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'Doctor Who, with his travelling companions, Sarah and Harry, has landed on a desolate planet called Skaro. As he surveys the barren landscape, a Time Lord appears and tells him he has been brought there to try and avert the creation of the Daleks, and thus prevent them from being the dominant creature in the Universe...'

With linking narration by Tom Baker, this condensed version of the original TV episodes includes one of the most memorable and dramatic moments in the history of "Doctor Who": the Doctor's moral dilemma about whether he has the right to destroy the Daleks forever.

COMMENT

This review of AUDIO GO’s re-release of the “vintage” DOCTOR WHO – GENESIS OF THE DALEKS original edited soundtrack could be a very short one indeed.

It wouldn’t impress the publicity team at AUDIO GO for me to say, “Excellent. Buy or download it”, would it? In essence, that is my review. How many words (in use) in the English language? According to OED online, three quarters of a million. I could effortlessly use all of them in a review of this CLASSIC SERIES product.

Quite frankly, this audio release is indispensable, essential for any fan, literally any fan of the CLASSIC SERIES or NEW SERIES.

In 1979, I can remember clutching my “clam-shell styled” leather coin wallet and marching (perhaps, that should be “gliding” as it’s a dalek-related review) to the LP (if you are under 20 years old, ask your parents what “LP” is) to the counter in WH Smith (a UK retailer) and asking for my reserved (I wasn’t going to take any chances in missing this product) copy of DOCTOR WHO – GENESIS OF THE DALEKS.

BBC RECORDS REH 364 MONO (Available on Cassette No ZCR 364). £3.45 (In today's money [2009 data calculator], you would pay £13.00.) See right for image.

In the following years, it became an essential companion in the “summer void” when DOCTOR WHO was "off-air" in the days before VHS recorders allowed you to become “square-eyed” from hours of re-watching re-winding (un-tangling) your cassette collection. Is it little wonder that the vinyl pressing became scratched, forcing the dalek’s final track pronouncement to be punctuated with involuntary “skip-hiccups”.

And, thirty-two years later, would any sane minded person still have the same copy? Of course, I’m a DOCTOR WHO fan. Loud and proud. Certainly, it is dog-eared, showing its age (aren’t we all?) but it can still be played.

Fast-forward to February 2011 and the clever concept of “Vintage Beeb” from the new home of BBC AUDIO, AUDIO GO.

In a near reproduction (yes, there is a flaw as the original sleeve stated “BBC records” and not “BBC records & tapes) of this most iconic of Fourth Doctor stories, fans-of-a-certain-age can once again be enthralled by this edited (I don’t like the word “condensed”) version of Terry Nation’s GENESIS OF THE DALEKS whilst younger fans of the NEW SERIES can be entertained in addition to understand the importance that such audio product had in maintaining a true fan-base (that lead eventually to the 2005 re-imagineering of DOCTOR WHO by long-term fans Russell T Davies and Phil Collinson).

Like the original LP version, this release is a mere 60 minutes (the maximum length on a vinyl LP was 45 minutes per side), and that goes passed in what seems like a beat of a butterfly’s wings.

Remastered by Mark Ayres, the release should on everyone’s AMAZON “wish list” or DOCTOR WHO display shelf (admit it, we all have “that” segregated shelf set aside for only WHO product, and woe betide anyone who moves CDs out of either [1] broadcast order or [2] release order).

Filmed in 1975, Tom Baker’s Doctor was, at that stage, understated yet witty, Elisabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith independently courageous and Ian Marter’s Harry Sullivan heroically subtle. At the time, it was dream team and for this story was supported by two legendary performances; Michael Wisher as the scheming misguided would-be dictator, Davros and a chillingly sterile creation, Nyder, by Peter Miles. Combined with a deft yet workman-like direction (David Maloney) and a creative vision for the series from new producer (Philip Hinchcliffe), GENESIS OF THE DALEKS has become one of the series’ “top ten stories” (The DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE 40th anniversary Poll placed it at No. 3). Quite right too.

From the opening spine tingling charged theme music and Baker’s opening nonchalant narration

“I stepped from the TARDIS onto a bleak planet. All around the ground was ravaged, no vegetation. Banks of chilling fog swirling through the air. Why had I been brought here?”

- to the final triumphant diatribe of the entombed dalek

“…as the supreme power of the universe“

- DOCTOR WHO – GENESIS OF THE DALEKS is critically superb. If you were buy/download one CD this month, this is it.