The Dalek Masterplan

 

With two further episodes of this story having been recently found and now available to watch on BBC iPlayer, we can get a broader impression of `The Dalek Masterplan` though there is still more than half of it missing. The lengthy gap since any other missing episodes were found raises hopes that it may still not be too late for more from this story to be found. Given the speed with which characters and locales change there’s still a fair amount of significant material we’ve not seem. Nevertheless we now have the first three episode plus part five giving us a large portion of the first half. Let’s be optimistic that some more of the second half might be found to join the only later episode available. Anyway, this does seem an opportune moment to review the episodes we do have, in sequence.

NEW! Episode One: The Nightmare Begins

There’s two noticeable aspects of this episode. Firstly, it is extremely well mounted with impressive sets and secondly Terry Nation’s plot does rely on some convenience to advance. Not only does the TARDIS happen to materialise almost right in front of Vyon, but the Doctor find there are Daleks here just at the moment their “new ally” Mavic Chen rocks up.

With Steven ill due to being poisoned, the Doctor leaves Katrina to look after him while he seeks help. You do wonder that surely there must be some medical supplies on the ship but seemingly not. The script’s use of the Doctor’s talking to himself play into William Hartnell’s more melodramatic tendencies which suit a melodramatic story such as this where almost every plot development comes with a flourish.

Having read about some of the behind the scenes difficulties Wiliam Hartnell had at this point it doesn’t adversely affect what is a fine performance from him, often emphasising this incarnation’s playful side. Adrienne Hill looks slightly bewildered and its hard to say whether this is Katrina’s lack of understanding as to what is happening or an actor not having been well prepared enough. Her delivery is so quiet and unassuming it can be hard to understand. Yet what she does convey is Katrina;s utter wonder and bewilderment at what is happening around her. One moment where she tries to reach for stars on a display screen sums up how her character is somehow convinced all this is some sort of afterlife. It also demonstrates how impractical it would have been to have kept her on as a regular as Katrina hardly knows what anything is.

The episode has little of the procrastination that often seems to make opening segments of Sixties stories meander before anything happens.  There’s a tense atmosphere on the planet amidst the detailed jungle set that looks impressive. Is that that same animal noises tape they later used in `Planet of the Daleks?” Normally associated with Play School as a presenter, Brian Cant becomes the injured and scared Kert Gantry convincingly wilting under the scenario. Nicholas Courtney makes his Doctor Who debut in this episode as Vyon proves to be quite an adaptable character. Courtney’s conviction is the acting highlight of the episode, when Vyon offers some help for Steven suggests he’s one of a line of the sort of rough edged but practical characters which Terry Nation enjoyed writing.

The most impressive set in the episode though is the Space Security Services’ comms room which is dominated by a circular display and several consoles operated by bald men for some reason. It’s a strong attempt to present something different. I also liked the scene where two senior, non bald officials Roald and Lizen are watching a broadcast featuring the Guardian of the Solar System, Mavic Chen. Their differing responses to this interview are amusing.- she seems like a bit of Chen fangirl whereas he amusingly mouths each word just before Chen says it suggesting this is the sort of propaganda the latter often repeats.

Mavic Chen is often listed amongst the most memorable of the show’s antagonists – Daily Express readers voted him Villain of the Year. This makes me think that maybe for  a brief interregnum Kevin Stoney became a celeb. Of course these days thee’s already been some online discourse regarding Chen’s appearance which is a little peculiar. Like Li Hsen Chang `Talons of Weng Chiang` its been criticised as `yellowface` as the actor is white. Is unclear from the story what nationality he is supposed to be. His facial hair is unlike anything normal while he also has weird alien like fingernails. Did he have mixed human and alien parentage? As I’ve said before, we can’t retrospectively apply modern standards to material created decades ago though it does need to be acknowledged. This issue aside, Keven Stoney’s casual performance is a delight though this is very much an introduction for the character.  I wonder though whether anyone in his position could pretend to be going on holiday and then attend a serious conference with delegates from other planets without anyone knowing. As for the way he holds his pen, I tried it and its almost impossible to write legibly.

Episode Two: Day of Armageddon

There’s quite an ambition to the staging of this episode yet it seems that simplicity dictated the choices resulting in some very effective sequences. The conference hall for example uses the length of the studio to provide a Eurovision style ramp for the delegates to parade down as they enter with their different looks and styles. Surely a fanfare for each of them might be needed? To convey a range of aliens on a budget the production does a great job; each of them look striking and care is taken to give them their own behaviour. I especially like the spring heeled representative who walks as if there are hot coals under his feet. If does seem a bit odd for the Daleks to be seen attending a meeting but the set allows them to move around easily. The only time things become a little chaotic is when the alarm goes off and these powerful delegates run off like scared children!

Setting fire to a large portion of the jungle is another ambitious ask that initially seems to flummox even Douglas Camfield. He uses close ups of the Dalek’s latest pimped suckers that now spit flames but eah sprig takes so long to ignite it seems an ineffective scorched earth policy. Camfield later makes amends with some effective use of old fashioned shadows of flames seen on people’s faces as they watch the conflagration. Camfield was well chosen to helm this story; in other hands it would be clunky but he creates a fluidity that really helps matters along though continued changes of location and characters coming and going. He also manages to keep things moving ; despite being twelve episodes long, this story rattles along stealthily, even skipping over a recaps to launch straight into each episode.

It’s here that Kevin Stoney comes into his own during Chen’s conversation with Zephon who is irritated at the turn of events. Actor Julian Sherrier is able to articulate some characterful material despite his face being hidden under a black hood while Stoney is like a tiger toying with his prey. Yet he’s also aware of his place at present gazing up at two metal bars as he says this. It’s a really well played moment.

Once again though Nation’s convenience comes into play; having introduced the Taranum core with some fanfare explaining its uniqueness and how it took years to find, when the alarm goes off Chen just leaves it on the table for the Doctor- now disguised as Zephon- to pick up! Also how come nobody notices that Zephon’s plant like hands and feet, previously sticking out prominently from under his cowl can now not be seen.

NEW! Episode Three: Devil’s Planet

The story continues to excel visually; this episode we get to see Chen’s spaceship in flight courtesy and it looks like a cool 1950s sci fi movie. There’s also an impressive shot of Desperus which at first looks like a painting but then you see hwat looks like three people torches being carried in the distance and it really give a perspective to the picture.  Probably the same  jungle is used here as in the previous episodes but it looks slightly different.

One thing this episode highlights is how feisty the relationship between the Doctor and Steven has become. The former is in irritated mood as he encourages Steven and Brett to repair the ship so they can escape before the Daleks arrive. Yet Steven is now clearly familiar with the Doctor’s ways and laughs it off. The actor is able to deliver his lines in a natural sounding style, not really the method familiar at the time yet it adds a lot of variety to the companion role and is always believable.

The episode is full of developments, most of which work. The prisoners on Desperus have created their own heirachy, something efficiently put over in a  few minutes. Less vital is a scene where the Doctor plays the recording he found in the jungle which just tells him- and us- what we already know. Still it’s fun to see the way the Doctor enthuses over the spaceship – William Hartnell in his old fusspot routine that is always fun. “What’s up with Grandad?” asks Nick Courntey’s Brett, already pioneering the wry expressions he will successfully utilise years later as the Brigadier. Its really only Katarina who seems superfluous in this episode, drafted to help the Doctor with tasks yet remaining wide eyed at almost everything she encounters. Her sparse dialogue was probably no help to Adrienne Hill who has so little to work with and is in the company of three actors who are thriving in this scenario.

Episode Five: Counter Plot

Whereas a lot of Sixties Doctor Who seemed to progress slowly from one plot point to another, `The Daleks Masterplan` prefers a faster speed despite having the space of twelve episodes to fulfil its plot. So although only one episode (`The Traitors`) sits in between `Devil’s Planet` and `Counter Plot` it feels like we’ve missed about three. There are characters we’d not met in the opening trio of episodes, whilst a couple of people we know, Brett Vyon and Katrina, have vanished. We’re also in the middle of a scientific experiment in molecular dissemination and those scraggy convicts have disappeared as well. It would definitely be interesting to see `The Traitors` given that it includes the deaths of both Katrina and Vyon though in this episode the Doctor and Steven appear to have got over the trauma quite easily.

The Doctor, Steven and Sara’s molecular journey is conveyed with as much strangeness as possible; the picture is given one of those distortion effects they used to like on Top of the Pops and at one point the trio appear to be jumping up and down on a trampoline. Its definitely an interesting choice but it does contrast somewhat with the matter of fact transporter used a few years later on Star Trek. Once on the planet- which has another jungle presumably necessitating the moving of all those plants again - they encounter another of Terry Nation’s go-to ideas- invisible monsters. Eight feet tall, the Visians are represented by a very rendered series of moving paw prints that appear in the soil. You’ve got to feel sorry for those mice who were part of the experiment though. Transported half way across the Galaxy and surviving, to then be destroyed by Daleks.

Jean Marsh is a great addition to the cast; Sara is strong minded and practical ; a scene where she and Steven argue is terrific; here are two actors who succeed in making this scenario seem real however bizarre it is. Another strong addition is Maurice Browning as Karlton who seems to have popped up when the writer realised Chen needed a confidante, someone to whom he can crow about his ambition. Browning brings Karlton’s own steely ambitions to the fore as he basically suggests the plan that moments later Chen seems to think is his own!

Episode Ten: Escape Switch

Four (missing) episodes later we’re in Ancient Egypt amidst the pyramids and the Doctor still has the Taranium Core. Considering how fast moving the earlier episodes were, it seems as if the story has slowed somewhat. It has also acquired the Meddling Monk, played with perfect comedic timing by Peter Butterworth. Whether an already crowded story needs another antagonist is another matter but his presence does keep things lighter. He had been wrapped in bandages by the Doctor in the previous episode, which enables a fake scare at the start when a bandaged hand reaches out of a sarcophagus.

This is also the episode in which the exchange of the Taranium Core finally occurs in a shouty exchange that seems oddly staged and from which the Doctor flees faster than we’ve ever seen him move before. At this point I wonder whether the story might have benefitted from staying in one locale for longer; it would definitely help the budget and perhaps go some way to disguising the fact that this is basically just one long pursuit with a similar air to `The Chase` story from the previous season.

Still the Daleks look good in these larger spaces and there’s a memorable moment when Mavic Chen pushes away a Dalek’s eyestalk with contempt, showing how he feels about them. Kevin Stoney continues to strut around the sets with Chen’s arrogance though the script doesn’t really give him a lot to do. Once again Peter Purves and Jean Marsh are excellent. They make Steven and Sara characters in their own right rather than just being there to trail after the Doctor. It’s a good episode for William Hartnell too, sporting a sunhat like some secret agent on holiday!