| RESURRECTION OF THE DALEKS by Eric Saward |
| Story 133 Synopsis: The TARDIS has become caught in a time corridor. On Earth, some rebels try to escape into London, but are mercilessly shot down. One, Stien, escapes. Landing nearby, the Doctor investigates a warehouse, where Turlough disappears. The Doctor and Tegan meet some people from the army. At the other end of the corridor, Turlough finds a space station which has been attacked by the Daleks, who rescue and revive Davros. The Doctor and Stien take the TARDIS to the space station, where Stien reveals he is a Dalek agent. The Doctor is to have his memories taken, and then duplicates used to attack the High Council, on Gallifrey. Stien's condition breaks down, and he releases the Doctor. Turlough makes contact with some of the space station staff, who are trying to thwart the Daleks. Davros has a device he uses to take over some Daleks. He intends to re-engineer the Daleks so that they will only obey him. The Doctor tries to execute Davros, but fails. He uses a sample of the Movellan virus to destroy the Daleks who travel to Earth, whilst Stien destroys the space station. Davros succumbs to the virus. Sickened by the killing, Tegan opts to leave the TARDIS, to the Doctor's surprise. |
| Review:- Caught in a time corridor on leaving Frontios, the Doctor can have little idea what awaits him when he walks out on Butler's Wharf. But one of his most dangerous adventures involves the threat of an attack on all sides, and the loss of all he holds dear. Recently, Eric Saward told DWm that he feels this is his worst story. Modesty perhaps, and I can't immediately think what I would suggest instead, but it's a lot better than people seem to think. It's certainly no crime to think big, and the production gives that feeling of epic scale. The opening scenes on the space station soon give way to a desparate struggle against the relentlessly ruthless Daleks. Even though they are said to be struggling galactically, there is little doubt that they're still superior to the humans, and they expect that Davros will soon put them back on top elsewhere. So, planning an attack on Gallifrey is not overdoing it, as some suggest. Indeed, it represents bold planning, dealing with the Doctor since he turns up by mistake. The rebels who try to evade Lytton down the time corridor are more victims of the Daleks' success. But where they come a cropper is in the details. Stien is deficient, and lets the Doctor free, and ultimately destroying the station. Davros won't play at all, and is soon mobilising a resistance of his own, to the oblivion of the Black Dalek, let alone Lytton. The Movellan virus is a cunning Maguffin, really, as much as the dodgy self-destruct switch turns out to be. The latter could be as much a nod to past tales as any other, but the overall feel is fresh and powerful. The regulars are all well used. Tegan spends a lot of time injured, but helps ground the Earth scenes where she excels in a way that she wouldn't have done had she gone to the station earlier. Turlough shines, showing intelligence and independence on his own, and subtly motivating and encouraging Mercer and the others. The Doctor, ultimately, is manipulated by the Daleks, but soon fights back. Indeed, he seems to become determined in a way seldom seen before. Perhaps in a nod to his earlier strife in Warriors Of The Deep, he decides to tackle Davros once and for all. He may give Davros a chance, but the fact remains that he intends to kill Davros, which is rather curious. His failure is predictable, and welcome, although his final destruction of the Daleks in the warehouse takes him into quite merciless territory. Perhaps this is the worst part of the serial. So, Lytton decides to cut his losses and stay in London - and then so does Tegan, in a slightly abrupt ending to her tenure in the TARDIS. But only one of them would make a comeback. Overall, I would recommend this as an exciting tale with good use of the Daleks. |
| Disclaimer: I've seen the video. |