions around the world. Because of its theatrical run and subsequently strong home media sales, it is the single adventure with the highest gross worldwide sales in the history of the Daleks.

The episode featured the return of Mark Gatiss as the Third Doctor.

Synopsis
Freedom fighters from the 22nd Century attempt to thwart a new Dalek invasion of Earth, by going back in time to the late 20th century to assassinate Sir Reginald Styles, a delegate to the second World Peace Conference, whose actions their history blames for the subsequent Dalek conquest.

Plot
Second Doctor looks up TARDIS console and then Third Doctor warns that the Daleks are back after 5 years. Second Doctor was horrified and they put nuclear alert that the Daleks are back and invade London and Third Doctor teleports back to UNIT Laboratory.

Sir Reginald Styles, Britain's Chief Representative at the UN, is working late in his study. He goes to the window, where he is attacked by a man dressed in the manner of a guerilla, carrying a futuristic-looking weapon. But as the man raises the weapon, he suddenly disappears. Miss Paget, Sir Reginald's secretary, enters and he tells her what has happened.

At UNIT H.Q., the Brigadier takes a phone call from the Minister, who wants to know what he is doing about the report that Miss Paget has given them. The Brigadier says he is putting his best man on it, and was about to brief him when the Minister called.

In the laboratory, the Doctor is trying to fix the dematerialisation circuit from his TARDIS, with Jo's help. As he ducks under the console to fix something, the lab door swings open and Jo is stunned to see another version of herself and the Doctor outside. The alternate Doctor tells them not to be alarmed and says that they are just suffering crossed time streams. The console short circuits, and the alternate Doctor and Jo disappear. The Doctor assures Jo it was a freak event and unlikely to happen again, but that it is symptomatic of the odd things which can happen if one tampers with time. The Brigadier enters and tells them of what has happened to Sir Reginald. He explains that Styles is a key figure at the forthcoming World Peace Conference, who needs to convince the Chinese delegation to attend, as at the moment they are refusing to do so and the conference cannot start without them.

A guerilla from the 22nd century appears in the middle of a field. He approaches Sir Reginald's house, but he hears a noise that forces him to turn and flee. He is knocked unconscious by two huge ape-like alien figures.

Miss Paget tells the Doctor, Jo and the Brigadier her story. Sir Reginald enters and doesn't want to talk about it. He is putting it all down to a bad dream. The Doctor points out that there are muddy footprints on the floor that prove it isn't. The Brigadier asks for permission to search the grounds. Sir Reginald gives it, but says that they will not find anything.

However, the search by UNIT forces finds the unconscious guerilla with another of the futuristic weapons. Sgt Benton then discovers a black box hidden nearby that appears to consist of futuristic technology.

The ape-like alien creatures report back to their human Controller in the 22nd Century, that they found the "enemy". The Controller says they must intensify their efforts until all who are responsible for "this menace" are eliminated.

The Brigadier shows Sir Reginald the futuristic gun, while the Doctor describes the man. Sir Reginald is not interested and just wants to leave for Peking to begin his attempt to talk the Chinese into attending the peace conference. Meanwhile, Benton is transporting the unconscious soldier to hospital in an ambulance.

The Doctor has identified the weapon as an ultrasonic disintegrator. However, despite the fact that the technology is alien, the materials used to make it are from Earth. The Brigadier asks how this can be? The Doctor asks if the Brigadier believes in ghosts. The Doctor says they need to broaden their definition of what ghosts are. He reminds Jo that they saw two ghosts of themselves earlier in the day. The Doctor moves on to the box, and says it is some kind of time machine: he shows them a mini dematerialisation circuit inside. He shows them how he believes it works. Unexpectedly, it begins to operate, and the guerilla disappears from the ambulance, fading away, transported by the device back to his own time.

A woman technician in the 22nd century registers the use of the time transmitter, but loses the trace. The Controller is furious. Suddenly, a Dalek appears and orders him to report.

The Doctor says that the temporal feedback circuit on the machine has overloaded. The phone rings and the Brigadier is informed by Benton of the soldier's disappearance. The Doctor observes that all of this centres around Sir Reginald's house, and asks Jo if she wants to spend the night in a haunted house.

That evening, the Doctor and Jo settle themselves down in Sir Reginald's study, after having sent all the servants away. Outside the house, UNIT forces are in position.

Within the grounds of Sir Reginald's house, a time portal opens.

The Doctor and Jo are waiting. Jo is nervous, but the Doctor is fine. Jo looks around and is startled by Benton. Jo goes to give Benton some bread and cheese but, just as he starts to eat, Yates arrives and sends him away to check on a patrol. Yates takes Benton's snack, saying "R.H.I.P., Jo. ... Rank Has Its Privileges!" When Jo returns, the Doctor starts to tell her an anecdote about Napoleon, when they are interrupted by a window blowing open in the wind. Jo is scared, but the Doctor calmly closes it.

Three more 22nd century guerillas arrive in the grounds, through the portal. Their leader orders them to wait until it is light.

Jo is asleep whilst the Doctor is fiddling with the time transmitter. He gives up and wakes her up. It is morning, and nothing has come to pass.

But outside, the guerillas from the future move towards Sir Reginald's house. They come across a two-man UNIT patrol and disintegrate them.

The Brigadier checks up on the radio traffic. There has been nothing all night. But suddenly an emergency signal from Geneva comes through. The international situation is worse, and war is inevitable. There has been no news from Sir Reginald.

The Doctor continues to tinker with the time transmitter. He gets up to look for Jo, leaving it running. The guerillas outside see him and aim their weapons at him, but before they can fire he moves away from the windows. A guerilla approaches the house and storms the room. The Doctor enters and disarms him with Venusian Karate. The guerilla begs him to turn the machine off or they will all be killed.

The woman technician in the 22nd century time zone picks up the signal again. The zone's Controller orders her to obtain the space-time coordinates of the detected transmitter. He goes to report to the Daleks. They tell him that whoever is operating the time transmitter is an enemy and must be exterminated.

The other guerillas interrupt the Doctor and hold him at gunpoint.

The Controller goes to the Daleks and says they have lost the trace of the Time Transmitter. The Daleks order him to find the people using it.

The guerillas marvel at how an innocent-looking man can be capable of such crimes and they prepare him for his execution. The Doctor and Jo are confused until they refer to him as "Sir Reginald". The leader, Anat, does not believe him, but the Doctor shows her the newspaper on the table. They ask who the Doctor is and he says he came back to see them as he knew they would return. Anat orders the rest of the guerillas out.

Benton reports to Yates that two men in a UNIT patrol has failed to report in, and are missing.

As Anat and the Doctor talk, the guerillas re-enter and say that UNIT forces are coming. They all hide in the cellar. Yates radios the Brigadier to tell him.

However, the Brigadier is on the phone to the Minister and has no time to speak to Yates, telling him to organise a search of the grounds and report back to him.

Yates and Benton do so. The guerillas tie up and gag the Doctor and Jo whilst Anat explores. When they are left alone the Doctor and Jo break free of their gags. Jo says the guerillas are criminals but the Doctor says they shouldn't judge until they have all the facts. They try and break each other free of their binds but can't. The Doctor dates the gun to two hundred years in the future but doesn't understand why people from the 22nd century would return back in time to meet and kill Sir Reginald. They settle themselves down to wait.

The man reports to the Daleks to say he cannot find the people. The Daleks order him to continue searching. The man disagrees and the Daleks say that humans are servants to the Daleks. The Daleks activate the magnetron.

Anat tries to contact their base but cannot as there is a massive disturbance in the vortex. The soldiers squabble about what to do. One of them wants to wait until Sir Reginald returns and kill him. Anat decides that one of the soldiers should return to the tunnel and see if the signal is stronger there. He sets out, evading UNIT soldiers, and returns to the tunnel. He checks a piece of machinery that is hidden away and then tries to communicate. He is hit from behind by one of the aliens but manages to shoot it before running away.

Yates and Benton report the loss of people to the Brigadier. The Brigadier tells them that Sir Reginald was successful and that the Chinese are now to take part in talks. He rings Sir Reginald's house.

Anat sends the guerilla out to get the Doctor.

The Doctor is telling Jo about the nature of changing history. He explains that everything has an effect but the Blinovitch Limitation Effect stops people from interfering with the same moment in history twice. Before the Doctor can explain this further, the guerilla enters and orders him to his feet.

The Doctor is made to answer the phone at gunpoint. He says that he and Jo were in the cellar sampling the wines. The Brigadier tells the Doctor that Sir Reginald is returning the following night. The Doctor asks if that is wise but the soldiers press the gun further into his back. The Doctor tells the Brigadier to let Sir Reginald, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence that all is fine. Just before the Brigadier hangs up the Doctor says that the Brigadier should "be sure to tell it to the Marines" that everything is fine too. The Brigadier puts the phone down and then heads straight off to the house.

Anat celebrates the fact that Sir Reginald is returning to the house. In the meantime, Jo has freed herself from the ropes and picks up the time transmitter saying she will smash it and maroon the guerillas in the twentieth century forever unless they are freed. The guerillas say it is not important to them, but Jo considers it a bluff. She accidentally presses the button and disappears, only to reappear in front of the Controller in the 22nd century.

The Doctor tells Anat to do something but she says nothing can be done; she is either dispersed around the time vortex or reembodied in the 22nd century. One of the guerillas says she'd be better off dead.

The Controller greets Jo and sends the aliens away; he says that they are called Ogrons, and they act as servants and policemen for humankind. The Controller invites Jo to sit down, and tells her he can return her to her own time, but he needs information about the guerillas. He says they are cruel and ruthless fanatics. Jo says that the Doctor is still with them and the Controller says that he is in very grave danger, as the guerillas are capable of great crimes and are without mercy. The Controller offers to save the Doctor, but needs to know where and when she came from. Jo tells him and, before he sends her away, the Controller asks if the guerillas appeared in the house or in the grounds. Jo is unsure, but believes they may have appeared in the tunnel. The Controller has a technician take Jo to the guest quarters, before telling the Daleks, which have been watching the whole conversation, that she trusts him implicitly. The Daleks say that they will prepare an ambush in the tunnel which will be led by them.

The guerillas tie up the Doctor and leave him in the cellar. He soon breaks free.

The guerillas are waiting for their friend to return when they see a troop of Ogrons approaching. A firefight ensues but the guerillas are overpowered. The Doctor bursts in and uses Venusian Karate when one of the soldiers tries to attack him. Both soldiers flee. An Ogron enters and the Doctor uses Venusian Karate on him and steals his gun.

The guerillas run, firing at Ogrons, and are pursued by the Doctor. The Brigadier arrives and shoots at a bunch of Ogrons, for which the Doctor thanks him before promptly stealing the Brigadier's Land Rover to pursue the guerillas.

The guerillas get to the tunnel and are followed in by the Doctor. As he enters he is confronted by a Dalek.

The Doctor runs into the tunnel system and bumps into the guerillas. A Dalek has followed him. Cornered, the guerillas activate the time field. Transported two hundred years into the future, the Doctor reveals he knows more about time travel and the Daleks than he has let on. He sets off to find Jo. He is soon pursued by Ogrons and has to hide as they pass him. He climbs a ladder and finds himself in a wasteland.

The Ogrons report that they lost who they were pursuing. They receive orders to hunt and exterminate them.

The Doctor ducks behind a wall to evade a troop of Ogrons. He sees a row of tower blocks looming above him.

The Controller enters the Daleks' sanctum and has to admit that the fugitives remain elusive. The Daleks say they will punish the Controller who tries to blame the Ogrons. He warns the Daleks of the danger of the guerillas who steal the Daleks' time machines and explosive and says he needs to recruit more humans. The Daleks block this saying that humans are treacherous. The Controller tells them of a man called the Doctor who they think has come with the guerilla forces. The Daleks seems scared and tell the Controller the Doctor is an enemy of the Daleks; and he must be found and exterminated.

A CCTV camera tracks the Doctor as he enters one of the tower blocks. An alert is raised.

The Controller assures the Daleks that the Doctor will be arrested. The Daleks want answers from the Controller as to why production figures are falling. They order an increase of 10%. The Controller says that workers will die but the Daleks give him no alternative. Once he leaves the Daleks, he is told of a tracking report of the Doctor entering Work Centre 117. He asks for production figures from that centre as he suspects an anomaly.

One of the guerillas enters an abandoned building where the rest are arguing. Now they have failed to kill Sir Reginald they are unsure as to what their orders are. The soldier who has returned says that there are reports of Jo being held by the forces. Anat asks about the Doctor and says there is no news.

The Doctor watches as a human workforce is being marshalled, but is caught by an Ogron and knocked out.

The Controller is looking after Jo and feeding her 21st century food — in his time, food comes as just tablets. Jo asks whether the Controller can return her to her own time. He says that he can, but it is dangerous. It was a lucky fluke by which Jo ended up here, as she could easily have been killed. She asks after the Doctor. The Controller says that he has been seen in this time zone under the control of the criminals who tried to kill him. He assures Jo that when he gets news he will tell her, but in the meantime she is to stay here for her own safety. A girl enters with a message. The Doctor is alive and well.

A recently tortured Doctor is dragged into a cell. His interrogator insists he is a spy, but he says he is just looking for his friend. A man enters, saying he wants to deal with the Doctor personally and orders everyone out of the room. As soon as they are alone, the man changes tone and asks the Doctor what group he is from. The Doctor says he is not a spy or a guerilla. The man says he is the factory manager and is here to help him. They are interrupted by the Controller, who says that he has been sent to look after the Doctor as he is an honoured guest of the government, and has been given a guest room at regional control where Jo is safe and waiting for him. The Doctor is led away, and the Controller rounds on the manager, asking why production figures are the lowest in his factory compared to any other in the zone. The manager is warned that if he doesn't increase them by 10%, both he and his family will be in danger. As soon as he is alone, the manager uses a radio to contact some guerilla forces, telling them of the suspicions and of the Doctor. He is attacked by an Ogron who knocks him to the floor.

The Controller plies the Doctor with wine and food. The Doctor questions the Controller about the factory, who says it is actually a rehabilitation centre for hardened and violent criminals. But the Doctor questions as to why he saw old people and children there. The Controller assures the Doctor that the planet is happy, prosperous and economically run. Jo says that the Doctor is being unreasonable. The Doctor further questions the Controller as to why the humans have made an ally with the Ogrons who seem savage whilst it seems the majority of the human population lead the life of dogs. The Doctor asks who really rules the planet. The Controller does not answer, saying he has work to attend to and leaves. Jo berates the Doctor for being so unkind, but the Doctor tells her that Earth has become a slave planet, and the Controller is "no more than a superior slave himself". The world is no longer ruled by humans, but by the most evil, ruthless lifeform in the cosmos — the Daleks.

The Controller and the Daleks watch the Doctor on a video screen. The Daleks say that the man's appearance does not match their data, but they know that the Doctor's appearance can change. They intend on using a mind analysis machine to see if it is the Doctor.

The Doctor has given Jo a plan. She goes to the far end of the room and screams. An Ogron enters and, after a brief struggle with the Doctor, is knocked out when Jo smashes a wine bottle on the creature's head. The Doctor and Jo run. They find a quad bike outside and escape on it.

The Controller and the Daleks are informed of the escape. The Daleks say they want them captured alive.

The Doctor and Jo are pursued by Ogrons and are eventually caught.

The guerilla forces have seen this and decide that they need to rescue the Doctor. One of their number says this is suicide, but it has been discovered that the Doctor is the sworn enemy of the Daleks and the one man they are afraid of.

The Daleks have strapped the Doctor to their mind analysis machine, and images of the Doctor's previous two incarnations flash up on the device's large screen. The Daleks identify him as their enemy, saying he is in their power and will be exterminated.

The Controller enters and suggests that the Doctor be saved as he could help them with information about the guerilla forces. The Daleks say they will use the mind analyser to extract the information from him but the Controller points out that the Doctor is near death when they just tried to extract his identity from him. The Controller says he understands the human psyche and will use Jo to help extract the information.

A guard fetches Jo.

The guerillas are planning an attack on the Dalek's stronghold. They will use the disused underground railway.

The Doctor tells the Controller that he knows nothing about the guerilla forces. Jo backs him up and says they were forced to join the guerillas. The Controller threatens them that if they do not get the information they need the Daleks will destroy the Doctor and Jo. The Doctor tells the Controller that the Daleks will destroy them whatever happens, and calls him a traitor for working alongside them. The Controller gets angry for a moment, then calms down and says the Doctor would not be able to understand how desperate the world got in the terrible years at the end of the twentieth century. He tells of a war with one hundred years of killing and destruction, in which seven eighths of the world's population was wiped out and "the rest were living in holes in the ground, reduced to the level of animals". It was into this vacuum that the Daleks took control and turned Earth into "a giant factory" (the Doctor's words), where they mined the planet's minerals and sent them to Skaro. The Controller explains how his job has been passed down through the generations. When the Doctor still accuses him of being a traitor, the Controller says that he has saved as many lives as he can and that no-one can fight against the Daleks. The Doctor asks if the guerillas could, but the Controller considers them fanatics.

The guerillas have arrived at the stronghold and are taking down the Ogron guards. A firefight ensues with deaths on both sides. Boaz sacrifices himself to save Anat from an advancing Dalek by lunging in front of it and placing a detonator against its casing, which immediately explodes.

The Controller asks the Doctor for information again but he insists he has none. The base is stormed by guerilla forces. The Controller calls for the guards only to be told that they are all dead. Jo and the Doctor are told they are to come with them. A guerilla soldier is intent on killing the Controller but the Doctor persuades him not to. They all run off.

In the present day, UNIT are outside the tunnel and searching for the Doctor and Jo. Yates says they are at a loss but the Brigadier insists they extend the radius of the search. A messenger arrives with the news that Sir Reginald is arriving at 6:00 p.m.

In the future, the guerillas explain to the Doctor that Sir Reginald is working to gain power for himself. The peace conference is a ruse and he lures all the leaders to the house and blows it up, however does so too early and he perishes too. This is the beginning point of the wars and thus the start of the Daleks' tyranny on Earth. This is why they have time travelled. They go on to explain that the Daleks sent the Ogrons back to try and stop them. They used the tunnel as it was a fixed point between their time and Sir Reginald's. The Doctor asks why they rescued him. He is told that as he is an enemy of the Daleks he will do anything to stop them so must go back in time and kill Sir Reginald.

In the present day, Shura, a wounded guerilla soldier, runs through the undergrowth and enters Sir Reginald's house.

In the future, the Doctor refuses saying that he will not commit murder. The guerilla forces try to convince him. The Doctor asks how they know that it would definitely stop the wars and that there must be another way. Jo does not believe that Sir Reginald would be capable of such atrocities. The Doctor agrees and starts to wonder how it happened. He asks if there are any guerilla forces still in the present day. The guerilla forces admit there is one, Shura, but he is assumed dead.

In the present day, Shura places a bomb in a disused coal cellar under Sir Reginald's house.

In the future, this intrigues the Doctor. He asks what the guerilla forces took with them in terms of weapons. The guerilla forces say they took an explosive they stole from the Daleks called Dalekanium. The Doctor is now sure. The guerilla forces did not change history... they caused it. They created a temporal paradox.

The Controller reports to the Daleks and tells them they have lost the Doctor. The Daleks order that he is found and destroyed. The Controller says he has set up an ambush at the tunnel. The Daleks warn that if he fails he will pay with his life. The Controller leaves and asks a guard if all is prepared for. The guard assures him that is the case.

The guerillas give the Doctor a time transmitter, and he and Jo climb into the tunnel. They are soon pursued and surrounded by Ogrons. The Controller emerges. The Doctor tells the Controller that he can end the Dalek rule of Earth. The Controller thinks for a moment, then tells the Ogrons he will "deal with these criminals" himself, sending them away. The Doctor tells the Controller of the plan. The Controller says that the Doctor could have let the guerillas kill him, and then tells him to go and be quick. The Doctor operates the time transmitter and disappears. All of this is observed by the senior guard.

In the present day, Benton find the Doctor and Jo and radios to the Brigadier.

In the future, the Controller is summoned to the Daleks. He says that the Doctor was too quick and got away. The Daleks know he is lying. The Controller tries to blame the Ogrons, but the Daleks call him a traitor and say he must be exterminated. The Controller's last words are that, with any luck, he may have exterminated them. The Daleks promote the senior guard to the role of Controller, before deciding that they will travel to the 20th century to ensure the bomb goes off and the war leading to their conquest breaks out.

In the present day, television reporter Alex MacIntosh reports the arrival of Sir Reginald and the leaders to the peace conference.

Sir Reginald asks the Brigadier if all is well. The Brigadier assures him it is. The Doctor and Jo arrive. The Doctor rushes up to the Brigadier and Sir Reginald and says that everyone has to leave the house.

The Daleks and the Ogrons arrive out of the tunnel. They are met by UNIT forces and a firefight ensues.

Sir Reginald refuses to leave, but the Doctor argues his case before disappearing into the cellar. Sir Reginald argues with the Brigadier. The Doctor finds Shura and tells him he doesn't need to blow the house up.

Benton radios the Brigadier from the middle of the firefight.

The Brigadier assures Sir Reginald that they are in the middle of a hostile attack. When Sir Reginald continues arguing, the Brigadier shouts over him and orders the evacuation of the house. Sir Reginald is escorted out.

The firefight continues.

The delegates leave the house.

The Daleks and the Ogrons draw nearer to the house. Soon enough, the Daleks have gained entrance to the grounds.

Jo joins the Doctor in the cellar to tell him that the Daleks have entered the house. Shura says she is lying. When he is assured that it is the case he says he wants the situation to be left to him saying that the Dalekanium will destroy them. He orders the Doctor and Jo out. As they leave, the Doctor tells the Brigadier to order his troops to fall back and allow all the attacking forces into the house. The Brigadier does so.

The Daleks search the house and Shura blows it up.

The Doctor, Sir Reginald and the delegates watch from a distance. The Doctor turns to Sir Reginald and says that he and Jo have seen the future and that he needs to work on avoiding it.

Cast

 * Dr. Who - Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith
 * Jo Grant - Katy Manning
 * Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Jon Culshaw
 * Sergeant Benton - John Levene
 * Captain Mike Yates - Hugh Grant
 * Sir Reginald Styles - Tom Hanks
 * Shura - Daniel Craig
 * Anat - Eva Green
 * Boaz - Alden Ehrenreich
 * Controller - Robert Carlyle
 * Miss Paget - Jean McFarlane
 * Girl Technician - Deborah Brayshaw
 * UNIT Radio Operator - Jennifer Lawrence
 * Guerilla - Mark Hamill
 * Monia - Timothée Chalamet
 * Manager - Bob Iger
 * Senior Guard - Andrew Carr
 * Guard at Work Centre - Aidan Gillen
 * Ogrons - Rick Lester, Maurice Bush, David Joyce, Frank Menzies, Bruce Wells, Geoffrey Todd
 * Dalek Voices - Nicholas Briggs
 * Television Reporter - Timothy Douglas Davie

Home release

 * The Day of the Doctor was released in the UK on Region 2 DVD, and Region B 3D Blu-ray on 2 December 2013. The Night of the Doctor and The Last Day were also included on both versions. A Region 1 DVD and a Region A Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack was released in the US on 10 December 2013.
 * The 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition box set was released in the UK and Australia on DVD and Bluray, containing The Name of the Doctor, The Day of the Doctor, The Time of the Doctor, the minisodes The Night of the Doctor and The Last Day, and the 2013 docu-drama An Adventure in Space and Time. The set was released in the UK on 8 September 2014 and in Australia on 9 October 2014.
 * The special was added to Netflix instant streaming in the US in September 2014. It is listed as the 15th episode of Series 7.