The Rescue (The Daleks Episode 7)

The one where the Daleks are defeated once and for all...

And so we reach the end of Terry Nation's inaugural Dalek serial, and it's called The Rescue - not to be confused with the two-part story of the same collective name the following year, of course! The episode kicks off with the death of Antodus, who selflessly cuts his rope and plummets into the watery ravine below. A noble self-sacrifice, or just his way of avoiding the dangers that lie ahead in the Dalek city? Either way, he's better off gone.

I've been a little critical of director Richard Martin when reviewing his episodes of The Daleks, and the second scene shows why. It starts abruptly with neither William Hartnell or the Dalek quite knowing who should speak first (I'm guessing Hartnell jumps the gun a bit), resulting in a confusing mess. It's indicative of the direction of this episode as a whole. As I've said before, Martin is a capable director, but not all that technically adept (like Christopher Barry or Waris Hussein have been), and the blocking, camera positioning and choreography of this episode is pretty ropey, which tells most in the final battle scene.

Shining through all of this, however, is William Hartnell. He glowers into the camera and utters: "This senseless, evil killing", which perhaps marks the precise moment when the Doctor is forever altered by his encounter with the Daleks. Before now he was out for himself, with a mind only to escape with his life intact. Now he has witnessed a prime example of the evils that must be fought in this universe he is so intent upon exploring, and from here on he is determined to stop the Daleks, refusing to help them despite a direct plea from a dying Dalek to preserve the race. "Even if I wanted to, I don't know how," he says, closing the Daleks down for good.

He's just as good at the end of the episode when he speaks with Alydon about the Thals rebuilding their world and forging a new future. He is flattered by being asked to stay and help them build their better future, but lets slip: "I'm much too old to be a pioneer, although I was once among my own people." How wonderfully intriguing! He also gets one of his lovely solo moments to camera that, when he gets his lines right, Hartnell excels at: "You wanted advice, you said. I never give it, never. But I might just say this to you: always search for truth. My truth is in the stars and yours is here."

Most of the rather short episode is taken up with the storming of the city and the attack on Dalek control, but again, this is where a more creative director would have made the finale a corking showstopper, rather than the mess it becomes. Daleks race down corridors sounding like wooden go-karts, cameras seem to be aimed at nothing in particular, there's a painful lack of urgency or finesse to the action. There's a lovely pan right around the Dalek set, ending on Ian, Barbara and the Thals making their way toward the control room, but that's about the only example of flare to be seen. "If only there had been another way," says Ganatus after it's over. Indeed, if only there'd been Christopher Barry...

It would be remiss of Terry Nation to overlook the bond that has developed between Ganatus and Barbara as the latter prepares to leave. Ganatus looks at Barbara like he's desperate to kiss her. "I wish we..." he begins, but is interrupted by an impatient Susan. He kisses her hand, but Barbara steals a quick kiss on the cheek before fleeing into the TARDIS, leaving Ganatus in a heartbroken puddle. It's lovely to see real human emotion portrayed on screen, because people fall in love and lust all the time. Barbara has obviously decided that the comforts of 1960s London, and Ian's cardigans, are better suited to her than staying on Skaro to rebuild a civilisation wearing leather hotpants and sandals. But she said everything she needed to say (but couldn't) in that stolen kiss at the end. Beautiful.

At the end, the Doctor busies himself around the flickering TARDIS console like a proper Jules Verne mad professor, until BOOM! The engines begin to grind, the lights go out, and Hartnell affects the most theatrical fall to the floor I've ever seen, flinging himself out of shot like a trained ballerina. Exactly what has happened is unclear - is it the Daleks dragging them back to Skaro? Is it to do with the fluid link? We'll have to wait a week to find out!

The Daleks is a curious beast. It's jam-packed full of great sci-fi ideas and tropes, it's got plenty of atmosphere and moves at a steadily intriguing pace, at least in the first four or five episodes. However, it is too long, and Nation is in no hurry to make the padded episodes more engaging (I'm looking at you, episode 6!). The story loses something when Christopher Barry isn't in charge, and the final climax lacks impact as it's just such a mass of confusion. But all in all, it's a strong story, and one that made Doctor Who into the intergalactic success we love today.

First broadcast: February 1st, 1964

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: William Hartnell, the highlight of The Ordeal, shines again here in his scenes with the Daleks and the Thals. More examples of why he was such a good actor.
The Bad: Richard Martin drops the ball in the final act, turning what could've been a rip-roaring climax into a muddled damp squib.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (story average: 7 out of 10)

NEXT TIME: The Edge of Destruction...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: The Dead Planet (episode 1); The Survivors (episode 2); The Escape (episode 3); The Ambush (episode 4); The Expedition (episode 5); The Ordeal (episode 6)

Find out birth/death dates, career information, and facts and trivia about this story's cast and crew at the Doctor Who Cast & Crew site: http://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-daleks-aka-dead-planet-mutants.html

The Daleks is available as part of the Doctor Who - The Beginning box set. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Beginning-Unearthly-Destruction/dp/B000C6EMTC