Where as Timelash
turned out to be a low point of
season 22, the finale Revelation
of the Daleks proved to be
perhaps the finest screen story
during the sixth Doctor's all to
short reign on our screens. Eric
Saward's black comedy is the
heart of a tale of horror. It
marks the coming of age of Terry
Molloy's Davros. Here,
masquerading as The Great Healer
in the catacombs of Necros,
Molloy steps up a gear. Throwing
off the spectre of Michael
Wisher, he makes Davros his own.
Endowing the crippled Kaled with
the laughter of a psychopath,
whilst plotting a new breed of
loyal Daleks from the bodies of
those interned in Tranquil
Repose. The supporting cast is
first class in every respect.
Lead by Eleanor Bron's scheming
Kara, William Gaunt's noble
Orcini, - Grand Knight of the
Order of Oberon - with his smelly
squire Bostock, Clive Swift as
the flirtatious embalmer Jobel
and Alexei Sayle making the most
of his retro DJ. The direction
from Graeme Harper is
particularly spectacular, showing
that his previous turn at the
helm (Caves of Androzani) was no
fluke. The Doctor and Peri are
noticeably in the background for
more of the story than is usual,
however as the momentum picks up
in part two, Baker and Bryant
make sure they are not left
behind among the quality actors
around them. Much has been said
of Jenny Tomasin's lacklustre
Tasambeker but it is an otherwise
small blip in a story of this
quality.
Just as Doctor Who
had received it's first rap on
the knuckles via the infamous 18
month 'hiatus', Revelation proved
that when on form there is no
other show that could touch it.
COLIN BAKER
ONLINE RATING: 9 / 10
The Great Healer.
His head is spinning.
Stengos. Half man -
half Dalek. Or Nick Briggs as it
is also called.
Orcini and Bostock.
They are just friends.
Apparently.
Kara and Vogel - a
past master at the double entry.
Hmmm....
"I think you
two need the Hyde Fundraisers
meeting, first on the left."
The Doctor gets on
his knees, prepared to do
anything to avoid the wrath of
The Great Healer !
Until we meet again
for the Big Finish....
 Revelation Of
The Daleks is available on
BBC DVD. Individually (Regions 1,
2 & 4) and as part of two box
sets: The Complete Davros
Collection and The Dalek
Collection, a limited
edition box set available
exclusively from Amazon (both
sets Regions 2 & 4).
The Doctor and Peri
arrive on Necros to attend the
funeral of an old friend of the
Doctor who has recently died.
However, Tranquil Repose is not
all it seems and an attempt is
made on the Doctor's life. Soon
the Doctor comes face to face
with the Great Healer, only to
discover it is none other than
Davros, the creator of the
Daleks, intent on rebuilding the
Dalek race decimated by the
Movellans.
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