Genesis of the Daleks remains a fan favourite of the classic Dr Who series. It has Tom Baker brimming with energy in his first season, top companion Sarah-Jane Smith and - of course - the definitive Davros, played by Michael Wisher.
The main characters are ably supported by the minor players who take the whole thing seriously - as they should, as it's a dark storyline. A couple of stalwarts from the wartime comedy 'Allo 'Allo pop up in dramatic roles and do them very well. Some atmospheric location filming at the beginning adds to the mostly-studio-bound episodes.
Davros is played at his best here in any of his appearances in the classic series. Dedicated and single-minded with a lust for power and the possibility of immortality through his creations. Later stories just showed Davros as mad. Of course he is mad in this, but it is a controlled madness based upon logic.
Is Genesis perfect? Well no. At one point Davros plots the destruction of his own race by giving information to the Kaleds. Clearly there is no line of communication between his bunker and the Kaled city, or he could have messaged the information through on a secure line - and still have blamed Ronson and had the Daleks kill him as a traitor. Instead he actually visits the Thal city. Firstly - how did he get there? I doubt there was a train line. I can't see his chair traversing the wastelands (though I do accept he went a little into the wastelands to test his Dalek prototype - but presumably it was easy-access from the bunker). And why, when he is certain to be the most hated man known to the Thals, was he just not arrested on site? It's an important plot hole, but doesn't detract too much from the overall quality of the story.
I agree with what others have said - that it could have been a little shorter. Having said that there isn't as much obvious padding as other six parters. And some of the cliffhangers are very well staged - Sarah falling from the rocket scaffolding, for example.
Finally there is the big moral question posed by the Doctor - does he have the right to kill the Daleks? It is an argument well made between him and Sarah-Jane, who is urging him to complete his mission for the Time Lords. He is saved from making that choice at that point. However, later, the scene is weakened slightly by the Doctor then deciding to do it anyway - blow up the incubator room. Which he does - with help from a Dalek. He then says that he's only slowed them down for 1000 years. So - knowing that - why all the agony in the first place?
I really enjoy Genesis of the Daleks and - with a couple of small caveats mentioned above - I recommend it to any casual viewer or fan alike. It's darker than most 70's 'Who' but excellently played.
The main characters are ably supported by the minor players who take the whole thing seriously - as they should, as it's a dark storyline. A couple of stalwarts from the wartime comedy 'Allo 'Allo pop up in dramatic roles and do them very well. Some atmospheric location filming at the beginning adds to the mostly-studio-bound episodes.
Davros is played at his best here in any of his appearances in the classic series. Dedicated and single-minded with a lust for power and the possibility of immortality through his creations. Later stories just showed Davros as mad. Of course he is mad in this, but it is a controlled madness based upon logic.
Is Genesis perfect? Well no. At one point Davros plots the destruction of his own race by giving information to the Kaleds. Clearly there is no line of communication between his bunker and the Kaled city, or he could have messaged the information through on a secure line - and still have blamed Ronson and had the Daleks kill him as a traitor. Instead he actually visits the Thal city. Firstly - how did he get there? I doubt there was a train line. I can't see his chair traversing the wastelands (though I do accept he went a little into the wastelands to test his Dalek prototype - but presumably it was easy-access from the bunker). And why, when he is certain to be the most hated man known to the Thals, was he just not arrested on site? It's an important plot hole, but doesn't detract too much from the overall quality of the story.
I agree with what others have said - that it could have been a little shorter. Having said that there isn't as much obvious padding as other six parters. And some of the cliffhangers are very well staged - Sarah falling from the rocket scaffolding, for example.
Finally there is the big moral question posed by the Doctor - does he have the right to kill the Daleks? It is an argument well made between him and Sarah-Jane, who is urging him to complete his mission for the Time Lords. He is saved from making that choice at that point. However, later, the scene is weakened slightly by the Doctor then deciding to do it anyway - blow up the incubator room. Which he does - with help from a Dalek. He then says that he's only slowed them down for 1000 years. So - knowing that - why all the agony in the first place?
I really enjoy Genesis of the Daleks and - with a couple of small caveats mentioned above - I recommend it to any casual viewer or fan alike. It's darker than most 70's 'Who' but excellently played.