Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks

Scott Gardener · Post by **Scott Gardener** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:12 pm

With the new series out (and lagging behind by a year for those of us in the U.S.), it's a great source of sci-fi fix, being what Star Trek used to be, a layered intellectual piece that's at once campy and yet emotionally deep. But, I've got a lot of catching up to do, since the show dates all the way back to 1963.

"Genesis of the Daleks" is considered by many of the long-standing Dr. Who fans to be one of the all-time best stories. It's one of the earlier Tom Baker storylines, dating back to 1975. I was two at the time, and many of you weren't even born yet when it was made. But, its production quality is very much ahead of its time.

Even casual sci-fi fans generally know who the Daleks are; ruthless killing machines bent on the extermination of all life outside of themselves. Early on in the series, they are seen invading Earth, and afterwards they build quite a legacy long before science fiction anywhere else gains significant momentum.

The Doctor and his two companions of the time are presented the opportunity to prevent all the damage the Daleks will have ever done, being brought back to the point of their creation. During a prolonged civil war between the Thals and Kaleds, the scientist Darvos introduces his new creation, a self-sufficient robotic shell for a mutating face of the Kaled race.

The storyline is a far better take on "good versus evil" than the overwhelmingly large number of other examples of this heavily used concept. The actors are great; the man who plays Darvos is stunningly brilliant. The special effects are uncharactically good, too. Darvos' cosmetics is extremely believable, and the Daleks themselves are visually slick.

There's a particularly emotional pair of moments, a foil / counterfoil between the Doctor and Darvos. In the first, the two discuss how far Darvos would go with his experiments. In the second, the Doctor holds in his hands the means of destroying the Daleks, and he realizes his similarity to Darvos at that moment.

It's a masterpiece. I understand from extras on the DVD that the character of Darvos is brought back later in other stories, but the footage in them doesn't seem the same. This one is the one to see.

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:55 am

When will they release the current Dr. Who series on DVD?

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:25 pm

I would like to know more about the time lords and were can i get my hands on a Tardis oh and have you been watching ahead on youtube? The Impossible planet was soo cool

Scott Gardener · Post by **Scott Gardener** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:05 pm

The first season will be released in the U.S. on, oddly enough, July 4th. The Brits are already well into season two on the air, but I get the idea their access to it on DVD isn't too much ahead of ours, pirate copies notwithstanding.

Anyhow, one slight correction. It's spelled "Davros," not "Darvos." I'm sure the mad scientist supervillain is sick and tired of people mis-spelling his name. Maybe that's why he went mad; all those credit reports and misprinted certificates.