The Power of the Daleks Episode Two

The one where the missing third Dalek is brought back to life...

Now this is more like it! Patrick Troughton manages to make the Doctor much more likeable and recognisable in this episode, and starts to become the Second Doctor we're more familiar with. He's not quite all the way there yet, as this post-regenerative version of the Doctor is still a little more serious and doomy than what we otherwise know, but there are tantalising hints at the mercurial vagabond ahead.

Having said that, Ben still isn't convinced that this new fella is the Doctor he knew before. "The real Doctor was always going on about the Daleks," he says. But by the end of the episode he seems to be more convinced of the new Doctor's veracity, moving from disbelief to partial acceptance when he mutters that the Doctor is in two minds "and two bodies".

Troughton's performance as the Doctor (and probably more generally too) is captured strongly in his physicality, especially his facial expressions, and so much of that is lost on audio only. I remember how much more fans got out of The Enemy of the World when we could finally see the episodes as opposed to listen to them. Troughton was very much a physical performer, and not one easily copied either (I'm glaring accusingly at Reece Shearsmith in An Adventure in Space and Time here...).

There's a good number of moments in this episode which contribute toward the definitive Second Doctor. There's the delightful repetition of "Lesterson listen" between him and Polly ("It exercises the tongue!"), and the beautifully played moment where Troughton leaps from regular delivery to "Aha! Fruit!". It's so very Doctory, like McGann's shoes and McCoy's rice pudding.

In fact, the scene between Troughton, Michael Craze and Anneke Wills in their quarters, where they devour and dissect the fruit, is a defining moment for the trio. It's in this scene that everything seems to come together, as they start talking to one another as friends and confidantes rather than strangers with doubts and suspicions. Troughton is very Sherlockian in his observations and pronouncements, such as when he works out that Lesterson must have been in the capsule before, or that there's a listening device inside the fruit (if the bug is inside the fruit, how did it hear what was going on? It's pretty silly to put a microphone in a bowl of fruit that's bound to get tampered with and eaten!). There's also the lovely moment where the Doctor pockets the doorknob that comes off in his hand, and Ben and Polly giggle together. It's in this moment, this episode generally, that the Second Doctor, Ben and Polly gel.

Michael Craze is on great form in this episode too, portraying typical exasperation at the Doctor's eccentricities regarding China and Marco Polo, and displaying characteristic brashness when he declares: "I vote we go back to the TARDIS, I've had enough of this dump!" Ben was never backward in coming forward. I also love how Ben calls Bragen "Charlie" as a nickname because Fred wouldn't suit him!

Robert James is also great as not-quite-mad (perhaps more fanatical) scientist Lesterson, whose sole aim is to learn more about the Dalek creatures and develop new techniques and technology from them. James gives nuance and shape to an already well written character, lending Lesterson an agitated excitement, a fidgety presence which makes him bristle with both intelligence and mild hysteria. At this stage, while feeding the supposedly dormant Dalek power, he doesn't believe the creature has any intelligence of its own, but he's being pretty naive (especially when he "can't think" what the Dalek's "short, stubby arm" is for - c'mon Lesterson, have a wild guess!).

The revivification of the Dalek is directed with masterful tension by Christopher Barry, who uses Tristram Cary's ominous stock music and some clever Dalek point of view shots to give the audience more insight into the situation than the characters in the scene. Viewers know that he really shouldn't be bringing the Dalek back to life, and we can see the Dalek watching what's going on. It observes Resno ("It's weighing me up!") and when it finally gets enough power, the first thing it thinks to do is exterminate. And because Janley doesn't want Lesterson to interrupt his experiments, she pretends Resno is still alive, but we know that he's as dead as a door nail. I love the human politicking going on in the story as much as the run-of-the-mill jeopardy.

The final scene, where Lesterson and Janley bring the revived Dalek into the Governor's office for a demonstration, bristles with tension. The Dalek may have been disarmed, but it still recognises the biggest threat in the room - the Doctor (the fact the Dalek recognises the newly regenerated Doctor is a telling surprise). David Whitaker gives the Doctor the wonderfully funny but equally ominous line that the Dalek "will end the colony's problems - because it will end the colony!"

When the Dalek speaks, it's grating monotone seems even more terrifying than ever, and as the Doctor tries to protest his warnings about what the creature can and will do, the Dalek simply repeats that immortal line, over and over, louder and louder, to drown him out: "I am your servant! I am your servant!" Utterly chilling.

First broadcast: November 12th, 1966

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: A trio of wonderful performances from Patrick Troughton, Michael Craze and Robert James.
The Bad: Anneke Wills is really suffering, with Ben getting most of the colourful companion lines. The fact she's been dressed in regulation shorts and flip-flops is a sorry example of the treatment of female companions in classic Doctor Who too (why isn't Ben in shorts?).
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★★★☆

NEXT TIME: Episode Three...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Episode 1; Episode 3; Episode 4; Episode 5; 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/2013/12/the-power-of-daleks.html

The Power of the Daleks is available on BBC DVD in both animated form and as a telesnap reconstruction. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Power-Daleks-DVD/dp/B01LOC83Y2