Doctor Who-The Dominators (1968)
Doctor Who-The Dominators (1968) I don't know why this story is so unpopular amongst the Whovian brethren. We get a classic flying saucer armada at the start & one breaks formation to conquer the planet Dulkis. The Dominators & their Quark robots have chosen to 'annex' the Dulcians by force. Only The Doctor can stop them. The Dulcians have no concept of violence or war. Fight may as well be a swear word. So they prove to be pretty useless in their own, planetary struggle. It takes effort from Jamie Robert McCrimmon of the Clan McCrimmon & his more open-minded pal Cully, to kick some Quark butt! The Doctor uses their own bomb to blow the Dominators & their robots to smithereens, aboard their saucer, & wins the day & saves Dulkis.
OKAY, we get to the part I like best, my opinion! Cully is a rebel amongst his people, defying his Director father, & takes pleasure cruises to the radiated Island of Death for decadent students who are obviously on something 'addictive!' The Island has been absorbed of its radiation by some unknown force needing to refuel itself, & the students go rushing out. Fools go rushing in & all. What we get is a death scene that would've given me nightmares, as a brat, for years!
The Dominators & their Quark robots are at the other end of the spectrum to their potential, Dulcian enslaved. I can't get enough of these vicious, sadistic, maniacs! Rago is the leader & is cautious, not quick to kill. It would be a waste of Quark energy, imagine the bills! Yet, his subordinate, Toba (whose name sounds like a Swiss chocolate) is desperate to destroy everything that moves! He almost sounds like a Dalek! He's shouts "DESTROY!" with a vengeance! Seriously, book an appointment with Freud! You're not a Dalek!
Speaking of which, Zoe sarcastically asks of The Doctor if they're going to encounter any Daleks or Cybermen when they first land. The Dulcians have cool rocket transports that remind me of Flash Gordon. Jamie with the aid of Cully, does his Highlander best in wasting most of the Quarks in battle like English redcoats circa 1745. As for Cully himself? Well, he's bored with Dulkis culture & his important, Director father in particular. He has a notorious reputation for having a unique sense of humour, rather like myself, then? The boy who cried wolf leaps rapidly to mind!
The Doctor has to prove he's stupid. Yes, you read that right. Both he & Jamie are subjected to intelligence experiments by the Dominators which provide us with a hilarious scene. It makes sense. The Dominators (in they're own naivety) mistake them for Dulcians & want to test their metal, for want of a better term. (They even have an 'Alpha' union-style dispute on who should be in charge which reminds me of the equally brutal Hirogen on Star Trek Voyager!) Our hero figures this out, fortunately, & acts his stupid best.
Jamie is the first to receive a brain scan by Raga (LOL!) & doesn't bother with The Doctor (waste of energy?). Raga lets them go, yes! Now that they've pretended to be dimwits! & warns them to stay away from them & Quarks. As a result of The Doctor & Jamie's interference, mainly Jamie's new hobby of blowing Quarks up, Raga & Toba decide a bomb drilled into the core of the planet is a much better idea than conquest as the Dulcians are more trouble than they're worth, the cowards! The Doctor kindly delivers their bomb back to them (return address?) so that they can kindly blow themselves up. Nothing like a happy ending, right? No. It causes an volcanic eruption on the island which leads to our next story as part of this mini arc, The Mind Robber, another 5 part story & Wendy Padbury's favourite.
Great recital! EXTERMINATE! Idiot contest?!
I really can't get enough of this merry tale & can't understand why it's so unpopular. The villains are very menacing & brutal to the core. Yet, the Dulcians are so peaceful & the Director would've happily helped the Dominators find their minerals had they simply asked! This is the message of this tale. Sometimes pacifism just doesn't work. "There are corners of the Universe that have bred the worst evil, they must be fought!", to misquote our 2nd Doctor (sue me, again). This story which came out during the peace & love of the Hippy era, bares a lot in common with The Daleks, with The 1st Doctor trying to get the peaceful Thals to defend themselves.
Jamie's reaction to the Dulcian Council & their sheepish, pacifist ways is hilarious, well worth the watch for this scene alone! This season introduced the TARDIS defence system on The Krotons, yet it's not brought up when the Dominators want to destroy it. The saucer armada at the beginning is so cool & well realised, thanks BBC for the fab effort. Oh, & that saucer image above is from another Dr Who story The Moonbase (1967). I got bored looking for the brilliant saucer armada image. This enemy was due a return in the 7th Doctors era in 1990. But, for obvious reasons...the 16 year Dr Who dark age had just begun. This Troughton era 5-parter deserves respect! Great, now I sound like a Dominator! DEEE--STROY! Put me on Freud's schedule.
As per usual, no copyright, skull-duggery, etc....
Borgduck alias Stewart.
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