Remembrance of the Daleks—the operative word being Remembrance
and that bodes both good and bad for the serial.
Remembrance of the Daleks conjures up images of past Doctor
Who, starting with the time and location of 1963 London, Coal Hill School, and
the I. M. Foreman (misspelled here by the way as Forman) Totter’s Lane junk
yard. Alas there is no Barbara and no Ian to greet the Doctor; in fact the halls
of the school are devoid of all teachers and students. This is a story that
plays out with the echoes of the past ringing out in the empty corridors.
This is a dangerous move for the show in the first story of
its 25th season. Calling up fond memories from a beloved past could
shine a spotlight on the inadequacies of the present. When a show is in its
infancy and even well into its heyday it can often be forgiven its
weaknesses—cheap sets, bad lighting, shoddy costumes—it can all be overcome and
overlooked as growing pains if the overall show warrants it. When such a series
creaks on into its 25th year, however, it runs out of excuses and
needs to justify its continued existence.
Unfortunately, many shows take the shortcut to this end and
‘jump the shark.’ I hate the mentality of bigger is better—bigger effects,
bigger bangs, bigger universal perils, bigger Doctor in danger storylines. In
its 25th year a show does not need Bigger, Bolder, Stronger. It only
needs one thing: quality.
Fortunately, Remembrance of the Daleks has just that; a
strong script, good production values, and a solid supporting cast. The shadows
of earlier eras enrich the story rather than being overshadowed by a sense of
loss for what once was (except for the brief lapse when the BBC announcer begins introducing the new sci fi series and I yearn for that long ago Totter's Lane Doctor).
“Only a fool argues with his doctor.” Maybe so, but I would
at least check out his credentials before accepting that he is my doctor, and
this military unit stationed around the Coal Hill school and Totter’s Lane
junkyard are unrealistically trusting of the Doctor. However, perhaps the
ghosts of their Doctor Who counterparts are informing their decision.
Dr. Rachel Jensen is a mixture of Barbara and Liz Shaw, and
while she isn’t quite a match for either, she is a stellar stand-in. Likewise,
Group Captain Gilmore is no Brigadier, but then again, who could ever top
Nicholas Courtney? Sergeant Mike Smith, however, is the perfect alternative to
Captain Mike Yates, down to his flirtatious relationship with the Doctor’s
companion and his ultimate misguided betrayal of his country for a madman’s
cause.
“You can always judge a man by the quality of his enemies.”
The Doctor’s enemies in Remembrance of the Daleks are the real thing, not a
specter of former foes, and they mean business. These Daleks can levitate up
stairs, have an ultimate weapon that takes out their own kind, and (unbelievably)
can withstand a grenade attack that wipes out everything else around them.
However they still have the same penchant for ranting “Exterminate! Exterminate!
Exterminate!” rather than actually exterminating when it comes to the Doctor.
We also have not one group of Daleks but two. This seems to
be a recurring thing in Doctor Who lately. Two sets of Daleks posing a threat
not only to the Doctor and the universe but to themselves as well. Predictably,
Davros is the leader of one faction, but I wasn’t expecting him to be on the
side of the Imperial Daleks. It is a skillful reveal when the Renegade Dalek
Battle Computer opens and it is the creepy little schoolgirl inside and not the
anticipated Davros. (Doctor Who has gone in for creepy little girls during this
time, but this one is much more relevant and effective than in the previous
serial.)
Rounding out the cast of characters, there are two veteran
Doctor Who supporting actors taking small turns in this: Michael Sheard as the
Headmaster and Peter Halliday as the blind Vicar. Neither is a major role nor
as memorable as any of the other characterizations these two have portrayed,
but they each lend a nice note of nostalgia and distinction.
Remembrance of the Daleks is more than a mere rehash of the
past, however. This is a story that can stand on its own, even if the viewer
has never seen another Doctor Who serial.
Sylvester McCoy leads the way as the Doctor in a much less
clownish portrayal, and Sophie Aldred as Ace has improved tremendously over her
introductory story. The two have developed a comfortable companionship in a
remarkably short amount of time. Ace has some meaningful interactions in this,
especially as her feelings for Mike Smith play out. Although I have to say that
this relationship borders on the edge; she may look 26 but the character is
only 16 years of age after all. But this goes more toward showing how the
seemingly sweet, boy-next-door Mike is in actuality a rather unsavory fellow.
The Doctor, meantime, is in charge of this story. “Trust me,”
he tells Ace, and he does know what he is doing even if he doesn’t let on. The
confidence with which he commands those around him, sends the military on wild
goose chases to keep them occupied, and retrieves the Hand of Omega instills
confidence in the audience as well. He knows what he is doing; he has a plan.
Even the unexpected presence of the second faction of Renegade Daleks doesn’t
throw him for long.
My only problem is that even though he knows what he is
doing, I’m not sure what he is doing is the right thing. The fact that he left
the Hand of Omega behind makes that long ago hurried departure with Barbara and
Ian in tow even more irresponsible. And why did it take him so long to come
back for it? I can only assume that he somehow got wind of the fact that the
Daleks were after it and that is why he is showing up now as our story opens;
surely he doesn’t have some kind of omniscience to have known all along that
they would come for it one day. But now, allowing the Imperial Daleks to steal
away the Hand only to have it destroy Skaro? What of the Thals and all of the
other species living on that planet? Does the Doctor think nothing of them? Or
the devastating impact the explosion will have on any other life forms in the
vicinity? Some stray spacecraft that happens to be traveling in that area? Any
other planets within range? The Cybermen unjustly blame the Doctor and Earth
for destroying their home planet, but the Daleks (not to mention Thals) can
surely blame the Doctor for this. Even if the Daleks are the only ones
affected, think of the homicidal rage this will instill in them, as if they
needed any more incentive.
“Every great decision creates ripples,” the Doctor philosophizes.
I have a feeling that the ripples resulting from this decision could very well
be catastrophic.
From the small ripples, like sugar in tea: “It would make your
tea sweet.” To the large: “If this sugar thing had never started, my
great-grandfather wouldn’t have been kidnapped, chained up, and sold in
Kingston in the first place. I’d be a African.” It is a nice little moment, the
Doctor and John alone in the café, amidst the rampaging Daleks. It’s one of
those quiet, reflective Doctor Who scenes, unnecessary but enriching, that
seemed to have gotten lost somewhere along the way but now in Remembrance they
are remembered, and I hope will make a comeback as the show goes forward.
This scene also highlights the theme of racial purity that
runs throughout Remembrance of the Daleks. The two Dalek factions loathing
their respective differences; the ‘Association’ run by Ratcliffe whose
positions are espoused by Mike Smith: “It’s just that you have to protect your
own; keep the outsiders out just that your own people can have a fair chance;”
Ace disgustedly taking down the ‘No Coloureds’ sign and “going out for a breath
of fresh air.” Except that this scene would have been far more effective if
John were not only one of a mere handful of people of color to grace the show.
Small ripples, however, small ripples. Even the small
ripples create waves.
The Doctor has created ripples, both small and large.
“Have pity on me,” Davros pleads. He has made this plea
before; the pitiless Davros begging mercy from his equally ruthless creations,
and now from the Doctor.
“I have pity for you.” It is more than the Daleks would
offer.
But Davros escapes, as he always does. It is only Skaro that
suffers and those ripples go crashing out into the universe to effects unknown.
“Time will tell. It always does.”
I throw this tiny pebble out into the Doctor’s time swirl
and can only wonder, Gary, what ripples it will cause.
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