Revelation of the Daleks [Doctor Who, Story 142]

 Revelation of the Daleks by Eric Saward
23 - 30 March 1985​

At some point a few years ago, I became dimly aware of Revelation of the Daleks for the first time, through someone's review, or a clip show on YouTube, or... something, at any rate. I got a clear enough idea of the plot to become convinced that this story was going to be a favorite.

When I reached Resurrection in the last season, that expectation turned to worry. The first of the Re trilogy of Dalek stories did nothing to inspire confidence in me, since I found it unimaginatively violent and unpleasant to watch. The notion that Revelation might go wrong for me in the same way was on my mind as I made my way through Season 22.

Fortunately, the gods smile on us all from time to time, and I was delighted to find that Revelation lived up to my expectations. Eric Saward has been a hard writer for me to pin down so far; he's turned in the fairly good Visitation, the fantastic Earthshock, the execrable Resurrection and Attack of the Cybermen, and finally this. When he doesn't lean too hard on action commandos and pure grit, his stories are, on average, quite strong. But he isn't without his weaknesses; for instance, his infamous dislike for the Sixth Doctor.*

It's accordingly no surprise that Colin is sidelined for most of the story, held at an arm's remove from the plot until part of the way through the second episode. He takes forever to get inside Tranquil Repose, and never even sees what's become of Arthur Stengos, the man whose funeral he came to Necros to attend (a stunning scene in its own right, nevertheless). Once he does get into the story though, I have no complaints, as he seems a little gentler and more Doctor-ish than he has been so far this season. His outrage at Davros isn't as overblown as some of his other villain chinwags have been, and his pained expression of worry when he hears over the intercom that the DJ has been killed and Peri captured is a nice little touch.

Although I'd rather that the Doctor was incorporated into the story a little better, the story itself is strong enough not to be too adversely affected by this. I've thought a few times over his last few contributions that Saward was seeking to emulate Robert Holmes. If that's true, then it's here that he finally manages to pull it off. The black humor of this script is up there with some of Holmes' best, and its reliance on "double acts" (as Bostock lampshades) is basically right out of that playbook. The large cast of side characters is memorable and well-realized. My favorite happens to be the DJ, whose brief acquaintance with Peri is very sweet.

Davros is brilliant here, as duplicitous and conniving as he ever is. The conversation where he outlines the full shape of his plan to the Doctor is just jaw-dropping!

DAVROS: All the resting ones I have used were people of status,ambition. They would understand, especially as I have given them the opportunity to become masters of the universe!
DOCTOR: With you as their emperor. But what of the lesser intellects? Or will they be left to rot?
DAVROS: You should know me better than that, Doctor.
DAVROS: I never waste a valuable commodity. The humanoid form makes an excellent concentrated protein. This part of the galaxy is developing quickly. Famine was one of its major problems.
DOCTOR: You've turned them into food?
DAVROS: A scheme that has earned me great acclaim.
DOCTOR: But did you bother to tell anyone they might be eating their own relatives?
DAVROS: Certainly not. That would have created what I believe is termed consumer resistance. They were grateful for the food. It allowed them to go on living.
DOCTOR: Until you take over their planets.
DAVROS: Precisely.

Having watched Remembrance in the past, it's interesting to see the Dalek civil war originally set up in Resurrection start to come into shape. The white "Imperial" Daleks look great, and the glass Daleks with partially converted humans inside are grisly in the best of ways.

I think we all share common anxieties about the sanctity of the dead and their grave sites. Like the later Dark Water / Death in Heaven, Revelation digs into this anxiety to make the viewer squirm. I feel like this is the type of story people will either love or hate, but for my part I couldn't get enough of it.

The Doctor and Peri seem more assured than ever at the end, when the Doctor says, "Fun? Oh, I suppose anywhere will be peaceful after Necros. All right, I'll take you to..."

Well? Where? There is going to be a next episode... right?

* This isn't to say that disliking the Sixth Doctor is necessarily a flaw... Just that I think if you're the script editor of the program, then you'd probably better suck it up and get on with it instead of having a snit and letting it affect your writing.

Our wrap-up for Season 22 is up next.

(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 19 May 2024.)