The Daleks made for a fascinating watch. One thing I truly enjoy about people's way of handling Doctor Who is that they hide these little things(like sounds and objects) from the older series into the newer ones. For instance, the beeping sound from the Dalek control room in here, in 1963 was the same as the sound of the Progenitor in Victory of the Daleks in 2010. But let's start with characters.
William Hartnell is underused but also the only really effective character here. Many complain about his selfishness and amorality, but I think they should remember that at this point, the Doctor is still alien to Earth(which is where he learned to become the man who said "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."). Just take the First Doctor as the learning antihero that he is and you'll be fine for the most part.
Note that the Fifth and Tenth Doctors were not the only ones who wore "brainy specs".
Unfortunately, other than force the group to the Dalek City, he had very little to do in this episode but just be the Doctor. Because the show has to have one.
I am not fond of the companions here. Barbara is useless, Ian is a pompous cardigan-wearing headache and Susan is unusually childish for a species who "serve at the age of 8. Not that you'd call it childhood."
The storyline was hit and miss. It's arguably the most important Doctor Who serial ever produced as the introduction of the Daleks, but most of it is just padding. It would've been a lot better as a tight four-parter. I do appreciate that the victims of the Daleks go negative even back then though.
The Thals are generic Star Trek(yes I know which came first) aliens. In fact, they look a lot like the utopian folk who tried to kill Wesley for stepping on their flowers.
Despite all these setbacks, I have to applaud the old series for its creativity where Skaro is concerned. Such a fantastically realised planet.
If I could changed anything about this one, I would've erased the last two episodes. Everything was set to end and we even would've gotten a lesson about non-interference had Ian not left the bloody fluid tank in the Dalek City.
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