This is actually one of my favourite Doctor Who stories. An underrated classic- The very first invasion Earth story, the first Dalek story to utilise their full danger to the open world, the first Doctor Who epic.

The plot being that the Tardis lands on Earth about ten years after the Daleks have -for reasons unknown- invaded Earth, exterminated most of the population and through dictatorship and electronic mind control, have forced humans to help the Daleks dig into the core of the planet.
The Doctor and his companions become involved with a group
of underground resistance fighters in their losing battle against the Daleks.

Like 'Genesis of the Daleks' and 'The Caves of Androzani', The Dalek Invasion of Earth really does have a sense of there being danger and conflict at every turn in its depiction of Daleks and Robomen marching the streets and landmarks of London.

There is a real sense of poverty and struggle with the resistance fighters who have lost their planet to the Daleks and are being picked off and exterminated one by one.

The survivor's stories of the invasion and of personal losses are absorbingly poignant and border on hypnotic, and this, along with the romance between Susan and David give this episode that little bit of passion that is missing from most Doctor Who episodes, and at the same time doesn't go over the top in the way the heavy melodrama of the first Dalek serial did.

The emotional content of the script contrasts really well with the inhuman portrayal of the Daleks. Though the Dalek voices are rather weak in this serial, their dialogue is perfectly dehumanised as they try to taunt humans with their radio-transmitted threats "Rebel against us and the Daleks will destroy London completely. The Males, the females, the descendants."

Another chilling moment of brilliance is when off screen we hear a Dalek pursuing a survivor who has been driven berzerk by the murder of his family by the Daleks. The man is heard screaming with rage and mad despair at the Dalek, which is unaffected by the man's emotional outburst and keeps on chanting commands emotionlessly and relentlessly "Stop!...Stop!...Stop!..."

And there are many other scenes which are gems. I love the trek across London as Barbara, Jenny and Dortmum witness Daleks on Westminister Bridge, Nelson's collumn. The scenes of the Dalek mining project are just as awesome, I also like the portrayal of the humans driven to treachery and murder by starvation- because it makes such a perfect grim counterpoint to the Doctor's speech in Genesis of the Daleks where he talks of fear of the Daleks galvanising alliances and unification.

Many people have criticised the ending for being B-movie material, and a let down to the marvelous build-up, but i loved it. The Doctor's line in the aftermath- "There's something new for you, Tyler. A volcanic erruption in England" is brilliant- hopelessly innacurate, but still brilliant. And I love the way there is a fifteen minutes of reflection after the climactic defeat of the Daleks. This is so rare in Doctor Who, and it is so effective at communicating optimistically that the struggle and fight for survival is finally over, and that humans can now begin rebuilding the Earth. And is brilliantly illustrated by the sound of the bells of Big Ben being heard once more.

And this brings us to a classic scene as Susan falls in love with David, and the Doctor decides that she needs to belong with someone who will give her roots. It is so well written and performedThe music during the scene also is wonderful and makes the hairs stand on end. It's a superb ending to a superb story.

In terms of Dalek serials, I think this one ranks up there with classics like 'Power of the Daleks' 'Evil of the Daleks' 'Genesis' and 'Remembrance' and it's also on par with Invasion Earth stories like 'Spearhead from Space' and 'The Web of Fear' so it's the best of both worlds!

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8