Doctor Who Main Range: Order of the Daleks

Big Finish: Monthly Range #218

by Colin Baker (Narrator), Jamie Anderson (Director), Colin Baker (Narrator)

In the Galactic Census, idyllic Strellin is recorded as a Grade Three planet – its inhabitants possessing neither advanced technology, nor knowledge of other worlds. Accordingly, Strellin is protected: landings by off-worlders are strictly prohibited. Unless, of course, those off-worlders are officials of the Galactic Census itself, come to investigate the origin of a mysterious sub-space signal – a signal no native of Strellin should be able to send...

Breaking all local by-laws, the time-travelling Doctor and his companion L/Wren Mrs Constance Clarke (AWOL) have only just landed on Strellin, too. But they and the Census officials aren't the only off-worlders to have come here. Inside a nearby monastery, the monks of the reclusive Brotherhood of the Black Petal are guarding a strange and terrible secret. Something that might bring disaster not just to Strellin, but to every civilised world in the galaxy!

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published November 9, 2016

About the author

Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943, London) is a British actor who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986.

Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to Rochdale with his family early in his life. He was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester and originally studied to become a solicitor. At the age of 23, Baker changed professions and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), where he studied alongside David Suchet.

Reviews

[Mel]

So we have a society that has fallen or developed into a fake "medieval" Europe, at least I assume the whole planet is medieval Europe, but we only see people from one monastery. So as far as we can tell it *could* just be a planet of monks... but then one wonders how they reproduce. All male planets may have been ok for Doctor who in the 70s but in 2018 I really think they could do better. Even in *actual* medieval Europe there were women. And monasteries frequently were paired with nunneries, or were by a town or village which included women. And how did this society come to mirror medieval Europe? Did they degrade? And if so *HOW* did this happen? It's a trope but it makes no sense.
I got this story because I loved the stain glass dalek picture. But the story was a disappointment. This is only the 2nd story I've heard with Colin's new companion and I found her a bit dull. She had a posh voice but no real personality of her own. She reminded me a lot of Clara, generic without any detailed characteristics.

[Ethan]

Only Big Finish would make an audio story with a very beautiful visual element of a Dalek made of Stain Glass. The story is a strong one even if it borrows off other Dalek stories e.g. Power of the Daleks. Despite that the Stain Glass Dalek is explained in the plot and looks amazing on the cover, making for a fun and engaging enough story

[Josh]

This one was... okay. Idk, I did eye roll when the episode 1 cliffhanger was... ITS THE DALEKS. I feel like this is just a weaker version of The Elite that has a very similar premise.

[Derelict Space Sheep]

42 WORD REVIEW:

The people at Big Finish seem very chuffed with themselves for having thought of Daleks with stained glass panelling. Fair enough; it’s a nice image. But it’s also the only original idea on show (so to speak) in this run-of-the-mill audio adventure.

[Jamie Revell]

The Doctor and Constance arrive on a pre-technological planet just as it is visited by... well the title's rather a give-away, isn't it?

The Daleks are so frequently used as villains that it's hard to ring any new changes on them. Which makes it all the more impressive that Big Finish have, despite the occasional flop, largely risen to that challenge. However, while the visual of Daleks with casing constructed by medieval artisans using the materials available to them is well-realised on the cover, it obviously has less impact in the audio itself.

Rather, what we have is the ruthless invaders restricted to using spears and armour made only from soft lead, forcing them to be less direct than usual. Perhaps more importantly, these particular Daleks have unusual abilities, the reasons for which aren't revealed until the second half. As a result, they manage to be menacing more by their implication and by the inherently revolting nature of their organic selves (there are, unusually, a few scenes where they're out of their shells).

The story is set in and around a monastery, so almost all the guest characters are men. The sole exception falls into the stereotypical role of 'competent female assistant to a male buffoon' and doesn't get much more development than that, although to be fair, the buffoon is quite entertaining. For this reason, among others, I think this is really a 3.5 star story that had some room for improvement, but it felt to me an unusual enough way of using Daleks that I'm comfortable with rounding up.

[Jenny]

Very good!

[Steven Shinder]

I love the Dalek design on the cover, but the story didn’t feel all that innovative.

[Mike Rempel]

Colin Baker 👍👍👍👍
big finish
good story!
Russell t. Davis could learn a thing or two from the big finish writers

[Zach]

Another good idea on paper. Stain glass Daleks are cool but not much else going on here.

[Steven]

Terrific Dalek story set on a primitive planet where a crashed group of Daleks rebuild themselves with basic technology.

[Debra Cook]

The Doctor and Ms. Clark land outside a religious order that is helping the Daleks.

[Vincent Darlage]

Enjoyed this adventure with stained glass and woodwork Daleks. Not familiar with Constance as a companion and not sure where she fits into the 6th Doctor's continuity, but it's always a pleasure to hear Colin Baker's performance as the Sixth Doctor.