Doctor Who — The Evil of the Daleks: Episode 7 — A Review

21st January, 2022.

It’s got to be said, I’ve got back from Chelmsford.

I’m unemployed: so have to do various courses, and take part in assorted programmes or be sanctioned.

Have my benefit stopped, in other words.

I was in Chelmsford to attend one of those meetings.

I think we can safely my legs hurt: all that walking from home to station, from station to office, and back … ?

Was definitely tiring!

At any rate … ?

I’m home: and going to have dinner.

Once that’s done?

I’m going to watch the last episode of The Evil of The Daleks.

If all goes well, I’ll finish my written and video reviews for you, by tomorrow night.

Here’s hoping … !

~≈📺≈~

22nd January, 2022.

Episode 7 picks up from episode 6: with the Emperor ordering the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) into spreading the Dalek Factor  across the entire planet Earth!

In other parts of the Dalek city?   We see the Daleks experimenting on a machine that can turn base metal into gold.

A machine that one Dalek is ordered to stop working on: only for it to ask why.

A now completed machine the Daleks use as a lure: to get Theodore Maxtible (Marius Goring) through a very specific arch, one, effectively … ?

That turns him into a Dalek!

~≈📺≈~

In the Emperor’s Chamber?

The Emperor is informed of the questioning done by a (seemingly) rogue Daleks.

Who immediately guesses it’s one of the Test Daleks infected by the Human Factor: and gives orders for their destruction.

Back in the cell that holds the Doctor and his companions?

Maxtible manages to infect the Doctor with the Dalek Factor: little knowing the process won’t work, and that the Doctor will sabotage the Emperor’s plan and little know that more Daleks … will become Human Daleks.

Simply by going through an otherwise innocent seeming door … 

~≈📺≈~

Now … 

What did I think?   Of episode seven and The Evil of the Daleks as a whole?

Are they good?   Bad?   Indifferent?   Ready to slap the viewer in the face with a raw salmon … ?

Let’s rule out fish, shall we?   And look at the last episode.

Yes: this is a fitting climax to The Evil of the Daleks.

Granted, the episode doesn’t explain where Toby — the Windsor Davis character in episode 2 — comes from, and doesn’t tell us if Ruth Maxtible — Theodore Maxtible’s daughter, played by Brigit Forsyth — or Arthur Terrall survive the destruction of Maxtible Manor, nor does it fill in Arthur Terrall’s backstory: beyond a few words from Maxtible, that the device that let him control Terrall is erratic, we learn little in this episode.

Saying that … ?

Episode 7 ties off the overall arc well, and shows us Edward Waterfield’s heroic death: shot by a Dalek, trying to save the Doctor.

And, in what was intended to be the last Dalek story ever … ?

It shows us the Dalek Civil War: in all its gruesome detail.

It’s one hell of an episode.

And one hell of a climax to a very good series.

~≈📺≈~

That’s episode seven covered.

The Evil of The Daleks as a whole … ?

There’s those that argue The Evil of The Daleks is potentially one of Doctor Who’s best stories.

I grew up on the later Jon Pertwee and earlier Tom Baker stories.

And?

If someone asks me what Classic Doctor Who stories I’d tell them to watch, I would — indeed, have — tell them to sit down with Genesis of The Daleks and The Talons of Weng Chiang.

Even given the latter’s contentious plot elements, they’re both great stuff.

But, in watching The Evil of the Daleks, over the past few weeks?

I’ve watched a series that gives us a new companion: Victoria, played by Deborah Watling.

That shows us the Daleks at possibly their nastiest: literally pushing people around.

That shows what now is something of an old idea: that of a deadly foe becoming human and approachable … and redeeming and destroying its people as a result.

Whether the writers of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, I, Borg, knew about The Evil of The Daleks, I don’t know.

But I can certainly see the resemblance in the basic idea.   Hugh — and three Daleks — become more human: leaving destruction in their wake.

The series makes for riveting watching.

About my only complaint isn’t to do with the actual series: more to do with the packing.

Or, at least, the extras.

I’ve actually got The Power of the Daleks: I’ve never reviewed it for this blog, or my YouTube channel, but I do have it.

And?

But it strikes me it has a lot more extras: documentaries, interviews, rare bits of surviving footage.

But the could well be where I’ve built up a lot of the things in the course of picking up two of three versions.

The one feature I do miss?

The BBC’s been Blu-ray box sets of later series of classic Dr Who: under the Dr Who — The Collection banner.

Which include a great set of extra features: including ones called Behind the Sofa.

They get a set of actors from both old and new series of Doctor Who, sit ’em down in from of each story in the series, and film them talking about each story, as they watch.

The Season Seventeen ones have Katie Manning (Jo Grant) paired up with Nicola (Peri) Bryant, Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor) with Matthew Waterhouse (Adric), and effects man, Matt Irvine, costume designer June Hudson and director, Graeme Harper.

They’re fantastically watchable, and incredible informative, stuff.

My only complaint about The Evil of the Daleks boxset … ?

Was that it didn’t have a Behind the Sofa.

If BBC Enterprises can throw that into a later edition of the set, I’d be thankful.

That complaint aside?

The Evil of the Daleks is something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching: and I suspect any fan reading this will do, as well.

Yes: it deserves tone thought of as one of the best Dr Who stories made.

If you don’t believe me?

Go watch The Evil of the Daleks.

I think you’ll agree with me.

Episode 7

★★★★

The Evil of The Daleks.

★★★★