The Juggernauts

Review: Daleks and Mechanoids and Davros. Oh my! (Spoilers)

It's so easy to like The Juggernauts that it makes you forgive its flaws, charming minx that it is.

Author Scott Allan Woodward has a great sense for dialogue and character. Not only is his Davros charming, but he excels at the even greater feat of making Mel Bush loveable.

Yup. It's clear how much Bonnie Langford enjoys playing a character whose smugness is charming, whose naivety is endearing, and whose intelligence is useful. Melanie Bush, computer programmer of Pease Pottage actually gets to programme a computer. Hurrah!

The first two episodes are owned by Bonnie as she leads the project to ressurect the Mechanoids. It's genuinely interesting stuff, while at the same time there's that nagging sense of "Why were the Mechanoids here? What is the plan? Will Earth really believe that something so cumbersome could do be useful around the home?" Plus, the Mechanoids sound amazingly creepy. They do sod all, but scarily.

If the first two episodes intrigue and tease, the last two don't even leave you a tenner on the bedside table. What begins as a subtle echo of Power of the Daleks gets giddy when trying to cope with Mechanoids, corporate infighting, two Dalek factions, Davros's devious schemes, the Doctor falling out with Mel, and, oh yes, the web of bloody time.

I wish it had been a bit simpler. I'd have bought a story about Davros rediscovering the Mechanoids. I'd have loved a story about the Doctor being forced to work for the Daleks. Big Finish are great at satire, strong on Daleks, love renovating unfashionable companions, and excel at giving Colin Baker meaty things to do. But all at the same time?

No matter how charmingly told and well-performed, by the end it's just a bit noisy. The Mechanoids remain an enigmatic pushover. We never discover why they're there, or how Davros managed to reproduce them in a colony so starved of resources that it can't make hot water.

There's no decent explanation of why Davros is shoving bits of people into Mechanoids, or why the Dalek Supreme doesn't just drop a bomb on the base, rather than luring the Doctor there and manipulating Mel into helping Davros (unless he'd caught The Hot Shoe Show and hoped she'd do for Mechanoids what she did for Wayne Sleep).

It all ends with one character dying when you think he hasn't, and Davros being very convincingly killed offå twice... Just before popping back for Remembrance of the Daleks. It's bonkers. How's he supposed to have got out of that credibly?

Do he and the Master bump into each other occasionally in the afterlife and compare notes?

DAVROS: Oh, hiya The Master - how's tricks?

MASTER: Musn't grumble. Got slowly burnt alive by my own... You know.

DAVROS: Yeah, me too. I've just been incinerated, had a crisis of conscience, and then blown myself up.

MASTER: Nasty. How you going to explain that?

DAVROS: No idea, hon. It was very loud.

MASTER: Ooh, must dash, matey - being eaten by a dinosaur next.

DAVROS: Jammy git. I just get blown up again. Yawn.

Rob Walsh
Hilarious stuff, with all bits and pieces thrown in! Colin Baker as ever gives the whole ludicrous story some credibility, and Terry Molloy excels as Davros. Thank goodness Steven Taylor's (Peter Perves)not stranded with the poor mechanoids again!

Ben Schneider
Is it me, or has Davros become Kenny from "South Park"??!! It's funny how Doctor Who will take a recurring plot hole and turn it into tradition. If you look at Davros's history, it really has become tradition to kill him off in some spectacular way every time -- just to have him pop up again! (Skaro must have a kick-ass HMO.) It's also interesting how I'm starting to like the "Trial of a Time Lord" opening theme more and more. I used to hate it! Big Finish has given it new life, as it has with the re-inventing the Sixth Doc and Mel. Thanks guys, keep it up!

TOM WEBSTER
"You've killed all of them" (terrible laugh form Davros) "It was an accident" What a thrilling story, it explains so much of how Davros turned from prisoner to emperor Dalek. Thrilling. This story features many ideas that would have come to fruition in the tv series. The regulars are on top from. Terry molloy was stunning. Easily the best Big finish story. Wow!

john Leivers
What a great and original story! I loved the mix of Davros and Mechanoids. It was a great mix of old and new told in an original and interesting way. Now who’s up for Big Finish having the Dr meet up with Harrison Chase (Seeds of Doom) who’s trapped in a potting shed and is developing a new breed of Vervoids…! No? Just me then.

The_Watcher....
I loved this story but have to admit the plot holes were wide enough to drive a mechanoid through.... Still an enjoyable romp.... with Colin Baker his usual sarcastic best... even Bonnie Langford did an impressive job she didn't scream once... thank god!!! Can`t wait for the Daleks and Davros to return......

Dave Forbes
Oh great - they've turned the Daleks back into props for Davros and Mel into a wingeing psychopath just like Ace. Thank God there's a proper TV series we can enjoy.

John Priestly
Am I the only one that loathes the Davros character and thinks it would be good to bump him off, once and for all? All the best Dalek stories were without this rather naff character.

Jon Mahony
The story in itself was quite well written. But been picky about this sort of thing I found the plot holes to be a bit too much. If Davros had a bomb in his life support system big enough to take out a large section of the colony how did he suvive for rememberance? The acting from Baker was terrible, he has to be the biggest old ham in Doctor Who history. And as usual Terry Molloy over did it as Davros - Does anyone think its a bit sad that he seems to be basing his acting career around Davros... and has been for many years now? The Daleks were extreamly good though, its hard to belive its only one actor who does the lot of them, The damaged ones with a stutter were a brilliant toutch.

mike
19 union st sackville nb e4l 4m5

Paul Carrington
What a dillemma! i love DAVROS storys (even Destiny) but i cant bring myself, even to this day, to lovin Melanie Bush! Evelyn Smythe would have made for a far better story! Terry Molloy is awesome as Davros and Colin Baker is, as usual exellent! split decision im afraid!

Paul
Yay! Colin and Mel with another winner! Now where's that sequel to "The One Doctor"?

Mark Gillespie
Davros is so much better without the Daleks. Terry gives the character a chilling presence he didn't quite have in the series. And Bonnie finally gets to play the version of Mel we always wanted. And Colin gives another fine performance. All the actors' performances more than make up for any minor difficiencies in plot.

Paul
Glad the above seemed to like it- I thought it was a total mess! The Daleks have slipped right back to the joke they became in the 70s. Didn'r see the poin of having them- and Colin Baker's flippant reaction to them just makes them less than scary.

Bill Rudloff
I know Scott through online and conventions. I knew he could do something like this. And boy, he did a pretty bang up job for a first time Big Finish writer. Now here's a clue, who can find Scott's cameo in the play? Tee hee. :D Anyway, everyone has done a great job and added extra life to Scott's writings. Well done, sir. You get 50 cookies of your choosing. ;) P.S. Big Finish, you should have Scott play a Cyberman. He does a great job of it. ;)

Colin John Francis
The plot doesn't make much sense if you look at it do closly (then again, this is the case with many Who stories) but I can't fault Terry Molloy's performance as Davros. Superb! Although the Mechonoids cutting up Davros to make him totally limbless for 'next' appearance in Remembrance of the Daleks makes is acceptable, I cannot believe that Davros then survives the self destuction of an entire colony. What a very lucky fellow he is! Unless the cliffhanger to The Next Life was tacked on as a joke (I hope not, an throwaway line by McGann along the lines of "Oh, we defeated the Daleks again" at the beginning of the next play would be a disappointment)I can't wait for the Eighth Doctor Davros and Daleks story.

Gilan Harrison
Melanie Bush has become as refreshing and enjoyable in Big Finish Doctor Who as the sixth Doctor... Hindsihgt is a wonderful thing when its used this way.

Dan P
At last, a traditional story with traditional Doctor Who characters... a breath of fresh air after the McGann series. Roll on Colin and Bonnie in 'Catch; 1792'!

Gareth Stafford
In a word - marvellous! Colin Baker and Terry Molloy spark off each other extremely well, and Nicholas Briggs has done an exceptional job in recreating the Mechanoids.

Dave Farmbrough
I think your two questions - (how Davros managed to make the new Mechanoids without many resources and why he was putting bits of people into them) answer each other.

Josiah Rowe
I suspect that Davros' latest improbable death will be addressed in a future Big Finish audio with the Daleks, Mel and the Seventh Doctor. It only makes sense, doesn't it?

Stephen
I thought collin baker rambled on a bit, but otherwise it was an ok story. I wouldn't put it up there with the best of the best though.

Absolution
Just me then. I thought it was the worst Big Finish production since Arrangements for War. A lot of good actors let down by embarrassing dialogue and a self indulgent plot. Just awful.

scudder
I cringed at how Bonnie had to basic her character in the tv series , she is a very talented actress, and now at last we have a re-addressing in the BF dramas. 'The Juggernauts' has plot holes but, since when has that got in the way of good drama.Please BF its time for Mels intro story even if you dramatise 'Business Unusual', BF are on a roll with Colin and Bonnie Hurrah!

lukee
This story sounds great! cant wait to listen to it, micheal wisher was good, but terry molloy's davros is brilliant especially when assisted by those mean and mechanical pepper pots of hate. the mechanoids were a great choice of a monster to recreate for the big finish cd as well!

Francis Cave
Better than most BF stories of late. Considering how Gary Russell insisted he would not do any Dalek/Davros stories, wonder what changed his mind?

Peter Thomas
I also enjoyed it and thought the way Bonnie Langford played Mel was the way her character should have been played in the first place. It's a shame decent script writers were'nt available in the Colin baker and McCoy years. If the scripts had been better perhaps Doctor Who would never have ended. Mind you, the programme has been given another chance so lets hope all goes well

Charlie Keeble
This sounds like a story that Terry Nation would of been thrilled with. It's got his greatest contributions to Doctor Who ever. Scott Alan Woodard certainly delivers a fantastic story to the Daleks, Davros and the Mechanoids.

David Rafer
This should be made into a lavish CGI animation. Highly enjoyable!

Michael Bentley
This is a fantastic story , Bonnie Langford is in fine form and Scott has written Mel's strongest character part yet. Davros, Daleks and Mechanoids , he end of the story made me cry. This story has the chance of winning the DWM award in 2007. Well done Scott

James Grogan
The Daleks,Davros and the Mechs.What more can I say,The story is wonderful.Thankyou for bringing back a trad Dalek story. Nice One!

Luke
And how amazing is Bonnie Langford? She is fast becoming my favourite companion.

Reid
As rhornhud said - more interviews like this. Entirely entertaining reading. Mr Woodard's obvious passion for his craft, the dedicaton to the project he displayed and his honest appreciation of what must truly be a fantastic performance from Terry Molloy! A dip in my finances has made BF Audio a no-go of late... after reading this, planning to sell my mother to grab a copy (sorry Mum...)

Renn Traken of Brain
Go Scott! You totally rock! I hope you get another chance to write for BF soon!

Chris Marton
I'm old enough to have bought a plastic Herts toy Mechanoid when they first came out in 1965 (a collectors item - sadly longlost) so I always have a nostalgiac fondness for them In comic strips of the time, they always seemed to kick the spit out of the Daleks so it would make sense for Davros to seek them out. Here's hoping for a repeat of Mechanoidmania!

INSLI
Delighted to see Big Finish have decided to let up on their "No Daleks and Davros together" stance. Terry Molloy is wonderful.

Paul Fairclough
I couln't fault this one, Mechanoids, Daleks & Davros up to his old tricks and being totally devious. Terry Molloy was superb in this story and it was great to hear his normal voice as well.

Jimmy McCrimmon
We've already had a "Bring Back the Daleks!" campaign in the Sun. Now it's time to start a new one, "Bring Back the Mechanoids!"

Dave Gold
I think that the two Big Finish DAVROS related stories are the best Davros character pieces since the original "Genesis of the Daleks". Terry Molloy has not only slipped perfectly back into character, but now has the opportunity to give it more depth than was possible in the original series. I forgot the Daleks were even in the story for a while, as I was so caught up with Molloy's performance! Bravo! Brilliant Stuff!

Avan Tarklu
Daleks. Davros. 'Nuff said.

rhornud
Great to have interviews with the creative team involved. Being a writer myself, it's good to hear about others' work and how they worked through their script / story (and things we have in common, even). More of these, please.

Aubrey West
Yay another Dalek Tale! I'm looking forward to it. And it will be interesting to see the Mechanoids again as well. And touching on another point. Many fans don't like Davros, but I always have. And I think it's good to see him get new material. I especially enjoyed the "Davros" anniversary story when he was on his own. It showed that with the right material that his character can be an effective villian.

phil
great. looking forward to buying it

Mark Driffield
Juggernauts was a fantastic audio adventure, the scipt was lively and a joy to listen to.

Gareth Cooper
Having listened to 'The jugganauts' (4 times so far) since it was delivered from Big Finish on Friday- the story is Wonderful, Terry Moloy is briliant as Davros - I know Michael Wisher was the 'Original' Davros but Terry has made him his own!. If Scott wants to write more Dr who /Dalek/Davros stories....Bring it on!!

Robbie Bonham
Can't wait to hear Molloy's Davros again....

Michael Lane
I've always like a story about the Daleks. This one adds to that long list of Dalek stories that have been enjoyed by millions across the planet. Especially here in America. Mike from Binghamton,NY,USA.

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