Production Code: 6Z
First Transmitted
1 - 23/03/1985 17:20
2 - 30/03/1985 17:20
Plot
The Doctor and Peri arrive on the planet Necros where, in a facility called Tranquil Repose presided over by Mr Jobel and his assistant Tasambeker, the wealthy can have their newly-deceased bodies cryogenically frozen until such time as medical science can cure whatever killed them.
The Doctor wishes to pay his last respects to his friend Professor Arthur Stengos, and also to assuage some nagging suspicions about the man's death. His suspicions prove justified, as it turns out that this is just a ruse to lure him into a trap.
The Great Healer masterminding Tranquil Repose is Davros, who is using the organic material in the cryogenic storage units both as the raw material for the synthetic food that is Necros's biggest export and also to create a whole new army of Daleks with which to take control of the universe.
Davros's plans are foiled when Daleks loyal to the Dalek Supreme arrive on Necros and take him prisoner. The Doctor suggests to the planet's inhabitants a new basis for their economy.
Episode Endings
The Doctor is shocked to find a giant carving of his own face on a huge gravestone in the Garden of Fond Memories on Necros. He believes this means that he will die here in his current incarnation. Peri cries out in alarm as suddenly the gravestone topples over and falls toward the Doctor, threatening to crush him.
The Doctor decides to take Peri on a holiday and prepares to tell her their intended destination.
Roots
Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One.
Soylent Green.
Callan (professional killer plus smelly sidekick).
The Avengers (Bizarre).
American Graffiti.
Dark Star (DJ).
Dialogue Triumphs
Orcini : "This is Bostock, my squire. I'm afraid the only philosophy practised by Bostock is to do as little about his personal hygiene as possible."
Kara : "Not at all! The odour of nature has... charms all of its own..."
Orcini : "Yes, well, he may smell like rotting flesh, but he's an excellent squire."
Peri : [Being helped over a wall by the Doctor] "Don't drop me."
The Doctor : "Drop you! I'll be lucky to lift you, the amount you weigh."
Peri : "Watch it, porky!"
Jobel : [To Tasambeker] "I would rather run away... with my mother!"
Dialogue Disasters
Grigory : [Goes Trek] "I'm a doctor, not a magician!"
Peri : [of the DJ] "I'm curious to know where he picked up his patter."
Double Entendre
Vogel : "I'm a past master at the double entry."
The Doctor : [To Peri] "We go over the top."
The Doctor : [A conversation that turns out to be about the Doctor's broken fob watch] "I rarely use it, I shall learn to live without it."
Peri : "I'll find you a new one."
Continuity
Bastic headed bullets can destroy Daleks. Davros' Daleks recognise the Doctor [Davros has obviously been tracking him for some time], but those of the Supreme Dalek do not. Davros' Daleks are white and gold, and the others grey. The Imperial Daleks travel in saucers, come from Skaro, and are contactable by anybody.
Davros' Daleks (and Davros) can hover (see Remembrance of the Daleks). Natasha recognises Daleks on sight, and the President knows what they are. [The Imperial Dalek faction are still rebuilding after some military defeat, and, while known and feared, are not being actively aggressive towards humanity.]
Humans are also aware of Davros [his trial a century or so earlier made him infamous] and his appearance. Davros knows about regeneration [having spent his time researching the Doctor], and already has ambitions to be Emperor. Davros can now fire electric bolts from his hand, and has the ability to make a convincing robotic or cloned head of himself. His blood is green. He came straight to Necros from his escape pod (Resurrection of the Daleks), having got a lift from a carrier [and found that he was, in fact, mostly immune to the Movellan virus]. He loses his hand in this story.
The flowers of Nekros are known as Staff of Life (Herbabaculum vitae or weed plant), and are a good source of protein. A spielsnape is a Nekrosian animal. The Doctor is still a vegetarian and makes nut rolls for Peri.
QV
The Second History of the Daleks
Location
Necros [some time after Destiny of the Daleks and Resurrection of the Daleks. The statement that this is three generations after the time of radio DJs on Earth is unhelpful.]
Future History
The galaxy has been freed of famine, and is ruled by a male President called Vargos.
Untelevised
The Grand Order of Oberon is a group of religious knights which the Doctor can recognise a member of at a glance. Perhaps he's met them before. Arthur Stengos, the agronomist, was an old friend of the Doctor's.
Trivia
Davros and his Daleks are seen for the first time to be able to hover some distance from the ground.
A transparent Dalek appears for the first time - an idea devised by the series' original story editor, David Whitaker, for his 1964 novelisation of the creatures' debut story.
Comedy performer Alexei Sayle appears in a semi-serious role as the DJ who broadcasts to the dead on Necros.
William Gaunt, well remembered as Richard Barrett in the ITC series The Champions amongst many other notable roles, appears here as the noble mercenary Orcini.
Distinguished actress Eleanor Bron, who had previously made a cameo appearance in season seventeen's City of Death, is seen here as Kara, who hires Orcini to assassinate Davros.
Goofs
Davros' dialogue is often inaudible.
Davros' chair is missing a bit of its base when hovering, leading to Orcini passing his leg through it.
Why does Davros lure the Doctor across the galaxy to drop a polystyrene statue full of fake blood onto him?
If she'd thought a moment, Peri would surely have realised that the Doctor couldn't possibly be killed on this visit, since the grave must already have had a body in it.
Davros does make some mention of turning the Doctor into a Dalek, but why not just capture him the instant he arrives?
When captured, how does the Doctor know that Davros is still alive? (Natasha and Grigory can't possibly have told him, because they don't know either.)
Tasambeker stabs Jobel without pushing the plunger on the syringe.
Fashion Victim
The blue cloaks look rather good, and even Peri's casual wear is subtle this time. But as for Jobel... Oh dear.
Cast & Crew
Cast
The Doctor - Colin Baker
Peri - Nicola Bryant
Bostock - John Ogwen
Computer Voice - Penelope Lee
D. J. - Alexei Sayle
Dalek Operator - John Scott Martin
Dalek Operator - Cy Town
Dalek Operator - Tony Starr
Dalek Operator - Toby Byrne
Dalek Voice - Roy Skelton
Dalek Voice - Royce Mills
Davros - Terry Molloy
Grigory - Stephen Flynn
Head of Stengos - Alec Linstead
Jobel - Clive Swift
Kara - Eleanor Bron
Lilt - Colin Spaull
Mutant - Ken Barker
Natasha - Bridget Lynch-Blosse
Orcini - William Gaunt
Takis - Trevor Cooper
Tasambeker - Jenny Tomasin
Vogel - Hugh Walters
Crew
Director - Graeme Harper
Revelation of the Daleks