 | Doctor Who and The Revelation of the Daleks |
Doctor Who and The Revelation of the Daleks
Story 142
23-30 March, 1985
Davros has once again escaped the jaws of death only to establish a new hatchery for his Daleks on the planet Necros, where Tranquil Repose promises the dying of the universe a longer lease on life. In the cold mausoleums and funeral halls lurk dark secrets that threaten all of life. As the Doctor steps further into an elaborate trap, Davros prepares for the unveiling of his new creations on the galaxy.
The Daleks have always held a special place in Doctor Who. The first of the monsters, they are also the best and most bizarre. Strongly used sometimes and not so much others, they really came into their own in the 1980's when the JNT era showcased the baddies in a somewhat connected trilogy. Following the grande guignol that was Resurrection of the Daleks in which nearly everyone on screen met a violent end, Eric Saward's homage to Evelyn Waugh's the Loved One (I highly recommend the wonderful film by Tony Richardson by the way) was if anything, more of a gruesome adventure.
A friend of the Doctor's has sent a message from the planet Necros where a funeral mecca called tranquil repose is experiencing a massive boom in business. For those able to afford it (usually the wealthy and the politically important), a service of cryogenic suspension is provided, allowing the dying to stay alive a little longer while a cure to their various ailments is found.
Of course, it soon becomes apparent that there is a sinister spider at the heart of the organization. Known as the 'Great Healer,' Davros is conducting genetic experiments on the remains of Tranquil Repose's customers to construct a new breed of Daleks. Encased in gleaming white and gold, these Daleks are absolutely obedient to their creator and offer none of the problems that his first creations have wrought.
The Doctor discovers his own grave
But there is more than one secret to Tranquil Repose. Kara and the Great Healer are corroborating in producing food stuff from the dead bodies to fight famine throughout the galaxy. What Kara perhaps does not realize is that the brains of the dead are being housed in redesigned Daleks. Worried that she may be undone by Davros, Kara hires a mercenary Orcini to assassinate Davros in his lair. However, two of Tranquil Repose's staff have decided that they should take things into their own hands and have contacted the Daleks to remove Davros from Necros entirely.
You can see that all of these various plots combine in a violent and nasty conclusion. It also makes for one of the most inspired Dalek stories since Evil of the Daleks in 1968.
While he does get some stick for being over the top and camp, Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor had a magnificent first series. Graced with three returning monsters, the Master and a dual Doctor story, 1985 may have been a turbulent year for the program's future, but there are plenty of corkers in the 22nd series with Revelation of the Daleks cited as one of them, even by those who dislike Baker as the Doctor.
Necros Daleks
The Sixth Doctor can easily be seen as an egocentric and bombastic alien with childlike tendencies in his first year. Actor Colin Baker was reportedly over the moon at getting the chance to play the most coveted role on TV and had a scheme to alter his performance over time; starting out as irascible and harsh at first to soften later on. There are traces of this concept in series 23 as he starts out as a loud and disagreeable dandy in Attack of the Cybermen but is much more toned down in Revelation of the Daleks. Of course, it helps that he is assisted by an excellent cast including Eleanor Bron as Kara, Alexei Sayle as the DJ, Hugh Walters as Vogel and William Gaunt as Orcini. Not to mention Terry Molloy who overshadows the story as Davros.
The soundtrack by Roger Limb is one of the best of the series, embodying the synthetic music of the time in the strange and creepy tradition of Tristram Cary and Peter Howell. The sinister threat of the Daleks along with the danger to the Doctor heightens from scene to scene as the Doctor stumbles deeper into Davros' web.
The cast, setting, soundtrack, make-up and effects are in such fine form that it is a return to greatness after the rather shoddy effort earlier in the year, Timelash. Filmed on location at the futuristic IBM building in Portsmouth, the planet Necros has a tangible atmosphere aided by the swirling mist, snow-dusted terrain and the apparently deserted exterior of Tranquil Repose, surrounded by a moss-covered wall. There's a feeling of dread that permeates the entire production starting with the mutant attack and carrying through to the Doctor facing his own death upon discovering a monument erected in his memory. Even the ordinarily arrogant and self assured Doctor seems out of his element.
'Doctor Who - Revelation of the Daleks' clip
watch?v=VCcjTPFuVxI
Saward has been charged with including an element of extreme violence and dark humor that challenged the sensibilities of the viewers and BBC executives alike who saw a family program become a very different experience. Speaking as someone who enjoys this era, I can agree that this is a fair judgement, but it is also a reflection of the times. It should also be noted that as an actor, Colin Baker retains the role of hero in playing the Doctor, even if it is a rather different take on the idea. Saward had attempted to capture a Shakespearean level of grim cosmic theatrical violence in his previous monster stories Earthshock and Resurrection of the Daleks with mixed results, but in this case all of the various parts come together.
Director Graham Harper, returning after the stunning Caves of Androzani the year before, perfectly understands this modern take on Doctor Who and the result is an exciting, strange and creepy story that is still fondly remembered to this day. Harper is still bringing his sharp eye to Doctor Who today, directing some of the most challenging of the new program's adventures including the Cybermen vs. Daleks affair in Doomsday.
Just yesterday, an exclusive set of Daleks, Davros (with missing hand) and the sixth variation of Colin Baker as the Doctor, complete with mourning cloak was announced. The image below looks a trifle odd, but it may be a prototype picture.
In this exclusive sets we present Davros, a Necros Dalek, a Skaro Dalek and the Sixth Doctor in his blue mourning cloak.
The set can be pre-ordered at Mike's Comics in the US.
Buy Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks on DVD
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