Planet of the Daleks [TV/1973.4.7 ~ 5.12]

★★★★☆

  Planet of the Daleks always somewhat teetered between a three-star and four-star adventure for me, depending on the mood of the day and what I was looking for. Now, after countless rewatches, I think I've come up with my final verdict: this is an amazing Dalek tale, not so much because of what the Daleks do in particular, but because of all the effort and eye for detail put into the so-called "window dressing", everything surrounding the Dalek conquest narrative. The reason I say this? Let's face it, the Daleks' whole virus cultivation plan is nothing we haven't seen before, and it's not nearly enough to carry a six-parter with much gravitas or conviction. No, I give Planet of the Daleks a four-star rank because of the following reasons.

  This is a love letter from the 1970s to the foundational Dalek stories of the '60s, written by the man himself, Terry Nation. I understand this fact in itself can either make or break an adventure for some, but I rather like the classic sci-fi inspired tropes and narrative beats of Nation's Dalekmania sensibilities. The familiar stock sound effects of alien rainforests can be heard, with dangerous alien flora to boot, and the Thals make a welcome return with the charming Bernard Horsfall at the helm. The six parts practically fly by with a wealth of fun concepts, such as the invisible Spiridons, the frozen Dalek army underground, the plant infection that Jo suffers from for some time, and even the beautifully designed Dalek Supreme. Consider this serial as a better precedent to Death to the Daleks, with a much stronger focus on exciting, nail-biting adventure than intergalactic politics. Every escape set piece is expertly crafted, directed so meticulously by David Maloney, and performed with conviction from the actors. My favourite has to be the 'hot air balloon' escape; it's exactly the kind of science-based, absolutely bonkers escape plan I'd expect from Dr. Who. 

  With an atmospheric first episode (a great choice to let Jo strike out on her own, offering fewer explanations but more believable dangers and stakes) leading into four or five episodes of tailor-made fun for '60s freaks (like me), Planet of the Daleks may not be everyone's cup of tea... but if it's yours, you're gonna be clamouring for more. If ever there was a good showcase for Jon Pertwee, action man and intergalactic explorer, this would be the one.