History Recap / DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan

* AffablyEvil: The Monk, standing out in a cast with lots of ObviouslyEvil LargeHam villains. He's perfectly pleasant to the Doctor and his companions at every turn, until the time comes when it benefits him to betray them.

A 12-episode monster (and the longest story ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labelled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-episode serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

Episode 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas-- the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

* BreakingTheFourthWall: "The Feast of Steven" ends with the Doctor wishing everyone at home a Happy Christmas.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labelled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-episode serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic [[Characters/DoctorWhoBrigadierLethbridgeStewart Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]]), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labelled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-episode serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic Characters/DoctorWhoBrigadierLethbridgeStewart), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labelled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-episode serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic Lethbridge-Stewart), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

A 12-part monster (and the longest story ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

Katarina is killed early in part 4, spacing herself along with her captor in order that the Doctor should not be forced to give in to his demands. Whether she knew what she was doing, or simply pulled the wrong lever, remains a RiddleForTheAges. Sara Kingdom shoots Bret Vyon (her brother) before making a HeelFaceTurn and joining the TARDIS crew as a companion.

Part 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas-- the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

Only parts 2, 5 and 10 remain (alongside a couple of short clips from parts 1, 3, and 4), and the Christmas episode in particular is almost certainly the one and only ''irretrievably'' lost episode, as no copy was ever made of it - the episode was designed to be an interlude that was incidental to the rest of the story, as it was felt nobody would be watching on Christmas Day, and the story was offered for sales overseas as an 11-parter.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labelled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-part serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic Lethbridge-Stewart), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Painfully subverted in parts 4 and 12, hilariously subverted in part 7.

* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: The Doctor is rather disoriented by 20th-21st Century events without his companions' knowledge regarding history; it does allow for an easier way to [[RuleOfFunny introduce comedic situations]], especially in part 7.
* {{Blooper}}: In-universe. The Doctor, Sara, and Steven are responsible for a few in various silent films during part 7.

** While it's not extreme overacting in the context of ''Doctor Who'' overacting, Steven's behaviour during Katarina's death scene deserves an honourable mention as it saved the clip from being consigned to the same MissingEpisode oblivion as the rest of the serial. Creator/PeterPurves played Steven and became a ''Series/BluePeter'' presenter later. To celebrate a ''Doctor Who'' anniversary, a clip of this scene was played so the other ''Blue Peter'' presenters could tease him about his Scenery Chewing. This clip is the only portion of part 4 that still exists.

* ForgottenFallenFriend: Katarina. After her death in part 4, the only time she's mentioned again is at the very end of part 12.

* MoodWhiplash: At the end of part 6, the Doctor and company escape from the Daleks, having rendered their doomsday weapon useless, and go off for a fun Christmas episode involving Hollywood producers and Liverpool policemen and...hang on, the Daleks are back. Is this still the same story?

* NewYearHasCome: Part 8, "Volcano", aired on New Year's Day and is a milder case of what was done with part 7. The Daleks are in it this time, but only briefly, to establish that they are sending a task force out to recover the Taranium. The bulk of the episode is a light encounter with the Monk to reintroduce him for his role in the Egyptian episodes and is bookended by comedy visits to a Test Match at The Oval and the New Year festivities in Trafalgar Square.

* RoundRobin: Parts 5-8 are written by alternating authors (Creator/TerryNation, Dennis Spooner, Nation, Spooner).

* SoundtrackDissonance: Not in the story, but on the ''Daleks: The Early Years'' VHS. At the time it came out, Creator/TheBBC apparently did not have the audio of part 1, and so the surviving trims from that episode were accompanied by "[[Music/TheGoGos I'm Gonna Spend my Christmas with a Dalek]]".

!!The {{Melodrama}} the Doctor, Steven, and Sara interrupted filming of in part 7 contains examples of:

** While it's not extreme overacting in the context of ''Doctor Who'' overacting, Steven's behaviour during Katarina's death scene deserves an honourable mention as it saved the clip from being consigned to the same MissingEpisode oblivion as the rest of the serial. Peter Purves played Steven and became a ''Series/BluePeter'' presenter later. To celebrate a ''Doctor Who'' anniversary, a clip of this scene was played so the other ''Blue Peter'' presenters could tease him about his Scenery Chewing. This clip is the only portion of part 4 that still exists.

* {{Corpsing}}: During "The Feast of Steven", it sounds as though Peter Purves is laughing in the background as Creator/WilliamHartnell has to do a really silly and uncharacteristic line where the Doctor [[BreakingTheFourthWall addresses the at-home audience and wishes them a "Happy Christmas"]].

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Bret Vyon is restrained in a magnetic chair. As ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' said about [[Film/ThisIslandEarth another movie]], "And if your hands were metal that would mean something."

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labeled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-part serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first appearance of series regular Nicholas Courtney as part of the cast (long before his casting as the more iconic Lethbridge-Stewart), the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

* AntiHero: Bret Vyon is rather grizzled and TriggerHappy, and working for a fascistic organization clearly modeled on the Nazi SS. In any other story, he'd likely be the Doctor's enemy.

A 12-part monster (and the longest STORY ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

A 12-part monster (and the longest episode ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

* AscendedExtra: Sara Kingdom only appears in this episode, but she is regarded as a companion by some traditionalist fans and reference guides because of the extremely long length of the serial and the fact she gets to travel in the TARDIS. [[note]](The "anyone who travels in the TARDIS is a companion" rule was developed during this era of the show because there was very rarely any TARDIS travel inside stories. Later generations of fans would be more dubious about it because of ludicrous results like [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath Duggan]] or the platoon of Cybermen who hijack the TARDIS in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E1AttackOfTheCybermen Attack of the Cybermen]]", and also because it would disqualify Liz Shaw.)[[/note]] The Expanded Universe depicts her having further adventures with the Doctor and Steven that take place during this story, more solidly cementing her place.

* EverythingInSpaceIsAGalaxy: The episode is set at an Intergalactic Conference, with the Outer Galaxies allied with the Daleks.

* {{Interquel}}: The Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse adds a number of Doctor/Steven/Sara adventures between episode 7 ("The Feast of Steven") and episode 8 ("Volcano").

* MoodWhiplash: At the end of part 6, the Doctor and company escape from the Daleks, having rendered their doomsday weapon useless, and go off for a fun Christmas episode involving Hollywood producers and Liverpool policemen and...hang on, the Daleks are back. Is this still the same episode?

A 12-part monster (and the longest serial ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

Episode 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas-- the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

Episode 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas-- the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

Sara Kingdom dies, in the end, as the Doctor turns the Time Destructor on the Daleks.

Episode 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas-- the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

Sara Kingdom dies, in the end, as the Doctor turns the Time Destructor on the Daleks.

A 12-part monster (and the longest episode ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labeled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-part serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial called ''Doctor Who'', so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

-->--'''The Doctor'''

En route, we also revisit the Meddling Monk, and the Doctor "borrows" another bit from his TARDIS to help his own function more predictably.

Episode 7 interrupts the action is interrupted for Christmas Day, in which the TARDIS materialises on a film set, the cue for much silent comedy with Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, before Steven points out that they missed Christmas. The Doctor produces a bottle of champagne and Steven wishes him a Merry Christmas - the Doctor then shatters the FourthWall by looking straight out of the camera and wishing "a Happy Christmas to all of you at home".

* {{Filler}}: "The Feast of Steven" was intentionally meant as filler since it was thought nobody would be watching, and viewers would be lost if the plot advanced in their absence. Additionally, the episode was scheduled to air on Christmas Day, and the BBC thought that even if people did tune in, they'd be disturbed by the continuation of what was perhaps one of the darkest stories of the First Doctor's tenure.

A 12-part monster (and the longest ''Who'' serial ever at ''five hours long''), which begins with the TARDIS arriving on the planet Kembel and meeting Bret Vyon of the Space Security Service. Vyon is looking for Marc Cory, one of the men killed in the teaser "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown Mission to the Unknown]]". Together, they discover that the Daleks plan to use the "Time Destructor" to conquer the Solar System.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The leader of LaResistance has some very 1960s attitudes towards women, such as StayInTheKitchen and so on, despite being from 2150.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labeled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-part serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers in the Sixties the show was just a single running serial, so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

It holds several records: longest serial ever[[note]]Except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labeled on-screen as one serial. Each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director. And even then, some argue that "Master Plan" is really a ''seventeen''-part serial, starting with "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissiontotheUnknown Mission To The Unknown]]" and with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]] as a BreatherEpisode for the longer arc. In those days, serial titles were purely internal production affairs, and for viewers at the time the show was just a single running serial, so this is more true to how it would have been perceived at the time. Some even consider [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E5TheMassacre "The Massacre"]] as the final part or epilogue of a season-long MythArc about the Doctor and Steven being faced with constant loss and bittersweet victories.[[/note]], the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first, second and third (if you count Bret) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.

It holds several records: longest episode ever (except for "The Trial of a Time Lord", though that's technically a season-long arc despite being labeled on-screen as one serial, as each individual story had a separate production code, internal title, and director), the first almost-companion with Bret Vyon, the first (and second) TARDIS companion deaths, and others.