Audio: Doctor Who - Davros

Audio: Doctor Who - Davros

The second of the villains trilogy focuses on the creator of the daleks in a tale that, while overlong and quite wordy, skillfully develops our understanding of a character that, removed from his squawking dustbins, is much more intriguing than you'd think. With a top notch cast including TV Davros Terry Molloy, and Who alumini Bernard Horsfall and Wendy Padbury, Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor is once again given material that he would have killed for back in his TV days.

Going solo, the Doctor lands on a planet that is the home to the huge TAI Corporation dome run by CEO Arnold Baynes (Horsfall) and his historian wife, and Davros apologist, Lorraine (Padbury). Having illegally acquired the mad scientist the pair offer him a job in their research and development section. Horrified, the Doctor ends up working for Baynes too, just so he can keep an eye on Davros. But has Davros changed? The Kaled geneticist speaks of how he could use his genius for the good of the galaxy and his initial work suggests he has turned over a new leaf. But can someone like Davros actually change? Intending to write the definitive history of Davros, Lorraine asks the scientist questions that bring back painful memories for him - memories of his accident and memories of the beautiful and talented scientist Shan that a young Davros worked with...

Baker and Molloy in their TV meeting in Revelation of the Daleks from 1985.

There's a lot going on in Davros, from the very entertaining battle of wills between the Doctor and Davros to the machinations of the Baynes. Writer Lance Parkin, a man who takes his Who very, very seriously, does take time to have a few satirical potshots at modern business companies with their endless jargon of 'blue sky' and 'thinking outside of the box' (in one funny scene, Baynes spouts all this to a simply bewildered Davros who understands none of it). As Baynes, Horsfall is excellent as a man who is neither good nor bad, a super capitalist who believes he is doing the right thing but who is prepared to do terrible things to get that done. Padbury's Lorraine is less developed but it's nice to hear Zoe back in the Dr Who world. Journalist Willis (Eddie De Oliveira) and technician Kim (Ruth Sillers) are just there so the Doctor can explain stuff and so Davros has someone to rant at.

The play is more successful in its portrayal of Davros. Yes, the ranting and scheming are present and correct but he comes across as much more than the looney half dalek guy that the TV stories portrayed him as after Genesis of the Daleks back in 1974. This is a Davros that, from studying stock reports, works out a formula that could cripple the entire galactic economy and allow him to simply take over. His manipulation of the characters, including the Doctor, put other villains, such as the Master, to shame. Parkins' new backstory is also interesting with a chance for Molloy to play his creation without the voice modulator. The relationship with Shan (Eighth Doctor audio play regular Katarina Olsson) suggests a softer side of the scientist that is then brutally torn away from us as it is revealed he had her killed as there was only room for one great scientist on Skaro. The reveal that it was Shan who came up with the entire dalek concept (including the name) might be a step too far for some listeners. Though about 30 minutes too long, Davros is another very strong entry from Big Finish, and one that fans should give a listen to, especially as it's a chance to hear the wonderful Bernard Horsfall again, an actor who has sadly recently passed away.

GK Rating: **** The Blog of Delights

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