The Power of the Daleks (10/10)
BBC Audio, September 1993. Narrated by Tom Baker.
Starring Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze.
Written by David Whitaker. Music by Tristram Cary.
Set between The Tenth Planet and The Highlanders.
I simply cant give this story less than 10/10. It’s about as good as 60s Who gets. In his first-ever Doctor Who story, Patrick Troughton is nothing short of amazing. We have the ability of hindsight to know that Patrick Troughton would make an excellent Doctor, but how uncertain must it have been for the viewers of winter, 1966? It’s dark outside and chilling on the television. Troughton starts as a crazy person, our first sighting of post-regeneration madness. We can retrofit it as the insanity of a brain full of newly refreshed braincells but it’s clear that the intention of the 1966 production team that this was renewal. The same Doctor, but with a younger body.
Compared to the previous Dalek story The Daleks’ Master Plan this is a lot simpler. No dashing about from planet to planet, no epic plan to take over the galaxy. Rather like Rob Shearman’s Dalek we have a colony with a viper in its nest. In his story we have just one Dalek but in this there are three. At first.
There’s also a wonderful character progression for Lesterson in this story. In a lot of Doctor Who you’ll get the sane person who suddenly goes insane in the last couple of episodes but here it’s done so believably by Robert James that you can really feel his terror as he changes from single-minded scientist to suspicious controller to man who realises the full horror of what he has released upon the world.
The Production Line sequence is probably the second most talked about scene in this story. The remaining video footage is impressive with director Christopher Barry at his best. This sequence is less impressive on audio with the sequence just omitted as it’s all clunks and whirrs.
The supporting cast, Hensall, Kebble, Valmar, Resno and Quinn are a bit dull but more than made up for by the strong performances of Bernard Archard, Pamela Ann Davy and Robert James. Robert James would reappear in the Fourth Doctor story The Masque of Mandragora and Bernard Archard would be seen again as the instrument of Sutekh inThe Pyramids of Mars.
The Music of this story has been previously used in other shows, most notably the original The Daleks episodes but they’ve never stood out like they do here. From examining the Radiophonic Workshop music there’s something which sounds just like Delia Derbyshire’s famous lampshade being played backwards. The music is more important in this story than probably any other Troughton excepting the Cyberman tunes. Worth paying attention to the next time you listen!
Lesterson: “Just think what they could do for our mining programme; our processing; packaging; dozens of labour jobs, Governor. it may even supply the end to this colony’s problems!”
Doctor: “Yes, it will end the colony’s problems because it will end the colony!”
Dalek: “I AM YOUR SERVANT!”
Lesterson: “It… it spoke! Janley, did you hear it? It can actually talk!”
Doctor: “It can do many things, Lesterson. But the thing it does most efficiently is exterminate human beings!”
As I have already mentioned, the Daleks close the Second Doctor’s first season and they were also chosen to be his first foes. Written by the show’s original Story Editor, we see the Daleks at their most cunning.
There’s a very odd style of narration to this. The links are read by Tom Baker in character as the Fourth Doctor, passing judgement on his previous incarnation and telling you in first person terms what he was thinking and doing. It’s rather interesting when he makes references to Terileptils and other anachronisms.
Beginning in November 1966, viewers must have been reeling from the beloved William Hartnell collapsing and changing the week before into a different man. No nine-month wait for them, the new Doctor would be there in a mere seven days. The cold winter’s evening must have had a captive audience…
IF YOU READ FURTHER BEFORE PLAYING YOU WILL SPOIL THE STORY FOR YOURSELF!
The Power of the Daleks - Complete Synopsis
BBC Audio, September 1993. Narrated by Tom Baker.
256K
Episode 1 (5th November 1966, 5.50pm)
At the North Pole, following the events with the Cybermen, a man lies unconcious on the floor of the TARDIS. Polly believes that the man is the Doctor, but Ben is not so sure. He thinks that it’s impossible the Doctor’s changed and that somehow an intruder has taken his place. The man rises, suffering from pain and flicks switches on the TARDIS, setting it in motion. The man searches through a chest for a mirror and when he looks into it he sees the face of a white-haired gentleman which slowly transforms into a younger, dark-haired face. Erratic, this man continues ransacking the chest before finding a recorder and a 500-yr diary. The former Doctor’s ring does not fit him and he explains that he is the Doctor, but has been renewed. As they land on an alien planet he quickly leaves for a walk outside.
It is the planet Vulcan (no, not that one) a misty barren planet. The TARDIS has landed in a mercury swamp. The Doctor meets a man who announces he’s from Earth but suddenly he is shot dead by an unseen assailant. The Doctor examines the body and finds a card “Earth Examiner – Accord every access”. Suddenly he’s knocked unconcious by the assailant and an incriminating button placed in his hand.
Elsewhere in the swamp Polly as been choked by a jet of vapour from a pool of quicksilver. Ben tries to help, but he too is overpowered by it. Two men, Bragen and Quinn find the Doctor and Bragen’s guards bring Polly and Ben away from danger.
Inside the human’s base, a scientist called Lesterson polishes some metal from a space capsule which was found in the mercury swamp. His assistant, Janley, is a woman with a political agenda. She is an agitator, but cannot enlist Lesterson in her cause. A single-minded man, he is only interested in the capsule.
In a rest room, the Doctor is annoying Ben by playing the recorder instead of talking, two blows for yes, one blow for No. This is an earth colony and its Governor, Hensell enters. The Doctor has been confused with the Earth Examiner and he makes no attempt to dissuade them from this line of thinking. The Governor wants to know why the examiner is there as they have not been informed. The Doctor will not answer but examines him and his assistant, Bragen, looking at their clothes for missing buttons and watching Bragen to see if he agrees with Hensall’s opinions. Hensall asks if it’s about Lesterson’s Space Capsule.
The Governor issues an order that no-one is to go near the examiner, making Bragen prevent Quinn from speaking to him. It is evident that Bragen and Quinn do not like each other.
The “examiner”, Ben, Polly and Hensell go to see Lesterson and the capsule is opened. There is a second compartment which Lesterson says he can’t open without calculations. The “Examiner” orders them to leave it until morning and departs. Hensell believes that Lesterson has summoned the examiner but Lesterson has no knowledge of such a thing.
Late at night the Doctor sneaks into the lab to examine the capsule, followed by Ben and Polly. The Doctor opens the inner compartment revealing three inert Daleks. In the shadows a creature moves…
Episode 2 (12th November 1966, 5.49pm)
So distracted by the creature, which scuttles away into a crevice, are the three travellers that they are surprised to see only two Dalek machines in the room with them. Where did the third one go? Ben is unconcerned but the Doctor states that it would only take one Dalek to wipe out the colony (see the 2005 episode Dalek).
Quinn and Bragen have a tussle with Quinn the victor. Quinn was looking for the Examiner and Bragen orders the guards to locate him.
Lesterson find the Doctor and friends in his laboratory. The Doctor accuses Lesterson of removing the missing Dalek. Bragen enters, finds the Doctor and escorts him from the room. When Lesterson is alone heopens a secret compartment in the Dalek capsule, revealing the third Dalek.
Back in their quarters, Bragen tells the ‘Examiner’ that discretion is a wise idea as rebels abound in the colony. The Governor will not see anyone when he has closed his door for the night. After he leaves the Doctor reveals a bug in the fruit basket to his astonished friends. Ben suggests leaving as there’s nothing to stick around for. The Doctor reminds him of the creature in the capsule, saying he knows what it is and that they must stay. The Doctor (who seems to have forgotten he’s not the real Examiner) will radio Earth to gain support.
Lesterson has enlisted Janley and another assistant, Resno, to help him perform experiments on the Dalek. He is attempting to bring it back to life by feeding power into it. Not knowing what the Dalek’s “short stubby arm” is for, they are horrified when the Dalek spins round and blasts Resno, Lesterson immediately cutting power. Janley quickly examines Resno and says he will need medical attention, but secretly as the examiner will no doubt put a halt to their experiments.
When the Doctor arrives at the radio room he finds the equipment smashed and the operator unconcious, struck down from behind. He also finds Quinn hiding in the room with a spanner. Bragen discovers the two of them there. The Doctor shows the button to Bragen who recognises it as Quinn’s. He is quickly detained as the prime suspect.
The next morning Polly is defending Quinn while Ben is in the belief that Quinn is the responsible party. The Doctor and friends attend an enquiry into Quinn’s guilt, presided over by Hensall. As Quinn protests his innocence the meeting is suddenly disturbed by Lesterson bursting in with an urgent demonstration. Janley leads the Dalek into the room. To the Doctor’s horror the Dalek recognises him, but as the gun has been removed it cannot kill him.
Lesterson excitedly exclaims to Hensall that the Dalek can be a boon to the colony, the doctor disagrees vehemently but no-one will listen to him when the Dalek exclaims,
I AM YOUR SERVANT!
Episode 3 (19th November 1966, 5.52pm)
Lesterson asks a rapt Governor for permission to continue work on the Dalek. To the Doctor’s incredulity Hensall agrees. Still maintaining the appearance as Examiner, the Doctor storms out saying he will contact Earth when the radio is repaired.
After Lesterson leaves with his Dalek the enquiry into Quinn’s guilt continues. Quinn explains that he cannot be guilty as it was he who summoned the Examiner in an attempt to deal with the growing Rebel situation. Bragen persuades Hensall that this is the attempt ot Quinn to seize power from him. Hensall sends Quinn to the cells in a fit of pique.
Lesterson is testing the Dalek’s knowledge. It has a complex understanding of Chemistry and is just beginning to reveal its knowledge of physics when the Doctor enters and connects it to a power unit, hurting it but not causing any lasting damage. The Doctor is ejected from the laboratory.
Janley and Bragen discuss that they’re using the rebels to take over and when that’s complete Bragen, then as Governor, will crush them. This is obviously exposition and will make what happens in the next episode a little bit of a non-mystery. Janley reveals that the Dalek did in fact kill Resno and his body was dumped in the mercury swamp. She predicts that if Lesterson causes trouble it will be a valuable hold over him.
Polly and Ben are looking for the Doctor. They split up and Polly bumps into Janley who sends her straight into the clutches of her compadre, Valmar. She is immediately kidnapped and whisked away.
Ben has found the Doctor but is now concerned about the now-missing Polly and drags him away to kick up a fuss.
The Dalek sees a machine that detects meteorites heading towards Vulcan. It is not impressed with the machine’s abilities and tells him that it can build a machine with 100% accuracy if Lesterson brings it the right materials and supplies it with power. Lesterson rushes off to get Hensall’s OK. After he leaves the Doctor appears with Ben (he’s made them detour on the way to report Polly) and the Dalek tries to bar their way. As Lesterson had removed the gun following the Resno incident, it cannot stop them. The Doctor pushes past into the capsule and comes face to face with some Daleks with guns that are far from dormant.
They wisely choose to run away and arrive at Hensall’s office. Hensall is giving Lesterson carte blanche to do as he sees fit. Lesterson looks at the Doctor and asks for a guard on the lab door. Hensall leaves, it is time for his annual tour of the colony and he leaves Bragen in charge. Ben tells Bragen about Polly who says he will look into it.
Bragen visits the Doctor and Ben in their quarters. Bragen tells the Doctor that he doesn’t believe the Doctor is the Examiner. The Doctor realises that Bragen must be the murderer but neither of them are in a position where they can be sure they would be believed. For the time being there is a stalemate. After Bragen leaves a sheet of paper is pushed under their door warning them to leave Lesterson and the Dalek alone if they want Polly to remain safe.
Back in the laboratory Lesterson tells the Daleks that materials and power has been agreed. Excitedly the Daleks chant,
“We will get our power! We will get our power!”
Episode 4 (26th November 1966, 5.50pm)
Lesterson seeks to remind the Daleks who’s the boss by turning the power off, reducing their energy levels drasticaly. The Daleks agree to do what he says and he turns the power back on. The Daleks (in what can only be seen as a sarcastic tone) calls him Master before handing over the blueprints of their meteor-detecting machine.
Back in the Governor’s office Ben and the Doctor and Ben push their way in to ask Bragen about the progress on finding Polly. Bragen has no news for them and suggests they look for themselves. As they leave they pass a Dalek acting as a servant to Bragen. The Doctor postulates that the Daleks will need additional power to move about on the non-metallic floors as they get about by generating a Static Electric field.
As the Doctor and Ben pass down the corridor, Janley and another colonist Kebble are loitering at a noticeboard. Three Daleks pass them and the Doctor realises with horror that there are now four Daleks at large.
In the laboratory Lesterson is beginning to wonder how the Daleks are getting through so many materials so quickly. He begins to suspect that they’re not as harmless as he thought, telling Janley that he either controls them or he will have them destroyed. He will also question the ‘Examiner’ to see what he knows about them. Janley will not stand for this and reveals Resno’s death, blaming him for it.
They are joined by the Doctor and Ben. The Doctor mentions that they’ve seen four Daleks and Lesterson confirms there were only three in the capsule. The Doctor speculates that they must be reproducing, saying that they are not mere robots, but brilliant engineers. Nothing is beyond them, given the right materials. Lesterson has a breakdown. To protect her pawn, Janley has the Doctor and Ben thrown out by the guard. Lesterson is sent to rest leaving Janley to take advantage of the situation to lay the Daleks’ power cables throughout the colony.
Ben remarks on how many people are paying close attention to the noticeboard. The Doctor spots a coded message about a meeting that night. They conceal themselves in the room before time and watch as Janley, Valmar, Kebble, a Dalek and Bragen enter. The Dalek is fitted with its gun, but a controlling mechanism has been fitted which will stop the Daleks from killing their own people. Ben and the Doctor are discovered.
Bragen has produced the body of the real examiner. The Doctor is sent to the cells where he’s locked up with Quinn. The door, he notes, works on a sonic lock. He searches his pockets for anything which will unlock it.
Lesterson is watching the Daleks from a hidden vantage point. He sees them conspiring and is appalled to see that there are indeed four Daleks. But worse still, inside the capsule there is a production line. Dalek machines are rolling off very quickly, 9, 10, 11… Each casing has a mutant creature placed inside it which is instantly ready to destroy.
Episode 5 (3rd December 1966 5.52pm)
Lesterson runs out of the capsule. He’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown from this point on. Turning off the power he raves at Janley about melting them down, not frightened of her blackmail any more, he doesn’t care. A Dalek emerges to see why the power was stopped. Lesterson tries to exert his authority but the Dalek states that they can store their own power. They are not going to just cease moving. Lesterson flees, the Examiner will know what to do. The Dalek returns to the capsule giving a command that no more than three Daleks are to be seen at any time. They are not yet ready to seize control.
Lesterson bursts into the holding cells confirming to the Doctor that the Daleks are duplicating. He is quickly hurried away to Bragen’s office where a Dalek is laying the new power cables which will allow them to more easily convert the colony’s electricity to the static electricity which they operate on. Lesterson tries to have this stopped, but Janley has followed him there. With Bragen’s connivance she infers that Lesterson needs a long rest.
Polly, meanwhile is being held by two of Janley’s co-rebels, Valmar and Kebble. While they work on the Daleks’ requirements she tries to persuade them of the evil of the Daleks. She’s beginning to have an effect on one of them before she slips up by insulting Janley, who Valmar has a crush on.
Governor Hensall returns from his tour of the colony and find that Bragen has usurped him. He offers Hensall a role as a figurehead, a puppet ruled by Bragen. Hensall refuses. Bragen has his servant Dalek kill Hensall.
Why do Human Beings kill other Human Beings?
asks the Dalek. Bragen brushes off this question.
Quinn and the Doctor have escaped and made their way to the Governor’s office. Bragen has them seized and sent back to their cells. He tells them that he is now going to declare Martial Law.
In the capsule the Daleks are ready. Orders have been received: kill all humans. They surge out into the colony…
Episode 6 (10th December 1966, 5.52pm)
Bragen tells Janley that he wants the rebels killed to stop any potential rebellion against him. Janley tries to have the sentence commuted to prison but he is adamant. She reluctantly agrees and is horrified to see him that he had had a gun ready if she had disagreed.
The Doctor and Quinn escape, bumping into Polly and Ben in a corridor. Daleks are killing Guards close by. Polly, Ben and the Doctor rush off towards Lesterson’s Lab but are diverted by a Dalek.
Valmar and Janley have both gone to Lesterson’s Lab to fetch Daleks to use against Bragen’s guards. They follow behind one, using it as a tank. But the Daleks are not just killing Bragen’s guards, they also kill the rebels. The death toll rises unabated. It is wild slaughter that even in audio sounds terrifying.
Arriving in Lesterson’s laboratory, the Doctor, Ben and Polly meet Lesterson who has clearly snapped. He believes that mankind’s days are over and they must move aside for the Daleks. Lesterson does know that Valmar had laid a secret cable to deal with the Daleks and the three travellers rush off in search of him. They find him cradling the body of Janley. Valmar will take the Doctor to work on the secret cable, but they will need time.
Quinn rushes off to Bragen; his Guards are to keep the Daleks occupied so the Doctor can complete the work.
The Doctor rushes into the capsule just as a Dalek arrives in the lab. It kills Lesterson and then has Polly and Ben in its sights. The Doctor connects the cable in the nick of time, sending a high-ampage dose of power through the colony, overfeeding the Daleks and causing their destruction.
Quinn is to rebuild the colony and repair the damage caused by the Doctor’s handiwork. The Doctorm Ben and Polly leave in the TARDIS.
Replies
Thanks, it's a wonderful story.
I had a really low res copy of this (with a different narrator than the brilliant Tom Baker, doing the intro and narration for the mors visual bits of the show- and this one is even better!) A great way to see the sets and sfx in 3d of the Theatre of the Mind and experience the timeless classics of Troughton WHO with the groovy Tom as your guide to the 3rd Doctor!
I love these "Lost" who AD's from the TV shows (Video lost to budget constraints, but the audio saved- at times by fans) a recreated to the Theatre of the Mind!
Thank you RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Tom speaks as the 4th Doc remembering an old adventure in 1st person!
BRILLIANT!
I took out the derogatory statements of the reviewer who didn't like this approach. I thought it was very interesting and good. I also have Fury From The Deep done in the same way by Tom Baker. It is also at 256K. I was working on posting it when I pooped out. Tomorrow is another day. ------------------- R
PS- Did you like the Spoiler Alert?
Awesome my friend!
I mean having the original TV show would be great- but ALOT of early shows were lost to the mists of time and budget constraints- so this IS a brilliant way to enjoy them!
Whether driving in your car- or working in the yard- traveling with the doc is the only way to hop time and Space.
;-)
There is another redo of that . it has Stills from the TV show flashed while you listen to the audio. I guess they found a partial rell in Australia or Kenya, not sure which. ----------- R
thanks for sharing