Possibly the most political and not so subtle story in who history, with it's incredibly dark, powerful world and beautifully written statements and characters it's a very honest reflection of its parody. It's a perfect example of passion and teamwork. Everyone from the brilliant main cast/supporting cast, the excellent writing team to Terry Nation, Terrance dicks and Phillip Hincliffs willing to push the show to be great and new, but making sure it works. To the amazing direction by David Maloney to make some beautiful and yet horrific imagery and shadowing. Plus the sets, music and sounds too. When you work as a team with strong passionate players you can create gold.
Nowadays your not allowed to have fair critism, which will slowly kill great art, as an actor you are right to defend your work etc but you need to be open to others ideas/opinions because that feedback could make it far better. Id never turn around to my fellow actors/directors and say well your just a hater! Feedback/criticism is fair just dont be a Davros about it. The sole reason this story was made as great as it is was is due to Terrance Dicks critically asking for Terry Nation to try something new. Terry did and using some of his orignal ideas for the origin of the Daleks in the tv 21 centary comics "Genesis of Evil" the story was born.
Terry Nation has written some excellent stories such as "The Daleks" and although i enjoy "The Dalek Invasion of earth" i dont think his Dalek work is anything too out standing, heres deffintaly good and makes it fun and spooky but part from the original two Dalek stories theres not alot of themes, or much character development or world building. "The Daleks master-plan" was only idea of his so i wouldnt class that as apart of my point. I personally perfer David Whittakers writing for the Daleks, hes does something new and does some brillant character writting as everyone is reflected through each other.
Howerever here Terry Nation has done very similar and brought back the themes from his original Dalek story and made some stronger characters and world building here too. Immeditaly once we hear what the drs mission is, this world is bleak and horrific. We see soldiers being gun down in slow motion, dead bodies being used as fake real solders in the trenches and we meet a young, voilent and loud Kaled whos really been sold/corrupted this idea of a perfect new world. Shown brillantly as he screams across the map of skaro and acts very simalir to Hitler/Davros himself and his followers. The kaleds all wear black suits with seeing eyes on there collars and some with a band across there arms, they also stamp and salute. Talk about not so subtle and with themes like this it shouldn't have to be. We sadly dont see much of him later on but he was a perfect first character for us to meet, it sells this harsh world and reflects/forshadows how Davros/nazis/fascits can miniuplte you with an unrealstic view.
We see three sides to this war. The Kaleds, the Thals and the mutos. It was brillant that Terry at the start of this story showed us how both sides are no better then each other, both horrfic. We see Davros's side and the mutants/travel machines he's creating and the slow fear he has over the scientists. Then we see the thals rough nature and how they have many prisoners in a camp forced to make the rocket missile. It was very clever to show at the start the Thals being more physically bullying and have the kaleds be more mentally bullying. It shows the two sides of fascism and really makes you think Davros side isn't really that bad, almost like the story leads you to there side. Of course throught we see this really amazing arc for the thals as they change there nature and become more friendly and try stop Davros and help the drs and his friends. It does happen to quickly though and the only reason why is because of Davros tricking them into thinking they made peace and then has his Daleks slaughter them. It's a good enough reason but I do feel a scene with the thals and the mutos after all there nasty talk to them, needed to show them making pace or one muto maybe saving the other to show respect and sportsmanship. As it's really fascinating to see how the thals will eventually take on there morals of keeping life and not destroying it.
Davros is played beautifully by Michael Wisher. A truly dedicated actor. Hearing the stories of how he used to sit a chair with a bag on his head in rehearsals really shows he wanted to nailed this very limited performance to show how even in his crippled small scale he's got lots of power and influence. The way this Davros shouts and speaks is so creepy and really did scare me as a kid.
Davros is an incredibly interesting character throughout, he starts out as dedicated to saving his race but becomes utterly ruthless about achieving it and eventually becomes joyous about the idea of not only will it save his race it will give him power. We see this through the many incredible scenes with the Dr as he suggests to Davros after telling him all the Daleks defeats why not be remembered for doing some good and how the Daleks are evil. What makes Davros such a great character and a perfect fascist is that he doesn't see how there evil. He views life in his realistic way which turns out to be very unrealistic as we know the Daleks. One life must survive, survival needs dominance, ruthlessness and power. He even willingly destorys his own peoples city dome to fake a peaceful end and fear his people, which is what alot of facists do, lie and abuse there own people. The innocent must become a warrior to be safe. Its brilliant writing that makes the final moments of how he nearly achieve this but only to have his creation see him as someone in the way so perfectly satisfying.
The side characters are also great here, mainly from the kaleds which is a shame from the thals Pov but we do get an excellent thal soldier Bettan who takes charge in the end and plans to seal Davros in his chamber. Shes great fun. I do wish there was more women characters here because it's not like there wasn't many apart the Nazi regime. Nyder is an excellent character too he's incredibly loyal/dedicated to Davros and his plans. While we sadly don't get too much development wise or learn more about him, there is a hint that he does fear Davros and I do think it was best to keep one character very loyal to Davros and be killed off by the Daleks. It's incredibly creepy to see just he close he acts like Davros, almost as if like the Daleks he sees him as a child of his. The scientist Raven is also great we see his excitement and enthusiasm for Davros's creations then start to doubt and then fear him which something all of the other scientist begin to do, fear and then appose him. Which leads to one of my favourite scenes. Davros and Nyder hold a vote for continuing the Daleks or destory them. He's incredibly minuplute to the people/scientists here, including one who Davros gave a replacement heart and asks "will you now turn that heart against me" it's brilliant.
The dr here also goes on an incredibly interesting arc and it shows how strong of actor/Dr Tom was to nail the serious tones of this story. Especially in one scene as he believed Sarah and Harry died, he's expressions are so heartbreaking. Throughout he has one mission, to destory or slightly change the Daleks, although I would liked more scenes of the Dr trying to get Davros to change to really expand this theme, what we get works just as well. Arguably the Dr is the one who gives Davros the ego/idea to push for the Daleks here. We see Davros take the drs moral questions of would you break the glass of infection that could wipe out everything. Davros becomes full of ego of the idea of how much power that pressure of his thumb could do, even though he's already doing this. He also gives him the ego of how his Daleks go on, meaning if Dr was more careful he wouldn't have been pushed to make them become so superior and only as a means to keep the thals/kaleds alive.
Which leads the one of the greatest moments in doctor who history. "Do I have the right". It's an incredibly honest/beautifully written scene that sets this show higher than other science fiction. Most are the baddies are bad and must die because I'm a hero I'm good. That's it and yet here we see why I love the Dr. The Dr isn't a hero, he does what he thinks is right and tries to give everything another way and hopes they'll take it. I utterly love the way this scene is written having Sarah Jane be so innocent about it all and say what us the audience feels. It's the Daleks how can you not do it Dr! Because if he did he'd be no better than Davros, no better than the persure of the thumb and no better than the Daleks. We also see how although the Daleks cause pain and destruction we do know they can create hope. Hope for peace, races teaming up with another to stop them when they never thought they would. Look at earth and draconia, they became friends to stop the Daleks. It's just brilliant subtext. My only issue with this scene is that it's slightly ruined near the end. The Dr goes back to finish the job this time and a Dalek catches him and instead the Dalek blows up the Dalek mutants. Which is fine however if that said Dalek didn't come would he of killed them? It slightly undermines that original struggle of the "do I have the right" for me.
Music and directions here also very good, David Maloney creates some amazing imagery with the Daleks, such as having there shadows appear in the scene first, the Dalek looking over the trenches and Davros lightly tapping his control panel in the darkness with explosions in the background. It's incredibly creepy. The music adds to this grim tension too. Especially as the Daleks journey through the city to Davros.
Genesis Is an excellent story and although it ties with "Power of the Daleks" I still love it. There's only minor things that lower it.
1 out of 1 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
