 This story is written by Mark Gatiss whose previous stories are the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The Unquiet Dead" and the 2006 Tenth Doctor story "The Idiot's Lantern".
Ian McNeice previously portrayed Winston Churchill in the Royal National Theatre's 2008 production of Never So Good. Ian McNeice is more famous for playing the part of Bert Large in Doc Martin.
Colin Procktor, who appeared in nine episodes of Coronation Street, previously played the part of the Head Chef in the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The Long Game".
Nicholas Briggs, who has been involved with Torchwood: Children of Earth and many Doctor Who stories, again provides the voice of the Daleks.
The end of the previous story, "The Beast Below", directly follows in to this story.
Like the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The Unquiet Dead" in Season Twenty Seven (New Series 1), this story is the third in the season, is a pseudo-historical, is penned by Mark Gatiss, and is both preceded and followed by two stories by the head writer.
This story contains the Eleventh Doctors and Amy Ponds first encounter with the Daleks.
This is the second Dalek story since the show was revived in 2005 to use the infamous "
of the Daleks" title scheme, the first being the second episode of the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks".
In issue 420 of the Doctor Who Magazine, Steven Moffat stated: I can see you all smirking at the title, and thinking Oh, I bet it's not a victory. Yeah? Do you think? and Mark Gatiss has revealed The reason it's called "Victory of the Daleks" is cos they win. They win.
This is the third time in the revised show that the Daleks have featured mid-way in a season, following "Dalek" in Season Twenty Seven (New Series 1) and then in Season Twenty Nine (New Series 3) two part story "Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks".
Subservient Daleks is also the theme of the first story for the Second Doctor, "The Power of the Daleks" broadcast in 1966. In "The Power of the Daleks" the Daleks claim they simply wanted to help colonists on the planet Vulcan. Their hollow-sounding claim during that story - I am your servant is echoed in "Victory of the Daleks" with their mendacious assurance: I am your soldier.
The redesigned new paradigm Daleks debut in this story. The red, blue and yellow Daleks were revealed in the Radio Times and the colours were used to symbolise the different colours of the British Parliament parties; Red being for Labour, Blue for Conservative and Yellow to represent the Liberal Democrats. The yellow Dalek issue was produced with less quantity and are therefore harder to get than the blue and red Dalek covers.
Mark Gatiss stated in an article in the Radio Times: They're bigger than they've ever been; and in Technicolor! so revealing that the new Daleks are different colours like the Daleks that appeared in the original run of the show.
In the chapter of Doctor Who Confidential, that covers the making of this story, Mark Gatiss also confirms that the brightly coloured restored Daleks are a nod to the 1960s Amicus Amicus Doctor Who films; Doctor Who and the Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, staring Peter Cushing as Doctor Who. It has also been revealed that each Dalek was given a name or title. Whilst it is unclear which title belongs to which Dalek, Steven Mofatt mentioned Soldier, Drone, Scientist and Strategist. The yellow Dalek however, is stated to be The Eternal but Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss both admit they don't know what that means yet.
This story holds the record for the most non-CGI Dalek models used in a single story, with no less then eight Dalek models on-screen at the same time.
The Doctor mentions how the Daleks always manage to recognise him despite his regenerations, as they first did with his second incarnation in "The Power of the Daleks". However, this has not always been the case. In the 1985 Sixth Doctor story "Revelation of the Daleks", only Davros' Daleks recognised his sixth incarnation, with the other faction disbelieving that he was The Doctor.
The Doctor mentions sending the Daleks back into the Void and saving the whole of reality from their efforts (he is referring to: "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday" and "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End"). The Doctor also threatens the Daleks with the final end, referencing "The Evil of the Daleks".
The new Daleks use a Time Corridor to depart at the end of the story. The last time a Time Corridor was used on-screen was in the 1984 Fifth Doctor story "Resurrection of the Daleks". It was also mentioned in the 1988 Seventh Doctor story "Remembrance of the Daleks".
We are reminded that The Doctor's TARDIS is a Type 40. There were originally 305 registered Type 40s, but it is revealed that by the time The Doctor's finally made it back to Gallifrey in "The Deadly Assassin", the rest had been decommissioned. Many people, notably The Master, have been disrespectful about the old ship but it survived every other TARDIS with the Tenth Doctor stating it was the only one left in existence.
The Doctor has previously visited London during the Blitz. The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler had an adventure there in the 2005 story "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances", written by Steven Moffat.
The Doctor and Winston Churchill appear to have a firmly established friendship in this story, although the characters have not previously met on-screen. (The Sixth Doctor meet Churchill in the spin-off BBC Books The Past Doctor Stories: "Players" and "The Shadow in the Glass"). Churchill is able to contact The Doctor via telephone and has prior knowledge of the TARDIS (He wants The Doctor's TARDIS key). Churchill also remarks that The Doctor has changed his face again, implying that he is aware of the regeneration process and has encountered at least two incarnations of The Doctor prior to the Eleventh Doctor.
Winston Churchill is heard to comment about Aldolf Hitler invading hell is a version of the comment the real Winston Churchill made during the course of the war, stating, If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.
Amy Pond is heard calling Edwin Bracewell Paisley and Paisley Boy. Paisley is a town in Renfrewshire, central Scotland and is the birthplace of Executive Producer Steven Moffat.
The Dalek Saucer, seen in the dogfight with the Spitfires, is the same sort as those seen in "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday" and "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End".
Broadsword calling Danny Boy is a quote from the film Where Eagles Dare which is a novel by Alistair MacLean. This film features Peter Barker (Clent in the 1967 Second Doctor story "The Ice Warriors") and Ingrid Pitt who appeared in two Doctor Who stories: the 1972 Third Doctor story "The Time Monster" and the 1984 Fifth Doctor story "Warriors of the Deep".
The Doctor is seen using a Jammy Dodger as a TARDIS self-destruct tool to threaten the Daleks with.
The Doctor refers to the events of the 2008 Tenth Doctor story "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End" when talking to Amy Pond about the Daleks. Amy however, does not remember these events thus making The Doctor realise that something is seriously wrong.
At the end of this story, when the TARDIS dematerialises, another crack in the universe is shown in the Cabinet War Room wall behind where the TARDIS had been. This has been a recurring theme since "The Eleventh Hour" - the first story of this season.
Immediately after the end credits a trailer for Doctor Who: The Adventure Game was shown.
Following on immediately after this story, on BBC3, was the third chapter of the fifth series of Doctor Who Confidential. Titled "War Games" which looked into the making of this story and the latest return of the Daleks.
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The Firsts:
Amy Pond's first trip into the past.
The first time that the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond encounter the Daleks.
The first portrayal of Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the show.
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(Position = 10 out of 10)
(Position = 193 out of 241)
