Well, I liked it. I hate all those reality tv shows and Trinny and Susannah crap, so i enjoyed seeing them parodied. SHow was pretty much internally consistent which is all I usually ask for. I wouldn’t have minded knowing a bit more about the controller. Also what do the Daleks want with all those Human slaves (I can only assume that is the reaso they are whisking away loads of humans under the guise of killing them.
Bring on next week when the Doctor (hopefully) kicks some Dalek butt.
One question. Why is it that the Doctor, who normally resolves situations without killing, immediately decides to eradicate every stinking Dalek from the universe? After all they are an organic lifeform.
p.s. Don’t lock me up with the Dalek lovers I have no objections to random Dalek slaying, it just seems out of character for the Doc.
The Daleks caused the destruction of Gallifrey. They’re the only enemy that has a personal connection with the Doctor, and the only enemy he hates so much he wants them eradicated.
I liked this episode. I liked the continuity, and I also like how the Daleks, who had never felt truly menacing to me in past series, now do.
I enjoyed it too, I was very dubious at the start, but when it was explained that the controller had hidden the Doctor in the games it made more sense. It was also good to see the results of the Doctors past meddling coming back to haunt him.
Like you I hate reality TV, and was very amused when Captain Jack blew Trinny and Susanah away. Not sure I want to know where he got the gun from though.
On the subject of Dalek killing this is probably hot air, as the Doctor has had many chances to eradicate them in the past. Though as GuanoLad said the Doc does have a good motive for killing them. And once again I second the fact that in this series the Daleks are actually scary again which they have not been for years.
By the looks of things next weeks finale will be an action packed special effects extravaganza. Will this be the end of Ecclestons Doctor?
After the sexual politics of the last few weeks this is a welcome return to quality sci fi adventure. There were one or two double entendres, but nothing too over the top.
You’ll notice that ‘somehow’ Captain Jack getting naked got worked into the script. :rolleyes: They showed in the BBC3 follow-up programme how they had taken some bare-behind shots, but then they were told they couldn’t put them in.
I really feared the worse for this episode, but it worked out ok. The parodies were well done, they made sense in the overall plot, and the whole thing leads nicely in to what’s going to be a brilliant finale next week. A few plot holes are evident, if you want to be picky, but nothing too bad.
I liked it when the Doctor declares what he’s going to do, but has no plan and no weapons, and that’s what scares the Daleks most of all.
If you change that to occasionally resolves situations without killing, you’d be nearer the truth. Out of something like 170 televised stories (depending on how you count) only about a couple of dozen haven’t been resolved by someone or something being killed or destroyed, very often with a big explosion.
The Doctor’s destroyed, or allowed the destruction of, 11 individual spaceships, three whole space fleets, three planets, and two universes (admittedly small ones). This is in addition to some of the more inventive resolutions, such as brain overload, arrow in the probic vent, falling into a compost grinder, or being staked throught the heart with a space shuttle.
When it comes to the Daleks, he’s drained their power, caught them in a volcanic eruption, annihilated them with a Time Destructor, blown up their casings with a power overload, forced them into civil war, buried them under ice, gone back in time to prevent their creation, and destroyed their home planet by blowing up their sun. And this is all before they were involved in the destruction of the Time Lords.
Not that I’m complaining , but did anyone else notice that the Dalek fleet was very reminicent of the Mars Attacks flying saucers?
Anyone else other than Futile Gesture got any suggestions as to who the Dalek leader is? I hope that it is not someone obvious like Davros. The Daleks were always lessened when they just became his minions.
I’m hoping it’s either the Dalek Emperor or the Dalek from ep.6
I finally worked out how to do a spoiler box.
I also think that:
The Doctor will die at the end of the episode and regenerate into the 10th incarnation played by David Tennant
The absurd notion that ephemeral items of trash media from today might survive for centuries spoiled my enjoyment of the episode. For the most part, Big Brother, the Weakest Link etc will not be remembered even fifty years from now.
But this is a very common device in all science fiction; features of society that mimic or parody events of the present. It’s a very useful way (particularly in ‘junior’ sci-fi) of helping the viewer to relate to the story. Watch any sci-fi, no matter what the time period they’re always referring back to late 20th/Early 21st Century in a way you’d think it was almost the pinnacle of human society. :rolleyes:
What I took from the references to Big Brother etc is that nothing in entertainment (or ‘pop culture’) is ever new. From Roman gladiatorial contests onwards, we’re just repeating the same formats over and over and will continue to do so.
I really enjoyed the episode. I was a bit worried after seeing the trailer for the episode, but I think it worked well. I’m looking forward to the next episode.
No predictions from me about the next episode. I’m just going to see what happens.
