Dalek

The Daleks (, ) are a fictional extraterrestrial race who appear in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. They first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks. The Daleks are a highly xenophobic militant race who seek to destroy all non-Dalek life in the universe. They serve as the archenemies of the series' protagonist, the Doctor, who often comes into conflict with the Daleks throughout the show.

The Daleks were created by Terry Nation, who, between jobs, wrote their debut serial. Drawing on the cultural memory of the Nazi Party in Britain, Nation based the Daleks on them. He wished for a completely inhuman design, which would end up being designed by Raymond Cusick. Doctor Who, initially an educational show, only ran Nation's serial due to lacking any other options for production. However, the Daleks were a massive success with viewers, and greatly boosted series viewership, kicking off a period referred to as Dalekmania where the Daleks and their battle armour became highly popular among the British public. The Daleks subsequently became major recurring antagonists in the programme, and would be brought back in a variety of fashions across the show's more than 60-year history.