Doctor Who - The Armageddon Factor (1979)

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In Genesis of the Daleks, the Doctor is sent on a mission into the past to prevent the creation of his one of his most deadliest foes: the Daleks. Accompanied by Sarah Jane and Harry, the group is sent to the planet Skaros during a war between the Kaleds and the Thals. The Kaleds are lead by Davros, a mutated scientist more machine than man who pushes the development of Daleks to be used in the war. The Thals are just as strict as the Kaleds as they plan to fire off rockets against the Kaled city. In the middle of this war are the mutos, a group of Kaleds mutated by war. The Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry are exposed to both sides as they are thrown from dillema to another. The TARDIS is absent as their only means of escape is a Time Ring, the Daleks are furiously pushed through productions, and, worst of all, Davros soon interrogates the Doctor into revealing the short comings of the Daleks in years to come.

Although the Doctor doesn't completely wipe out the Daleks, he hinders them with remorse. A key moment arises when he rigs explosives to the Dalek lab and questions his motives in wiping out the Daleks with the belief that if one evil was wiped from the world, it may prevent some good in the future. There are also some intriguing moments reguarding Davros' megalomaniac rule, the uprising that slowly surges through the base, and the alliances formed between the three sides. Probably one of the most interesting scenes is where Davros and the Doctor have a chat about the hypothetical future and how Davros precieves history. Tom Baker is also played more as a serious Doctor than just a slick-wit comedian. Truly, this is one of the most thoughtful, intriguing, and well-played episodes of the Tom Baker series.

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The Armageddon Factor is the final chapter in the Key to Time saga when the Doctor, Romana, and K-9 arrive in the middle of an intergalactic, nuclear war between Atrios and Zeos. The TARDIS arrives in bowels of Atrios, near the central command. The Marshal of Atrios is slowly growing insane as he continues to lose his forces to the enemies of Zeos. He goes as far as killing his own men and locking away Princess Astra so he may keep order. For some reason, the Marshal believes the Doctor holds the key to his victory, but there is clearly another force at work here. Soon, the Doctor, Romana, and K-9 uncover a secret plot by the Dark Shadow cult as they, too, are in the search for the Key to Time.

The main problem with Armageddon Factor is that the episode feels too situational and decides to shy away from continuity when it isn't needed. The writing suffers a lot from the fact that the Key to Time doesn't come into play until part 4 and by then it feels forced. We also don't get to see much of Atrios or Zeos outside of their command centers. Not all is lost as there is some great acting. Tom Baker gets in some humorous lines, as does K-9, and even an old friend of the Doctor pops in for some laughs. I guess I just found many parts of the script a little crazy. I mean, the Atrios people have never met their enemy, a computer is programmed to destroy Zeos, and the final piece to the key of time is a person. Overall, while not one of the worse Who episodes, it certainly isn't one of the best.