I splashed out and bought a 2 disc dvd Genesis Of The Daleks. I chose this for two reasons: 1 because all the amazon reviews said it was a classic;  and 2 because of Tom Baker, (who I am too young to remember ) who a friend of mine actually met some years back at a theatre pub in Stratford  and who said he was a really nice guy.

I watched 1 episode a day to make it last, and I tried to not compare with  the modern Doctor Who I am familiar with.

I did like Tom Baker. The plot was pretty simple but the acting at times was like pantomime acting.  If they had a whole planet to fight over I didn't understand why the Thal and Kaled domes were so close together but that was neccessary for the plot I suppose. Sara Jane was like a mumsy bossy children's TV presenter type. I suppose that was what passed for an  independent  woman back then. She fell over a lot.  I didn't know what Harry was supposed to be.

The Davros character and Nyder the security chief were brilliant nasty characters. I actually dreamed about Davros  one night after watching  episode 3 ! Making Davros half a Dalek was a fantastic idea.   

I cannot knock the special effects really because of the decade. But some things were awfully silly, like Harry putting his foot in the giant clam and Tom Baker  with the polyfoam rock.

  ?? My post went in the middle of some old ones for some reason.

Missed Dr.Who last night, gonna catch the repeat tonight. Your right though, we've been introduced to the world of the Doctor now and a story arc would be a good idea. Maybe the next series will be more arc written, I hear that the BBC have a new Doctor already.

It certainly was amazing what they managed to do with the Dalek, is it wrong to feel sorry for it at the end?

It's ok to feel sorry for the Dalek...shame it couldn't adapt..that's what one feels sorry about..I have to go with Nietzsche on the good and evil thing..one feels sorry for the springbok that's the lions lunch but the lion is not evil because it kills to survive. The dalek is programmed to kill..it's its nature...

Good episode but there was one flaw that wasn't explained. The technician stated that workers that touched the Dalek without gloves were fried. So why was Rose different and her DNA was absorbed instead? Is it was because she showed compassion? Even then a Dalek wouldn't care and why would Rose end up being the one that could issue the "order" for the Dalek to self destruct? But those are just nitpicks and I wonder how many people got their brains wiped clean and reprogrammed after the facility was buried in cement?

I think it was a scan that went wrong, it perfected it since then. The Dalek was trying to make Rose touch it so it could absorb genetic material to start healing itself (there is some stuff about the daleks plan on Beeb site http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/dalek.shtml)

Time travellers give off a powerful background energy (Radiation?) which the Dalek absorbed to repair itself.
It's discussed in more detail in the season two finale, Doomsday.

By the way......The season three opener, Smith & Jones was brilliant on Saturday.