Episode Two — “The Power of the Daleks, Part II”
© Copyright 2016, BBC WORLDWIDE LIMITED. All Rights Reserved.
By Brandy Dykhuizen. The ball has started rolling a bit with Daleks, Part II, picking up the pace by establishing the dynamics of the colony within the mercury swamp. What did we learn from the colony’s governor — once he finally consented to be seen, that is? That “minor acts of sabotage have been rampant.” Well, now.
Yet not every motive in this melodrama has been clearly established. Lesterson has the most to gain by getting The Doctor, a.k.a. The Examiner, off his back, but the narrative subversion hardly stops there. While Lesterson simply seeks to have the Daleks to himself to achieve whatever fame and fortune he perceives as headed his way, there are also other foes sneaking around, possibly working towards a coup. The Doctor and his companions have stumbled across a crucial Dalek-thwarting moment in spacetime, but human nature will surely impede his progress every step of the way.
In the smaller world of Ben and Polly, Ben still struggles with The Doctor’s renewal. Of all the wonders and worlds these two companions have seen, all the “impossible” they have experienced first hand, this one thorn has really lodged itself in Ben’s side. The guy just can’t wrap his head around change – throughout the chaos, The Doctor and Polly have been his constants. A former military man, as the story goes, Ben sees himself as a protector of sorts for Polly and even The Doctor, but being this close to a changing face has upended his reality a bit more than he was willing to accept.
He’ll get there eventually, but even as the three of them break bread over a fruit basket, he’s back to hemming and hawing over the legitimacy of The Doctor.
One sentient being who does seem to be able to recognize The Doctor straight away is the Dalek Lesterson managed to revive. As Lesterson and his tin can of terror interrupt an important hearing on Quinn’s possible sabotage, the Dalek swivels right over to The Doctor and focuses his eyestick directly on his new face. Only Ben and Polly really understand the significance of this action, and the members of the colony would rather brush it off than investigate further.
Lesterson is hellbent on convincing the governor that he can teach an old Dalek new tricks, and train them to provide much needed manual labor at the colony. Humans, as per usual, are content to hear only what they want to hear and ignore The Doctor’s warnings of extermination, as they are drowned out by the eerie repetition of the Dalek’s cry: “I am your servant!” Earthlings aren’t the only creatures capable of a good ruse. Soon they’ll get a taste of their own duplicitous medicine.
BEST LINE(s):
“The real Doctor was always going on about Daleks.” – Doubting Ben.
“There must be some way to bring you back to life, and I’m going to find it!” – Lesterson, to the Dalek. No, Lesterson! No!
“Yes, it will end the colony’s problems because it will end the colony!” – The Doctor, on bringing a Dalek back to life.
BEST MOMENT: Having at this point procured the majority of the Second Doctor’s telltale costume (oversized plaid hobo pants, a recorder, ridiculous stovepipe hat), The Doctor has become more comfortable in his new skin, and has begun to share a very occasional laugh with his companions. After gorging on an entire massive fruit bowl to the surprise of Polly and Ben, The Doctor finds a bug inside a grapefruit. It’s a moment of silliness that masks some serious wit, which pretty much sums up each Doctor’s shtick, despite the minor differences in their faces and personalities.
EPISODE’S MVP: Lesterson makes an impression in Part II, if for no other reason than providing a catalyst for the impending Dalek doom. His arrogance and stubbornness (which, as Doctor Who perennially likes to remind us, are humans’ hallmark qualities) will inevitably get the entire colony in trouble, but The Doctor will be there to pick up the pieces. Lesterson couldn’t be more of a pride-before-the-fall stereotype, and we almost expect to find him hunched over his experiments, rubbing his hands together and giggling jubilantly, dreaming of the accolades to come. Let’s see how long it takes before he gains intimate knowledge of what comes outta the whisk end of a Dalek.
© Copyright 2016, BBC WORLDWIDE LIMITED. All Rights Reserved.
RECORDER NOTES:
– It’s always a little shocking to see the female companions just sort of sit back and watch the show. Polly certainly will have some shining moments and has proven herself bright before, but the overall passiveness of the female characters in the ’60s always makes for some cringeworthy viewing.
– Stage laughter is hard enough to pull off without sounding completely loony, but add the expressionless faces of this sort of animation and you have a foolproof recipe for instant awkwardness.
– Sure, Quinn may have knocked a few people unconscious, but is he the cable-cutting culprit to boot? The Daleks have just as much to gain by exterminating communication to Earth, especially before they realized The Doctor was afoot.
7 out of 10
Before: “The Power of the Daleks, Part I”, here.
