Given that the fourth episode of The Power of the Daleks ends on the huge Dalek factory reveal, it is no great surprise that all hell breaks out for the last two episodes. The rebel uprising that has been simmering in the background so far comes to full fruition, just as the chief of security stages his coup to seize the governorship and the army of Daleks are finally unleashed upon the colony. The level of mayhem and bloodshed is simply breathtaking for a story of this era.

Let's talk about that.

The Power of the Daleks - Episodes 5 & 6

(TARDIS Data Core recap)

The chief scientist's mind is completely broken by what he has seen inside the Dalek capsule, and although he rushes off to warn everyone of what he has seen. Unfortunately, he is such a raving lunatic about it that nobody believes a word he says. Or, in some cases, the wrong people believe him but they themselves still think that they can control the Daleks.The head of security straight-up murders the colony's governor and assumes control, and then blames the death on the rebels whom he has stirred into action. By the sixth episode, this has led to mass chaos throughout the colony. Security staff battle with rebels, while the Daleks start exterminating everyone in their path.

There is one particular lingering shot that is just stunning -  a minute long slow pan down a hallway littered with dozens of bodies of colonists all scattered about in heaps. Security, rebels, scientists, random citizens, it is one long slow survey of the death toll while the sounds of battle rage on in the background. It is a brutal, beautiful sequence that hammers home the scope of the chaos.

Ultimately, the Doctor is able to trigger a massive overload of the Daleks' power supply, and they all explode in an orgy of destruction. The leader of the coup is unceremoniously shot by one of the rebels, and in the end the former lieutenant governor is left to pick up the pieces. The Doctor and companions literally sneak out the back door and take off in the TARDIS before they can be caught up in the aftermath.

I am always surprised when I actually enjoy a Dalek story, and this one surprised be greatly. The slow, simmering build up to the big finish was perfectly balanced with tension and turnabouts. This is a production team that is firing on all cylinders at this point, and there is only one piece remaining to cement this new era of the show: Jamie McCrimmon. I am so looking forward to his introduction tomorrow.

STATS:

Doctor(s): Second
Companion(s): Ben Jackson, Polly Wright
Episode(s): The Power of the Daleks - Episodes 5 & 6
Steps Walked: 6,862 today, 481,241 total
Distance Walked:  3.48 miles today, 226.75 miles total
Weight: 285.38 lbs (five day moving average), net change -21.92 lbs