Doctor Who 1x02 - The Daleks

Stark · 05-08-2010 12:18am #1

Finished it eventually.

I must say, after watching this, I completely understand classic series fans objections to the resurrected series.

There was very little not to like about the serial. The plot was well thought out. There were no deus ex machina resolutions, everything had a price. The story as a whole was well grounded. There was far more of a sci-fi vibe than a fantasy vibe evident. No magic sonic wands, no psychic paper, no Donna and the levers, just good old fashioned ingenuity and bravery.

I really liked how the Doctor was depicted as an explorer and not the demigod Messiah figure of later incarnations. And a flawed explorer like that. It was interesting how much of the mess the companions found themselves in due to his selfish act in sabotaging the TARDIS.

The flawed depiction of the Doctor and the imperfect relations between the characters reminded me very much of more mature sci-fi shows like Farscape. It made a massively refreshing change to the fawning and the gushing of the new series companions. I plan on watching more First Doctor serials just to see how the character relationships play out.

As for the companions themselves, I think William Russell's acting was a bit forced at times but I did enjoy how Ian was prepared to challenge the Doctor when necessary. Barbara I enjoyed as a female character. I thought she was excellently portrayed by Jacquelline Gill and she could display the natural human level of anxiety needed to get the audience to empathise with her situation and imagine the fear they'd be feeling whisked away to a foreign planet, while at the same time making a convincing display of child like wonder at the strange city. As for strong female characters, I thought what she did with the mud showed far more strength and bravery than running down corridors pointing a laser canon rifle at things. Susan could be a bit annoying but it was interesting to see her torn between loyalty to her grandfather and doing right by the other companions and occupants of the planets at times.

As for the Daleks themselves, this serial really showed up what a crock of ****e the new series Dalek episodes were. For the first time, I understand how they came to be an iconic series villain. There was a real sense of threat throughout the series despite their limited abilities. Especially, with the Doctor dying from radiation poisoning, I wasn't quite sure if all the companions would get out alive. The depiction of what they did to their home planet showed just how dangerous they could be. Having the serial in 7 parts allowed the story time to breathe as well. There was no rush to resolve things quickly.

Daemos · 05-08-2010 1:07am

I completely agree with everything above, it was a great episode.

The Daleks are completely different in this serial to any in the new series. They are much more evil, threatening to detonake a nuke just so they can keep going, simultaneously destroying the Thals. Now that's evil.

I was also impressed by the special effects. I know it shouldn't be as important as the story but bad effects do ruin thins, and they didn't do that here. Which, given that it's from 1963, is something to be noted.

And I have to confess that I couldn't finish watching the Dalek Invasion Of Earth, I couldn't get into it, but after seeing this I'm definately giving it another shot.

Doctor DooM · 05-08-2010 9:48am

A big thing for me here was just how little the companions trusted the Doctor. That felt very "real" to me, these are two people stolen from their lives, not (usually) young women awed by the wonder of the universe.

Playing his part the Doctor could be far from likable too. I smiled when he said "I shall do what I like". This is no lonely god but an impetuous imperious explorer.

EXCEPT for the moment when he railed against the daleks when he learned of their plan. I wonder if any of the righteous rants other doctors have gone on were inspired by the likes of this.

Man the Daleks are proper scary in this. I LOVED the tease of the mutant in the dalek shell. No reveal, they didn't need one.

To be honest Barbara felt a bit... naggy to me. I felt sorry for poor Ian!

I was also not hot on the episode spent climbing into the Dalek base. It felt like the plot stalled to me.

I get this episode was supposed to be "the human cost" but it felt like the plot stalled right there. I was anxious to see what'd happen when they hit the Dalek city.

But overall I can only mirror the above, excellent story, characters likably flawed, if occasionally... well, 1960 television-ey. Good solid sci fi, really enjoyed it.

Oh and I loved the design of the dalek city, alien cities were much cooler pre star wars/ alien.

ixoy · 05-08-2010 10:42am

In many ways this story set the template for Doctor Who adventures far mor so than "An Unearthly Child". It showed how Doctor Who could do an exciting, but sometimes scary, family adventure.

The Daleks here are brutally savage. They do seem like emotionless machines and it's something the new show could look at more instead of making them emotional or even farcical (as it did when it had them bitching with the Cybermen over who was the superior race).

The Doctor not being the Messiah here is good. He's just an explorer who can get out of his depth. He's not on some route to conquer the galaxy.

As to the companions: Ian Chatterton (I love to call him that) and Barbara were among the very best, in the show's run, for questioning the Doctor and not trusting him right off. Hell they're trapped with him - they don't want to really be there. Good chemistry between the cast as well. They're a very good example of why I've wanted to see a 2-companion dynamic of male/female in the show because they can spark off of each other.

Stark · 05-08-2010 1:52pm

From a continuity point of view, I notice the TARDIS can produce food for its travellers. Is this the case in the newer series? I notice in many of the new episodes, the Doctor and companions would make getting food a priority as soon as they stepped out of the TARDIS. Though that might simply reflect on the mindset of the show's executive producer

Doctor DooM · 05-08-2010 2:07pm

Stark wrote: »

From a continuity point of view, I notice the TARDIS can produce food for its travellers. Is this the case in the newer series? I notice in many of the new episodes, the Doctor and companions would make getting food a priority as soon as they stepped out of the TARDIS. Though that might simply reflect on the mindset of the show's executive producer

They don't touch on it at all in the new series afair, I think it's just something that's not considered time worthy (like the Tardis' plumbing arrangements).

Stark · 05-08-2010 3:19pm

Doctor DooM wrote: »

(like the Tardis' plumbing arrangements).

A missed toilet humour opportunity right there. RTD must be kicking himself.

popebenny16 · 10-08-2010 3:49pm

in terms of pacing and plot development it is very much of its time, and of the roots of the production team and actors.

I have always had a soft spot for this story, I first came to it having seen the Peter Cushing film version and as such found the plot too stretched out but then after a few years i found that i enjoyed this method a lot more.

the doctor here is a wonder, and if you want a comparison as to how times and attitudes change take a look at Rememberance of the Daleks, which would in retrospect ask you to believe that the Doctor here was acting deliberately all along, and that this is not his first visit to skaro ect.

Terry Nation cleverly fuses the Nazi imagery and Cold War fears in the story, where we as a a viewer in 2010 find these things a bit easier to strip down. No timelords, no davros, no Kaleds, (but we do have Dals).

The Daleks themselves are also totally not what they became, even in their next story. Here they are trying to survive, not conquer, they are designed to stay in their city and dont want to go out of it all all, we dont get "exterminate!! exterminate!!" and, most surprising of all, they are quite conversational.

The Doctor does seem here to be a slightly untrustworthy man, the idea that he cannot control the TARDIS being at odds with his efforts to ensure they get to explore (a point that was siezed upon by the late 80's production team), and it is interesting to get a glimpse of what he was at this stage - some sort of scientist or engineer, a pioneer amoungst his people, who can never go back.

Ian takes up the standard matinee action hero role very well, Barbara is the foil of the Doctor, asking the questions we all want to ask.

And the food machine is in there still, somewhere. Probably next to the swimming pool.

Doctor DooM · 13-08-2010 10:51am

Interesting stuff on the Daleks:

Ganatus is aware of the cultural conventions existing in England in the 1960s "We won't use one of the customs of your planet: "ladies first".

The Daleks are growing food with artificial sunlight, suggesting that they still need to eat. No evidence of this is revealed in later stories. They were later revealed to be lying.
The Dalek Geiger counter has the word danger written on it in English. This has been explained in later stories as a result of the TARDIS's telepathic circuits.
The Doctor reveals that there is a large age gap between him and Susan.
The Doctor reveals that he was once a pioneer amongst his people.
There seems to be a big debate whether this story is set in the present past or future.
Bands of sticky tape were affixed around the shoulder section of the Daleks after William Hartnell cut himself on one of the metal bands.
The famous Dalek catchphrase – "Exterminate!" – is not used in this story, though the Daleks refer to "extermination".

There's more interesting stuff but I think it'll ruin Genesis of the Daleks to discuss it.

Doctor Who 1x02 - The Daleks

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