Dr Who 30/4/5 (spoilers)

[hazel-rah]

The writing was good and much better than the slapstick of the previous two episodes. It was a different writer for this episode though.

Robert Shearman was the writer. Generally regarded as among the cream of the crop when it comes to writers for the Big Finish audio dramas… he did The Holy Terror, The Chimes of Midnight, and Jubilee. The latter was a somewhat similar Dalek story! He tends more towards reflective instead of slapstick… but I like the slapstick!

Mark Gatiss and Paul Cornell also have writing credits for shows from this season. As does Steven Moffatt, so prepare yourself for at least a bit more comedy.

[Peter_Morris]

@Cynical Optimist

At least in one instance the Doctor had a chance to kill Davros before he created the Daleks, during the Peter Davidson term IIRC. Had the gun in hand, sights lined up, even told Davros “I came here as your assassin” but ultimately couldn’t do it.

Nitpick - actually this was long after Davros had created the Daleks. He had been tried and imprisoned for hios past crimes, but had escaped or been rescued from his sentence.And the doctor said “I’ve come to execute you” using a nice safe word that makes it sound justified, rather thanadmit that he intends to murder Davros.

As far as bringing the Master back, Tom Baker made a half-in-jest suggestion in an interview on his website that HE should play the role. There is precedent, as both Lala Ward and Colin Baker played bit parts before the roles they were most famous for. I do agree that the Doctor needs his foil, and who better than the Master himself?

There was a story planned where it would turn out that The Doctor and The Master are brothers. It was cancelled after the death of Roger Delgado. But if they are related, then a Master incarnation could resemble a Doctor incarnation.

[Walker_in_Eternity]

@hazel-rah

Robert Shearman was the writer. Generally regarded as among the cream of the crop when it comes to writers for the Big Finish audio dramas… he did The Holy Terror, The Chimes of Midnight, and Jubilee. The latter was a somewhat similar Dalek story! He tends more towards reflective instead of slapstick… but I like the slapstick!

Mark Gatiss and Paul Cornell also have writing credits for shows from this season. As does Steven Moffatt, so prepare yourself for at least a bit more comedy.

Thanks for reminding me of his name. Shearman was recently quoted as saying that Dalek was a re-write of Jubilee or at least based on that audio. I must get around to buying it as it is the only Dalek related audio that I don’t own.

There was a story planned where it would turn out that The Doctor and The Master are brothers. It was cancelled after the death of Roger Delgado. But if they are related, then a Master incarnation could resemble a Doctor incarnation.

Don’t know whether they are related or not but they were certainly childhood friends if Big Finish’s Master is anything to go by. I also seem to remember either the 3rd or 4th Doctor claiming they were at the academy together, which kind of removes the possibility of them being the same person, but leaves the relative option open. Weren’t they both Members of the Prydonian Chapter? (takes off geek hat!).

I’m all for for making the new series different to the old if it improves they story. In fact I would not be overly upset if they claimed it was a remake (a la Battlestar Galactica) rather than a continuation. It might give them much more room to explore.

[Futile_Gesture]

@Cynical Optimist

At least in one instance the Doctor had a chance to kill Davros before he created the Daleks, during the Peter Davidson term IIRC. Had the gun in hand, sights lined up, even told Davros “I came here as your assassin” but ultimately couldn’t do it.

He went through the same dilemma in “Genesis Of The Daleks” with Tom Baker. Had the chance to blow up the lab that Davros was using to design Daleks, but couldn’t do it.

It would seem that the Doctor has had more than a few chances at finishing off the Daleks, but morals have interfered in each occasion.

[Small_Clanger]

I enjoyed it, I liked the Aliens-esque “you don’t know what you’re dealing with” angle, especially as the Dalek turns out to be way more lethal than (how to put this?) the wimpy 1970s version. This sucker wasn’t going to be blinded with some porridge and pushed down a lift shaft.

BTW Over the weekend here we had a Sci-Fi collector show and off to one side was a bunch of Dr Who stuff including some radio controlled Daleks. One was the new gold/brass model. The independantly rotating midsection was cool, anything to make it look like less like a guy in a dustbin. Scared the kids too.