The Power the Dalek's Found

Every now and again I like to go to car boot sales.

One time I went to my local car boot sale I noticed a series of reel tapes on  a table, I walked up to it and saw it was titled ‘Power of the daleks’, they all were titled power of the daleks.

Now me, being the Doctor who fan I am knew that these tapes all had different parts of the episodes. So I bought them all, happy that I found them as power of the daleks was, (and still is) my favourite Doctor who episode and has been lost since the 80s.

I came home and viewed the episode on my projector (I used to collect reels so I had one to use) The episode began with the early 60’s intro, nothing unusual,  until the episode itself began. The Doctor was lying on the ground screaming from pain. He got up and hit the console so hard it chipped the prop. The Doctor stared at his companions, Ben and Polly, and said “Where…” He paused and looked around. “Where does he keep his clothes and journal.” Ben was the on to speak

“In that chest there.” Ben pointed to the chest then the Doctor slapped his hand away and scurried through the chest. Then he turned to ben and Polly.

“What are you two still doing here?! Leave me be!” He shouted at them both. Then they left the room.

The scene then cuts to Ben and Polly standing in the corridor behind the main room.

“But who is he?” Polly whispered to Ben.

“Well he’s the Doctor isn’t he?” Ben replied.

“He certainly doesn’t seem like him.” She glanced back into the console room to see The Doctor reading through his own journal.

“Well, just to be sure, go ask him, but bring a cup of tea in case he’s not too welcome to your questioning.”

“Good idea.” Polly added and made some tea.

It then cuts to the Doctor piloting the TARDIS when Polly walks in with the tea.

“Polly, I had thought I told you to go away.” The Doctor didn’t even look away from the console.

“Yes, but who are you?” Polly placed the tea on an old looking chair.

“Who do you think I am?”

“Well, the Doctor I hope.” Polly then gasped as the Doctor grabbed her neck.

“I am not, nor will I ever be the Doctor. Do I look Like the Doctor? No.” The Doctor reached for the door switch on the console and was about to press it. The episode ended, usual credits, except the Credit for what would usually be Dr who was blank and was just Patrick Throuton.

I was shocked at this. This wasn’t the episode I had loved beforehand. This was… disturbing.

Keep in mind this was back when Doctor who was still aimed mainly at children; this would have been horrifying to witness.

I put in the next reel, it had the usual intro, but the name of the episode was power of the daleks part 7.

I took the reel out and put in another one, it was part 7.

I then put in the next reel

And again, it was part 7.

They were all part 7?

Why would the BBC make 6 or so reels of an unaired (hopefully) episode of Doctor who?

It didn’t make sense, but I watched part 7 anyway. The Doctor was still in the TARDIS. With just Ben

Ben was grieving, and the Doctor sat there, satisfied.

“Ben, did you know that neither of us exists. It’s true, all you at home don’t exist either.

Yes, we’re all just the thoughts and ideas of everybody who doesn’t exist with us. It’s rather funny.”

Ben just stood there.

“Let’s go on a trip Ben. Marden, 1975. Then 1987, Columbus. Then wherever we please.”

The Doctor grins and the episode ends.

I sat shocked, what kind of episode is this?

None of these events match up with any other events in the show.

So I called the bbc about it. I told them I found Power of the daleks episodes 1 and 7.

After I explained the differences between the episode I found and the ‘True version’

Then they hung up.

The next day I had a knock on my door from a man. He sure was old, but he still seemed to be full of youth. He ran into my house and sat down. He then explained that all the doctor’s first episodes were re done multiple times, the first always was ceased in production for its dark themes.

I asked him how he knew, he said he was a writer who actually wrote the power of the daleks I watched, and he also wrote the other dark regeneration episodes. Up till Robot.

He then told me not to tell anyone about these unaired episodes, as  they’d make no difference to anyone.

And I never have, until now.

It’s been over 3 years since then and I’ve rewatched the tapes many times and compared them to the ‘True version’ just as many, I’ve now decided that even if the world did know, no one would care.