Right …
It’s a Friday evening: and I’m looking forward to two things.
Dinner: fish and home made chips, if you must know.
And another episode of classic Doctor Who serial, The Evil of The Daleks.
Episode 5 if you must know.
I’ll be back to finish this written review, later.
8th January 2022.
Episode 5 follows episode four’s cliffhanger: with Jamie and Kemel (Frazer Hines and Sonny Caldinez) almost getting caught by a pair of Daleks.
But using a rope to force a Dalek to crash off of the balcony that leads to Victoria’s cell.
Whilst the other Dalek in the area is distracted?
Jamie and Kemel break into the cell, block the door … and introduce themselves to a Victoria (Deborah Watling) keen to tell how she was captured and brought to the Daleks …
Keen … but unable to remember any of the details …
Meanwhile, in another part of the mansion … ?
The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) has finish recording Jamie’s rescue efforts: and is discussing them with Terrall (Gary Watson).
A Terrall who is determined not to discuss himself: and who seems — unknown to the Doctor — to have trouble drinking an innocent glass of wine.
A Terrall who seems to be hearing voices: voices only calmed by the hypnotic attentions of Theodore Maxtible (Marius Goring).
Meanwhile … ?
The Doctor has completed the work on the Human Factor: the additions the Daleks want, that they’re convinced will make them a super race.
And is keen to get using it on the three experimental Daleks in the lab.
The Doctor … ?
Is hoping to drive them insane …
~≈📺≈~
Now …
I have to confess, I meant to finish this review up, last night.
Eyestrain and tiredness stopped me, there.
My apologies if you were expecting to see, this last night.
That apology comes with a warning: instead of watching — and doing the review — for the episodes six and seven on the same day, I may spread them over two.
Don’t quote me on that: it’s just something I’m mulling over.
At any rate, let’s talk about episode five … and asked what I made of it …
Evil of The Daleks itself comes within Classic Doctor Who’s fourth season: the first to feature Patrick Troughton.
A season that that initially sees him putting in a reasonably colourful performance.
One that had calmed down by this point: this episode’s sees Troughton putting in a wonderfully restrained turn.
About my only complaint?
Is that the quality of the sound in some scenes can be shaky.
There’s one scene where Maxtible is hypnotising Terrall, for example.
For a few lines, Maxtible sounds echoey, and Terrall sounds fine: then it swaps, Terrall sounding good, Maxtible sounding echoey.
Given the good work done by sound restorer, Mark Ayres*?
It’s only really noticeable to me, because I’m vaguely aware the audio tracks for these animations come from home recordings, that this is something to listen for.
It didn’t spoil my enjoyment a jot.
That, the story telling, the detailing of the animations … ?
And the performances?
Make for another wonderful episode.
Frankly?
I’ll be watching Episode 6, on Friday 14th January: I’ll have my written And video reviews up by Saturday 15th January.
I’ll lot forward to seeing you, then!
Episode 5.★★★☆
* Ayres composed music for some of the Seventh Doctor stories: and archived the Radiophonic Workshop’s recordings.
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