Planet of the Daleks: Episode 2 (Mission Survival)

I forgot to mention in the previous entry that Jo got some fungus on her hand which will play an important part in this episode. As well as this being the show’s 10^th anniversary, it is also the Daleks’ 10^th anniversary. Continuing the Terry Nation unnecessary episode titles sees this episode called Mission Survival. We don’t get a proper reprise but instead the Doctor finishing off his new paint job. After appearing breiefly at the end of the previous episode, we get a good scene with a couple of them and they spend the rest of the episode being their usual self which isn’t a bad thing.

Prentis Hancock is very good as Vaber because he’s not just being negative and dull but there is a good bit of charisma about him. Hancock is very much like Bernard Horsfall is someone that I could watch in anything and the pair work well together. Tim Preece is the likeable of the trio and the one that seems most human. He is the most gung-ho of the three yet seems to be more likeable because of it.

The Doctor’s reaction to the ship that he thinks has Jo in it being blown up by the Daleks is a lovely moment from Jon Pertwee and I think that the loss is quite strong. There is another nod to a previous Nation story when the Dalek shoots at the Doctor to weaken his legs just like they did to Ian Chesterton in the Daleks’ first adventure. I like the scene between the Doctor and Codal where they talk about being brave but still doing what’s needed. It’s shows the Doctor that he can act when needed but would rather he didn’t have to.

Despite being sick at the beginning, Jo befriends a Spiridon who is under a purple fluffy cloak and makes Jo better. She doesn’t really do very much in this episode but compared to other episode where she’s had very little to do at least she gets to learn something about her helper. Jon Pertwee is on fine form again and my irregular fashion watch appears in this entry. His purple velvet jacket should stand out a bit but in the jungle it blends in quite well.

Towards the end of this episode there are more Thals introduced to the story, three more are added to make it six altogether which I think is three or four too many in my opinion. However I will talk about that more as the episode progress but this another solid episode and considering it takes entirely in a studio, I felt like there was scale and it wasn’t just taking place in a studio. The cliffhanger might not have had the impact that the previous one did but it was a big revelation of there being more than a few Daleks but 10,000. We wont see 10,000 Daleks or even 10 on screen but the idea of their being that many must have sent the imaginations of children wild in 1973. I am still enjoying this adventure very much and looking forward to the rest of the serial.