We Are the Daleks

Main Range #201

Released: 9 July 2015

Listened: 10/29/20

Although some other stories in this section of the project are from the early era of Big Finish, these next three stories form a trilogy released in 2015, so quite a bit later. The pacing and general flow of the action is much more modern-series than the previous few stories. Despite its release date, it’s set in 1987, because Mel is a great vehicle to comment on 80s culture. You’ve got video games, corporate greed, and conservative protectionist politicians, all plus Daleks. Mel has seen Daleks before (“The Juggernauts"), but this is the first time the Daleks have encountered the Seventh Doctor. There are hints from both “Revelations of the Daleks” (Daleks using capitalism as a weapon) and “Remembrance of the Daleks” (using children in lieu of battle computers), which puts this story nicely between them. Mel gets to use her programming skills several times, and although describing her as a “master hacker” may seem like a stretch, her experience with futuristic and alien computers probably makes 1987 tech look quaint. The Doctor shows some of his later, darker personality, as the Daleks bring out the worst in him, and he leans into his “Oncoming Storm” persona. There are also references to the stock market and the great British storm of 1987, placing this story very clearly in mid-October. It’s a strong story, with good pacing, strong secondary characters, and good characterization for the Doctor, Mel, and the Daleks.