The fifth Doctor, Peter Davison (he of the blonde hair, cricketing whites and celery stick), accompanied by Tegan and Turlough, lands on Earth once more after a few anxious moments trapped in a time corridor (accompanied by some dodgy camera-shaking as the cast hurl themselves around the static set), and straight into a mess of trouble. Meanwhile, in a place far away on a prison planet, the Daleks and their ‘helpers’ are trying to liberate its only inmate, but why?
After years of fighting the rivals, the Movellans, the Daleks are under threat from a Movellan-created virus to which they have no immunity. The Daleks are convinced that Davros, their creator, has the ability to find an antidote. Sure enough, he can, but he decides he can do so much more for the Daleks now that he is back in charge, but the Supreme Dalek has a different opinion about his role and the tension between the Daleks and their creator quickly heightens.
Using Earth as the source for their human army, the Daleks have created a time corridor, the very same corridor that ensnared the TARDIS and its occupants. As the Doctor unravels the Daleks’ plans and not one to miss a chance, he sets out to foil the Daleks once more, but not before some serious consequences.
1984’s Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks was one of Davison’s last outings after three years in the role. Taking advice from predecessor and second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, Davison decided that it was time to leave before he became typecast. This particular story marked the leaving of Janet Fielding (Tegan), followed in the next adventure by the departure of Mark Strickson (Turlough). This was a period of great change.
| "Exterminate! Exterminate!" |
This adventure, like most, has fans divided over its brilliance or lack thereof. Some fans appreciate the notion that the Daleks have moved on little since their previous outing, while others lament the fact that the ‘supreme beings of the universe’ are still largely stupid and one-dimensional. Most agree that the character of Davros is a winner, beautifully played by Terry Molloy.
The opening scene is well remembered by most viewers, as is Tegan’s abrupt and blunt exit from the show. Some fans never did accept the enigmatic character Turlough, and others lament the confusing and intricate storyline. Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks was written by Eric Saward, who was also the script editor and a regular writer for the show. Many fans have never forgiven producer John Nathan Turner for just being the producer and steering the show in the direction it was well and truly travelling by this time.
The things that fans love are here in abundance. Cheesy special effects, some ham acting, bubble wrap, tin foil, latex rubber, and some seriously ‘not dangerous’ stunts. There are also a number of interesting guest appearance from Rula Lenska (a rare occurrence of a ‘major’ character that never actually meets the Doctor), Lesley Grantham (‘Dirty’ Den in Eastenders about to rejoin the show twelve years after his character was presumed murdered), and Rodney Bewes (familiar in face more than in name). The regular cast is almost in danger of being upstaged.
With more Doctor Who adventures destined for a DVD release this year, there should soon be more titles available than the average fan could ever hope to own. Daleks are always a popular choice, and while there are better Dalek stories collecting dust that also deserve a DVD release, for now this will have to do. Collectors and hard-core fans will not need any convincing.
There is very little to report that is different from previous Doctor Who DVDs. Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks is presented in a full-frame aspect ratio as is typical of most television programs even now. The DVD format helps to show up the cheap and cheesy special effects due to the clear and detailed image. There is some noticeable grain in the outdoor scenes recorded on film as opposed to the videotape used for studio sessions. Darker scenes also show up the problems with shadow detail, especially when there is significant backlighting.
Other minor quibbles include a small number of film artefacts such as flecks, a few instances of mild shimmer, flaring during some of the explosions, and some rather obvious and nasty microphony at the 85-minute mark. Generally, colours are natural (though there are some deliberately red-looking scenes caused by the use of colour filters), and there is no evidence of bleeding or chroma noise. Skin tones likewise are fine. Most of the problems are inherent in the source material and not the transfer process.
The layer change is placed out of harm’s way, presumably between episodes.
A rare treat for Doctor Who fans is the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track that is one of the two options here. Few Doctor Who adventures exist that will allow a decent 5.1 transfer, and this is just the second so far released. There are some nice moments where the rear channels are extensively used, but they are called on mainly for the more ambient noises such as rain. The theme music and the shootouts really let you know this is a 5.1 mix as bombs and laser guns explode around you. The subwoofer is called on irregularly, but there is a continual rumble that can be heard during the spaceship scenes, but hey, they do rumble, OK?
All dialogue is clear and perfectly in synch (even if some of the actors aren’t quite sure when to fall over dead). The sound range is sufficiently dynamic to ensure enjoyment.
The mono audio option is fine technically with respect to clarity and synchronisation, but hey, no mono mix is going to outshine a 5.1 mix.
Fans know the deal and will have already decided this DVD is for them. Those that want to include only some Doctor Who DVDs in their collection should have no complaints if they decide on this one. You can rarely go wrong with Daleks, as they have always been the most popular of the Doctor’s foes. They may not always have been the most threatening in reality (hello, stairs!) but their maniacal and nazi-like screaming has always been a source of fear and/or amusement. Throw their creator, the megalomaniac, Davros, into the mix and you have a great way to kill a few hours. Purchase, reminisce, and enjoy.
