The Daleks’ Master Plan: The Making of a Television Serial

A new book from Magic Bullet Publishing looks at the making of the First Doctor story The Daleks' Master Plan.

 

This definitive account reconstructs a formidable era of Doctor Who, exploring one of the show's most ambitious and turbulent productions. Drawing on exclusive interviews, personal letters, and hundreds of internal memos, it reveals a pivotal chapter in television history with unprecedented depth.

 

Through close analysis of draft, rehearsal, and camera scripts, the book reveals new insights into both the on-screen drama and the chaos behind the scenes - capturing the intensity of the 1960s production office and the strain on its cast and crew, particularly William Hartnell.

 

It offers exhaustive coverage of the one-off story Mission to the Unknown and the twelve-part epic The Daleks' Master Plan, alongside a comparison with the Patrick Troughton-era classic The Invasion. Beyond production, it explores the evolving origins of the Daleks across television, comics, and prose, and uncovers the story of 'The Destroyers', the pilot for Terry Nation's unmade spin-off.

 

Enhanced by original illustrations from professional artist Tim Keable, and with an introduction by Michael E Briant, the book runs to over 70,000 words and 350 pages, with colour and black and white illustrations throughout.