Davros, Duos, and DJs: The Season 22 Finale - "Revelation of the Daleks"
John and Jim welcome back special guest Felicity Kusinitz to discuss the Colin Baker era finale - a story that generates surprising ratings diversity and sparks debate about Eric Saward's best (or most problematic) work.
Production Background: Director Graham Harper returns after "Caves of Androzani" to helm this two-part adventure, the last to be shot using film for location work. John shares fascinating details about Eric Saward writing the script while vacationing in Rhodes, drawing inspiration from Evelyn Waugh's satirical novel The Loved One, and Greek locations providing character names. The story features newly constructed Daleks for the first time since "Planet of the Daleks," plus some surprising casting stories - including Sir Laurence Olivier being approached to play... the mutant.
Best and Worst Guest Stars: Jim declares this story contains both the best and worst guest stars ever - a proclamation that generates immediate discussion. Eleanor Bron's appearance delights Jim (who knew her from "Help!" and "Bedazzled"), while the DJ character sparks the episode's most heated debate. The hosts and Felicity find themselves split on whether this comedic character works or derails the story's tone.
The Duo Dynamic: The hosts examine Eric Saward's interesting structural choice of populating the story with paired characters - from Orsini and Bostock (the assassin and his squire) to Jobel and Tasambeker, Kara and Vogel, and more. Discussion explores whether this represents a Robert Holmes homage and how these relationships drive the narrative.
Davros as Emperor Palpatine: Jim presents his case for Davros completing his transformation into Emperor Palpatine, complete with blue lightning and manipulation tactics. The hosts debate the character's evolution, Terry Molloy's performance, and the story's handling of Davros versus the "real" Daleks.
The Mortuary Planet Concept: Jim shares his fascination with funeral home settings in science fiction, praising the story's dark humor and satire. Discussion covers the story's Soylent Green elements, the disturbing glass Daleks, and whether the various subplots serve or detract from the core narrative.
Perry's Accent Meta-Moment: The hosts discuss the scene where DJ asks "Is that your real accent?" - exploring what the production team knew about Nicola Bryant's secret by this point.
Listener Perspectives: Jameson and Jamie Girl weigh in with contrasting views on the DJ character, Herbert from "Timelash," and the season's violence levels.
Final Ratings: The three hosts land across the spectrum - demonstrating this story's divisive nature even among those who generally enjoy it.
Felicity's Colin Baker Era Assessment: The returning guest shares her overall thoughts on Season 22, Colin Baker's Doctor, and her relationship with Perry as a companion.
Coming Up Next:
Special Hiatus Content:
Patreon Exclusive (Next Week): John and Jim cover "Slipback" - the BBC Radio 4 audio drama featuring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant that aired during the 18-month hiatus.
Patreon Exclusive (Week After): A deep dive into the missing Season 23 - examining what stories were planned, what could have worked, and where to find them in expanded media through Big Finish and Target novels.
Main Feed: Classic Patreon episodes will be released for non-subscribers during the two-week break.
Regular Patreon Episode (Monday): Episode 159 concludes the Steve Parkhouse comic run with his final story "Once Upon a Time Lord."
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