Dalek Styles

Since their first appearance in 1963, the Daleks have appeared in many forms. In fact, their original styling only lasted that one story. When they returned in the Dalek Invasion of Earth they had augmentations and when they returned again in the chase they had even more developments. Some of these changes were design decisions, occasionally they were intended to reflect the Daleks' own evolution and if the stories are to believed, due to prop abuse. Below is an illustrated guide to the Daleks seen in Doctor Who.

	The Daleks 1963 (Left) The Daleks in their original form only had one real difference to their well-known form but it changed their appearance significantly. Their simple, two-banded mid-section made the neck appear taller and the design overall simpler.	The Dalek Invasion of Earth - 1964 (Below) Keeping the same basic shape, the Daleks which invaded Earth were raised on high bases to allow them better freedom on the streets of London. They bore a disc on their back to explain their increased mobility and were commanded at first by a zebra-styled leader and later an all black model who was the Dalek Supreme. Contrary to popular myth, the Saucer Commander was not painted red!
The Chase, The Daleks Master Plan, The Power of the Daleks, The Evil of the Daleks - 1965 - 1967 (Above) Restored to normal height, The Chase Daleks were first seen with what are often referred to as their "solar panels." This story also featured three AARU Film Daleks with their fenders removed. At the beginning of The Chase the Black Dalek made a cameo and The Daleks Master Plan featured a Black Dalek once more. In the second Troughton Dalek story The Evil of the Daleks, the Black Daleks had only black head domes. From Power of the Daleks onwards, the surviving original props were joined by a completely converted AARU Film Dalek, recognisable from its telltale misaligned rear domes.
		Day of the Daleks - 1972 After the Daleks had been destroyed "for good", they returned five years later in a story which was never intended to carry them. In an all black livery with a cream/beige coloured leader - refered to as "gold" - it seemed an odd move to remove all colour from the drone Daleks in their first colour TV appearance.
		Planet of the Daleks - '73 When the Daleks returned a year later they were essentially unchanged from their previous appearance. The most notable change was the Supreme Dalek, a prop which had been borrowed from Terry Nation and was an old AARA film Dalek prop. The torch-eye and glowing iris were not seen again until the 2005 resurrection of the Daleks.
		Death to the Daleks - 1974 In the Daleks' next adventure, they were shown in a fun silver/black livery and they also had to make do with a projectile-weapon because their normal guns were robbed of power by the planet Exxilon. Their leader in this story was distinguished only by amber-coloured speech lights.
Genesis of the Daleks 1975, Destiny of the Daleks 1979 (Above) Following their brief appearance in silver and black colours, the Daleks returned to their grey/black style for the 4th Doctor's Genesis of the Daleks. In their next story. Destiny of the Daleks, one Dalek from the previous story functioned as the leader in dark grey and black and the rest of the Daleks were light grey and black.
Resurrection of the Daleks 1984, Revelation of the Daleks 1985 (Above) In the 5th Doctor's only Dalek adventure, the Daleks continued the grey/black theme, although with a slightly blue hue. Their leader, the Supreme Dalek, was a fully black Dalek, this time with white balls. This story saw Davros begin to convert Daleks into what would eventually be referred to as Imperial Daleks. In the following Colin Baker story Davros' own Daleks were gold and cream (above right) and were totally newly acquired props with less tapered shoulders and a narrower skirt, plus various other subtle differences. The traditional grey Daleks turned up at the end of the episode as Daleks who were loyal to the Supreme Dalek. These became labelled "renegades" by Davros.
	Remembrance of the Daleks - Imperials 1988 (Left) When the Imperial Daleks appeared with the 7th Doctor, they were again a totally different prop. Taller, narrower and cast in very simple moulded pieces they had flat lights and a rigid arm which was no longer a rubber plunger.	Remembrance of the Daleks - Renegades 1988 (Above) The grey renegade Daleks were actually the Imperials from Revelation of the Daleks given a repaint (above left). One lone original Dalek prop from the 1960s remained and it too appeared as a renegade (above centre). They were led by a Black and silver Dalek (above right) which was a borrowed exhibition prop.
	Dalek 2005 The 9th Doctor meets quite a significantly redesigned Dalek. They retain the same basic shape but no single part is the same as the original. The base has a sloped top, the balls are set on discs, the solar panels are extruded and have a channel in the middle, the next section is heavily bolted and the head has a housing for the eye stalk and a new eye ball.