Extermination (2013)

Extermination is the beginning of the end. After five series, Gallifrey is about to come to an end and some may that it has an awful lot to live up to. I came to the Gallifrey story late and found that the early stories were somewhat hard to get into whilst having their own good points. Over the next couple of series the stories got somewhat lighter in tone and complexity and for some that was an issue but I approved. Whatever your opinion is of this, the one thing that could be agreed is that the inclusion of the Daleks shows a desire to end the spin-off on a high note.

The first part of the final series starts off with how to deal with the Dalek invasion. Obviously for logical as well as narrative reasons, it’s not going to be a job that’s over in five minutes and that proves to be the case as it turns into a battle of survival. However that’s not the whole story as Romana is wanted by the Daleks….an wanted alive. As the story progresses, so does the interest and I found myself totally enthralled from start to finish.  

The friendship between Leela and Romana is one of the things that I have enjoyed about this spin-off series and it’s on fine form here where Leela is willing to help her friend even in the face of the deadly Daleks. When they are reunited the relief between them is evident and it’s a nice moment in the midst of all the terror. With Daleks there are going to be deaths and Irving Braxiatel is one of the earliest big names (I say early – 25 minutes) and the deaths continue.

Whenever Big Finish use the Daleks, they always try and do something different with them. Instead of just invading or trying to kill the Doctor, they always try and use them as creatively as possible. They have managed to do the same here as the Daleks want to take over the multi-verse.

The central performances of Lalla Ward and Louise Jameson are both very good. I always think that Louise Jameson gives a good performance whenever she is Leela. The Leela we get in these stories is different to the one that travels with Tom Baker’s Doctor and so its great to see a different side of the character. Lalla Ward can also always be relied upon to give a good performance as the President. I have always thought that Romana was on a hiding to nothing with her position because she’s always going to be at the centre of everyone’s anger and rage. The scene where she orders the Dalek to exterminate itself is a fantastic scene and is the highlight of the entire story. Anyone who is down on Lalla Ward should listen to that scene which occurs about 20 minutes before the end and they should understand why the character is so good. At the end of the release Romana announces that she has been wounded and she wont be able to regenerate. Ward gives another great speech and it shows just how good she has been in this story.

Extermination might not be the epic opening that most would expect (and I include myself in that) but I think that it’s a damn fine opening with some good scenes and the Daleks are really good. The writers know that they have three releases to finish this story and it allows them to lay the groundwork here and I have high expectations with the next two.