“Dalek” EDWE 9

So, a quick update – the Overview Review for the final SJA of Series 4 will be up soon. Today I’m reviewing Dalek, and like all my reviews for the modern series, my views are controversial.

Dalek is an interesting episode. It doesn’t fit with previous Dalek stories, and to be quite honest is an alternative version of “Evolution of the Daleks”, which was rubbish. We see the human side to the Daleks, sorry, one Dalek! There is only one! That’s it! They’ve all been wiped out by the WORST CONTINUITY IDEA EVER IN DOCTOR WHO SO FAR, The Time War.

“RSC, Posh TV, “no I won’t do publicity” (yes they all rhyme)”

This one Dalek gets us to see a new side to the Daleks, another side to the companions, an arrogant American, and I’d go as far as to say we see a darker Doctor. The Doctor is way too dark, way too arrogant in this, and I really do think he only lands so he can have an argument with an American bloke with the beard. The Doctor faces this Dalek well, and we can see what a fine actor Christopher Eccleston is. But that’s all. We don’t have a Doctor-like costume, we don’t have an actor who cares for the role, we have an actor. RSC, Posh TV, “no I won’t do publicity” (yes they all rhyme), Christopher is a fine, wonderful actor. But he is not a Doctor. He does not show the Doctor in this. He shows an actor. A good actor, but an actor.

The American side to the story is pointless, and it could’ve been set anywhere. Anywhere at all. The idea of someone who keeps alien junk is brilliant. I’ve just insulted Christopher’s ability to be the Doctor, but he is brilliant in just one case in the episode. He sees the Cyberman in the cabinet. Great, a proper Cyberman, and brilliant acting from Christopher, whether he’s Doctor-like or not, he is wonderful in that scene with the Cyberman.

So the Doctor is just an actor and the Americans are annoying in this story. Adam’s ok – oh wait, he’s English, and actually he’s just as irritating. Rose carries on her role of brilliance in this episode, yet we see a side we shouldn’t see in a Dalek story, yet now that we ONLY see in a Dalek story. Or finale. Though they’re often the same thing. Rose is emotional. Rose spends the whole episode running away from a Dalek – but because she touched it. She made it human and it used human DNA to come back.

“So onto the Dalek, who I shall name Dave, because to be quite honest the next step was giving him a name and taking him to Topshop or Primark to buy a new outfit.”

So onto the Dalek, who I shall name Dave, because to be quite honest the next step was giving him a name and taking him to Topshop or Primark to buy a new outfit. The Dalek is too human. This is introducing a brand new generation to the Daleks – and we see this weak, rubbish, emotional robot. Nothing more! And then we get them back in total epicness. But they’re all following the Emperor round in that, they don’t seem menacing! They are weak – not menacing, and it was a bad way to start. I’d like to say they get better… but more of that in a future review.

The Doctor is an actor, not a Doctor. The Dalek is a human, or a robot, nothing more. The action feels out of place in this emotionally driven episode. And the episode shouldn’t be emotionally driven.

Not a bad episode – but they can do a LOT Better.

James