Genesis of the Daleks [TV/1975.3.8 ~ 4.12]

★★★★★

  Growing up is realising that Genesis of the Daleks is, in fact, not an overrated piece of mediocre television, but in actuality exactly what its reputation suggests and more. I'm willing to call this David Maloney's masterpiece; there are many shots that fly by without fanfare, but which are seared into my mind. They're powerful, incredibly effective uses of the camera to suggest a world larger than the studio set surrounding our regulars, a barren wasteland of centuries of war and hatred. This is a brutal serial, almost too real in its depictions of fascism and the death of morality in wartime, and the Nazi allegories are on full force, from the costumes to the rhetoric. It was Maloney's job to make this incredibly bleak adventure a riveting, electrifying serial, and he succeeded with flying colours.

  I cannot understate how much I love Genesis. Davros's debut remains one of his highlights, a ruthless and amoral scientist who wants nothing more than to make the most groundbreaking scientific achievement in history, to "set himself up among the gods", and his dangerous cunning and scheming lead to the deaths of his opponents and obstacles towards his goal. Michael Wisher is fantastic in the role, and fully deserves the blueprint status that he gets almost 50 years after his outing. While Harry Sullivan and Sarah Jane Smith are rather pushed to the sidelines, the Doctor emerges as one of the most fascinating characters in this tale. This is not necessarily by virtue of his being the main character, but rather by being Davros's intellectual equal and moral flip side, bringing knowledge of the future and battling his own morality to stop the Daleks from being created. The (in)famous 'Do I have the right?' scene could only have worked in this relatively early stage of Dr. Who, and I'm glad it made it into the final cut; the Doctor's hesitation makes him a fascinating character. That said, I have no qualms whatsoever with future incarnations committing genocide of the Daleks.

  With great performances, an airtight script (and by that, I really do mean frightfully well written), and an assured direction -- what could I ask for more in a serial? Genesis of the Daleks brings Skaro to life, a wartorn breeding ground of racial cleansing and genocide -- and plays a cautionary tale of amoral science and hateful rhetoric. Few classic serials have made the Doctor and their companions go through quite as many hardships as Genesis has, and that's why it's such a daunting story to approach, even now. Once you take a deep breath and turn it on, however, you're hooked for all six episodes. That's power.