Ken Bentley

Reviews

Apparently selected by Nicholas Briggs from a pile of anonymised submissions, it is not hard to see the qualities that made David Bishop’s initial pitch for Enemy of the Daleks stand out from the crowd. Not only does it have a great hook that has seldom been explored this fully before, but it also does what so few stories are able to in that it successfully examines each of the regular characters in equal  measure.

One of this story’s central themes is the examination of how far one has to go to beat a monster. Some, like Lieutenant Beth Stokes, would rather die than risk becoming a monster themselves, but for better or worse the Doctor takes a much more pragmatic view here. The cold indifference that Sylvester McCoy gives to the line Do I have the right to destroy the Kiseibya? Probably not is every bit as terrifying as any Dalek’s exterminatory screech; probably more so, in truth.

In contrast to Hex, the natural warrior in Ace really shines through in this play. Hex, conversely, is well and truly out of his league here. Of course, Hex is about as far from being a coward as you can get – there is one terrific scene in this play where he tries to prevent the Daleks murdering the lame in the base’s hospital without a thought for himself – but there is still no getting around the fact that the events of the story are just too big for him to deal with. And for his part, Philip Olivier conveys this sense so truthfully; this four-parter might even mark his best performance yet in the role. The rub is, given the development of his character in Enemy of the Daleks, it may well be the case that there are not all that many stories left to run for Mr Schofield.

Turning to the story’s production, it has to be said that it is every bit as outstanding as Bishop’s distinctive script. The performances of the cast here are, without exception, extraordinary (Elji Kusuhara as Professor Shimura is especially worthy of note), particularly when they are set against Steve Foxon’s evocative sound design. However, what really sets Enemy of the Daleks apart from its peers as a production is Foxon’s score, which can only be described as outright rock; heavy metal, even. And whereas in another story such a bold approach could quite easily have proven fatal, here it works so very, very well – just listen to the reveal of the Kiseibya towards the end of the second episode, for instance. Stunning.

And so all told, Enemy of the Daleks is a completely relentless delight. The characterisation is peerless, the story is utterly engrossing, and on top of all that, the whole thing is just so damned Daleky – Rels! Replicants! The Dalek Wars! This one does everything that it says on the tin, and much more besides. It is the New Adventure that the Daleks never had.

E.G. Wolverson
Doctor Who Reviews

The Daleks are swarming across the sector. One ship of Valkyries – female fighters – flees the battles, limping to the nearest human scientific outpost for assistance... but the Daleks aren’t far behind. The troubled outpost, though, is plagued by a disease. Or is it a weapon? Perhaps both? The Seventh Doctor tries to convince Ace and Hex to stay behind, but Hex wants to help the stricken outpost crew, and Ace wants to fight the Daleks. Meanwhile, the Doctor is neck-deep in what is about to become the greatest atrocity of the entire Dalek War.

Enemy of the Daleks is gritty, claustrophobic, and dark; everything that you want out of a showdown between McCoy’s Doctor and the giant pepperpots. Those looking for a laugh and some light entertainment should steer clear, but if you’re after an examination of the moral choices made during war, and a look at the effects of war on the human psyche, this is the story for you.

David Bishop crafts a murky world of labour camps and galactic civilisation hanging on by its fingernails. The plot is straightforward but affecting, unflinchingly tackling big, scary concepts head-on, and steadfastly refusing to let our heroes off easily with a handy deus ex machina or contrived plot device.

Though firmly set in the Big Finish Seventh Doctor continuity, there is more than a hint of the Virgin New Adventures peeking through in the characters of Ace and the Doctor. There is also more than a hint that Hex, the gentle soul who only wants to help people, may be rethinking his decision to gatecrash the party. The subtle disharmony among the TARDIS crew is like an itch that you can’t quite reach, but the presence of Hex is a grounding influence in the audio. Ace has a level of toughness to which few of us in real life can aspire, and the Doctor is, well... the Doctor. But Hex is Everyman. Hex reacts to scenes of horror and impossible choices the same way you or your co-workers or the bloke down the street might react. He is occasionally heroic, but he’s not a Hero. And his presence adds a welcome – if uncomfortable – sense of realism.

The regular actors give the script everything they have, and it’s obvious that their enthusiasm for the material remains as strong as ever, even after so many years. Guest star Kate Ashfield is superb as Lieutenant Stokes, the cowardly commander permanently damaged by years in a Dalek labour camp. Bindya Solanki and Jeremy James put in good performances as well, with James getting to make full use of his rather amazing vocal range with multiple roles. Of course, Nick Briggs is the voice we all know and love to hate as the Daleks – menacing, as ever.

A word about the music: for years, Big Finish’s background music was, at best, just sort of there. At worst, it was distracting, and occasionally irritating. Lately, it has been better – much better. Steve Foxon is credited with the music and sound design in Enemy of the Daleks, and really uses the incidental music to enhance the gritty feel of the piece. It’s good stuff.

All in all, Enemy of the Daleks is a must-have for Dalek buffs, and gives every indication of being an important step in the character development of Hex. Does it herald a change in the wind for the TARDIS crew? We’ll have to wait to find out.

Rachel Steffan
Unreality SF