Queen of the Daleks (episode)


*The following article is written from an Out of Universe perspective.*

Queen of the Daleks was the first episode of Season 50 of Doctor Who. It was written by Matthew B. Roberts, directed by John Dahl and featured Samantha Bond as the Fourteenth Doctor, Montserrat Lombard as Erin Stevenson and William Moseley as Kyle Harrison.

Synopsis

Arriving in 1978 for Uncle Reg's funeral, the Doctor picks up companions, Erin and Kyle, as they battle the last surviving Dalek, as it races to become the most powerful being in existence.

Plot

Erin stands outside her house, in the cold air. She’s dressed all in black, a funeral gown. She looks behind her, and out of her front door, Danielle and Roger step out too, dressed in a similar fashion. Roger asks where Kyle’s got to and Erin says that he should be here, before long. They all stand there as they wait until Erin asks if she can be excused for a moment. She walks over to the phone box on her street corner, and dials a number, tentatively. Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor answers the phone, surprised to hear Erin’s voice at the other end. Erin tells the Doctor that Uncle Reg, who she met at Dr Carter’s computer conference, passed away the previous week, and she’d really appreciate it if she were to come along. The Doctor smiles and says she’ll be there right away. Erin hangs up and steps out of the telephone box, with a small smile forming on her face. Just then, from around the corner, Kyle appears, running towards the Stevenson’s front door, also dressed for the funeral. He kisses Erin as he reaches her, apologising for being late, but Erin says it’s okay and he’s in fact just in time. The four of them then get into a car, which takes them to the church.

As the coffin is taken down the aisle of the church, and everyone walks in, Erin begins to hear a familiar noise sounding. They are sat down, as the service begins, but then the large doors of the church burst open, and the Doctor stumbles in, asking if she’s late.

Everyone turns to look at the Doctor as she awkwardly stumbles down the aisle finding Erin and sitting next to her, all the while telling everyone about when she met Reg and how the J’taria were trying to take over the world, much to everyone’s confusion. Erin scolds the Doctor when she sits down and tells her to just shut up. As the vicar begins speaking again, the Doctor mentions that somethings not quite right with him and they better watch out as he might be a Zygon. Erin just rolls her eyes and tells the Doctor to button it, as this is nearly as bad as when they went to Eurovision. The Doctor argues saying that there’s definitely not something right about that vicar, as his whole demeanour is odd, but Erin just tells her that maybe it’s because his service was just interrupted by a mad lady.

Kyle grabs the Doctor’s lapels firmly and tells the Doctor to button it. After the service, at the wake, the Doctor and Erin have a heart to heart, but the Doctor interrupts it by saying that she really thinks there is something dodgy going on with the vicar. Erin snaps telling the Doctor to go and that she’s had enough of her just looking for trouble. Leaving Erin, the Doctor walks out towards her TARDIS, but she notices the street lights flickering and turns around, sneaking into the crypt. In the crypt, she sees the vicar. She asks if everything is okay, but the vicar doesn’t respond. The Doctor walks over to him and finds a creature latched onto his back – a mutant. She turns around, in fear and finds a burnt-out Dalek casing in the corner. The vicar wakes up, and the Doctor runs upstairs telling everybody that they have to leave – at once. Erin tells the Doctor to stop it, but at that point the vicar enters the room, holding a Dalek gun and begins shooting, killing a dozen or so people, but with most making it out alive. With the room empty, apart from Erin, Kyle, Danielle and Roger, the Doctor confronts the Dalek asking it what it’s business on Earth is. The Dalek says that it’s the last survivor of the Daleks and explains that the Vex ascended every single Dalek, and only he managed to getaway. The Doctor asks what it’s mission on Earth is and the Dalek tells the Doctor that it just wants to survive and asks for the Doctor’s help. Erin questions the Dalek asking why it killed a load of the guests to which the Dalek tells them that it was instinct, but it wants to change.

REST TO BE ADDED

Cast

Crew

Created by Sydney Newman, Donald Wilson and C.E. Webber

Daleks created by Terry Nation

In loving memory of David Ryall

Memorable Quotes

To be added.

Background Information

Production History

To be added

Development

When David Ryall passed away it was decided to write his character out.

Production

To be added

Post-Production

To be added

Reaction

Consolidated BARB Rating - 8.92m

Story Notes

This is the first story to feature the Daleks since the Panopticon episode Vexterminate!
This story was dedicated to David Ryall who played Reg Stevenson in At the tip of Your Fingers.

Continuity

Erin and Kyle are engaged. (DW: Erin's Story)
Erin, Kyle and her family are attending the funeral of Erin's uncle Reg Stevenson. (DW: Erin's Story)
The Doctor at first believes that the Vicar is a Zygon. (DW: Terror of the Zygons et al., I Don't Want Tomorrow)
The Dalek is the last of its kind after all other Daleks were ascended by the Vex. (PAN: Vexterminate!)
The Doctor Erin and Kyle previously saved the Queen from an alien. (DW: God Save the Queen)

Home Video Releases

To be added.