Davros [AUDIO/2003.9.19]

★★★★★

  For my 500th review on this website, I've decided to revisit something truly special. As a part of the villain trilogy Big Finish released in 2003, Lance Parkin delivered an incredible script that Gary Russell made into one of the company's -- dare I say it -- best releases to this day. With some of the most impressive audio drama direction to be experienced, this 150-minute story flows immaculately; literal music to the ears, if said music happens to be a chilling and piercing character study on one of Dr. Who's most prolific villains with a hefty dose of critique on Nazi apologism, capitalism, consumerism and corporate culture.

  The Sixth Doctor in his comparatively early days, unshackled from his usual grounding agent in the form of Peri, is as indignant and nail-bitingly confrontational and scheming as he can be, and Colin Baker brings this side of his Doctor to life with incredible skill. He can be funny (using a screwdriver to take out his involuntarily-planted earpiece), subtly accusational (confronting Arnold Baynes over Willis's death) and, of course, compassionate as ever (trying everything he can to save Kim). Baker simply shines in the role, portraying a version of his beloved character before the mellowing influences of Peri Brown and Evelyn Smythe, and it's props again to Parkin as well for bringing this aspect of Old Sixie alive in the wriitng.

  Let's not beat around the bush, though -- this is Davros's moment to shine, and Terry Molloy brings so much gravitas and villainous venom to the table. Here he is, almost dead and brought back to life by a Dalek apologist, confronted by his own ideology and the ever-marching cogs of capitalism. His backstory is fleshed out in such detail, such as his love-in-all-but-name towards Kaled scientist Shan and his subsequent jealousy-fueled revenge quest against her by stealing her love and her Dalek idea from her, and he gets plenty of lovely moments with the main cast, with the Doctor and Lorraine especially. Davros gaining an understanding of the stock market and using it as part of his villainous plan is gorgeously portrayed as well, and Molloy gives his Davros performance an extra layer of fear, anger and unbridled hatred towards the universe; it's all very glorious.

  With Gary Russell's peerless direction (just listen to it and admire how it flows so naturally from scene to scene) and its harmony with Jane Elphinstone's amazing score, Davros becomes one of Big Finish's most accomplished audio dramas and an instant classic among its wide back catalogue of monthly range releases. I have always admired it for its exploration of one of the Doctor's worst enemies and creator of the Daleks, and for confirming that Davros works perfectly fine on his own without his creations to back him up. A very special audio drama; I can never quite get bored of it.