TV Review: Doctor Who: Remembrance of the Daleks (1988)

Doctor Who: Remembrance of the Daleks (1988) written by Ben Aaronovitch and directed by Andrew Morgan

Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy travels to 1963 England to take care of some unfinished business. Unfortunately, two factions of Daleks (who are naturally in conflict with one another as well as the Doctor) are interested in the same unfinished business. An earlier incarnation of the Doctor had left the Hand of Omega, a Time Lord device of amazing power, hidden in plain sight. The Daleks want it for the power; The Doctor wants to keep it out the hands of the Daleks...or does he?

The story has nice bits of cleverness as the Doctor tries to get his plan to come off. He's assisted by Ace, a 1980s girl who makes her own explosives and carries around a baseball bat and a boom box. When a Dalek tries to eliminate her, she doesn't shriek for the Doctor's help. She gets the bat out! She is a refreshing change for a classic female companion to the Doctor. The episode also has lots of big, credible-looking explosions (how else can you kill a Dalek?) and is otherwise on the high end of the BBC's production values. McCoy's wit and physicality are put to great use, especially when he confronts the Dalek leader. The blend of fun and drama is near perfect.

This four-parter (about 100 minutes) is solid entertainment.