Writer: Terry Nation
Original Broadcast Date: 21 December 1963 - 1 February 1964
What else could follow the very first Doctor Who story? Well, only the very first Dalek story of course! After a mediocre start with the caveman serial, The Daleks is a streak of brilliance, providing fantastic and compelling plot elements and the introduction to everyone's favourite pepper-pot mutants!
Sombre and scary is the only way I can describe the first episode. The TARDIS team, less of a team than a random grouping at the moment, land on the planet Skaro, in a petrified forest. Trees, plants, and all life turned to stone. But beyond the tangle of the stone trees lies a city, seemingly untouched. In this first episode there is quite a lovely atmosphere created by the seemingly dead planet, which makes allows for a lovely shock in the cliffhanger, which remains iconic to this day.
Episode 2 and 3 are not quite as good as the first episode, lacking a certain mood the first episode had, but are nonetheless great episodes. But it is the later 3 episodes that I love most, with the expedition across Skaro, providing a rare insight into the life beyond the Dalek city. Ian is on top form in this episode, hiding inside Dalek casing and encouraging a Thal revolution. Barbara is given a nice romance with one of the locals (not a Dalek). Susan and the Doctor are sidelined slightly but I don't mind as Bill gives some wonderful performances throughout.
While not the best Dalek story, The Daleks is an intriguing, atmospheric and thrilling adventure that gives wonderful ideas of The Daleks, Thals and their planet, Skaro. The only solid fault in this episode is the resolution, or rather the final showdown, which felt was rushed and a little sloppy. Other than that this is a wonderful story that I recommend!
8.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment