Into The Dalek - Review

I must admit that I was not particularly looking forward to this story. I am really rather bored with the Daleks, and recent outings have been a bit disappointing.
Was this story here because the Daleks needed a further adventure, or was this just the safety measure of having a new Doctor meet them early on to help reinforce his credentials as the New One? I suspect more of the latter.
I did come away from watching this pleasantly surprised, however. It wasn't that bad. Indeed, it might be a decent story for the Daleks to be rested on for a couple of years. Leave it to Big Finish to continue to churn out Dalek stories for while. (It's every other one, isn't it? That's what it feels like...).
It is always nice to see the Daleks simply set up as a powerful destructive force - going about their daily business of Extermination. Director Ben Wheatley offered up some great action sequences - including a very impressive exploding Dalek (the one hit by Major Blue's forces - rather than the ones slaughtered by "Rusty" later on).
Visual effects were impressive - from the spaceships in the asteroid field to the "subaquatic" transition from the nano-pod into the Dalek eye.
Lots of influences on show - the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage in particular. This reference was quite blatant - the Doctor actually suggesting shrinking medics to treat someone from within might be a "fantastic idea for a movie". Of course, that movie had also been an influence on The Invisible Enemy back in 1977.
You will also have noted similarities to 2005's Dalek, last year's Journey To The Centre of the Tardis, and the antibodies and miniature people inside a machine-being from Let's Kill Hitler.
One thing that didn't work quite so well was the whole bit about being inside the Dalek. Daleks are only worth bothering about when we are on the outside - watching them in action. Inside, the Doctor and company could just as easily have been in a spaceship or a factory or something. Only when the Doctor came face to eyeball with the mutant did we really get the impression we were seeing the inside of this thing.
Daleks aside, the story helped to move on Clara's story. It has been some time since the Doctor went to fetch coffee in Glasgow. Danny Pink, fellow teacher, is introduced. He seems to be harbouring a secret - that he killed someone out-with his duties as a soldier, or at least feels responsible for a death. Will he be a straightforward recurring character, or is there going to be something special about him that ties in with this series' story arc? (Talking of arcs, Missy from the Nethersphere was back again - still hoovering up people whose encounter with the Doctor has left them just a little bit dead). The fourth episode - Listen - promises to see Danny and the Doctor meet - and we all know what the Doctor thinks about soldiers...
Once again, a great performance from Capaldi. I am loving this spikier incarnation. Back in 2005, a Dalek thought that the Doctor had the potential to be a good Dalek. In 2014, it seems he may have realised that potential. First sickness made the Dalek want to destroy its own kind. But, after the Doctor intervened, it was the Doctor's own hatred that inspired it.
Next week we have the Robin Hood story to look forward to. Hopefully a chance to see a much lighter side of this darker new Doctor.

Bill Kerr

Just learned that the Australian actor Bill Kerr has passed way at the ripe old age of 92. From a Doctor Who point of view, he was Giles Kent in the recently found and re-evaluated The Enemy of the World. Personally, he will always be remembered by me for his radio work with Tony Hancock. It is a crying shame that his radio persona was never translated to the TV version of events surrounding Railway Cuttings, East Cheam...

Normal service (hopefully) resumed shortly...

Just to say that I have still not got broadband set up at the new chez moi, so unable to post as frequently as I would like at this time. Should all be up and running by Thursday this week (fingers crossed).
Meanwhile, Series 8 will continue this Saturday evening with Into The Dalek. A few new photos released. The coverage in the Radio Times today includes a brief piece looking at the history of the Daleks.
The story will also see the introduction of Clara's new flame - Danny Pink - who works alongside her at Coal Hill School.

Deep Breath - Review

A very enjoyable episode, I thought. Great start for the more mercurial Peter Capaldi Doctor.
Let me get my one big gripe out of the way first, however. What is this obsession with changing the arrangement of the theme music every five minutes? Love the new graphics, but the whiney new music is terrible. Did Murray get a theramin for his Christmas? Hope they kept the receipt...
A sequel of sorts to Girl in the Fireplace. Well, actually a sideways story - repair 'droids from the Pompadour's sister ship - the SS Marie Antoinette. There is obviously a serious design flaw with repair robots in the 51st Century.
The 80 minute story length gave all of the key players space to shine. The Paternoster Gang were particularly well served - each of the trio getting considerable screen time. Laughed out loud at Strax delivering The Times.
As with previous regeneration stories where the companion crosses over from one Doctor to the next, a lot of the story is about Clara's resistance / acceptance. Lovely performance from Jenna Coleman. Hopefully we will now see both character and actor really come out from under the shadow of Amy / Karen Gillan.
Special effects were wonderful, though some of the green screen work was a little too obvious - such as the new Doctor's rooftop scenes.
I was particularly impressed with Peter Ferdinando, playing the Half-Faced Man. Despite having to play a monotonous robot, he did very well with what could have been a thankless role.
Moffat had earlier informed us that we would shortly find out the identity of the woman who had given Clara the Doctor's phone number in The Bells of Saint John. I had assumed this would turn out to be River Song, but it proves to be the mad NetherRegions lady - who we weren't expecting until the finale.
Nice to see Brian Miller given a role (as the tramp). Lis Sladen's widower, who has appeared in the show before in the Peter Davison era, as well as appearing alongside Lis in the Sarah Jane Adventures.
Quite a few Sherlock Holmes references - the Camberwell Poisoner, "The game's afoot..." etc.
There was definitely a hint of that other Holmes about the proceedings - Robert that is. A very dark, often gruesome story (a balloon made from stitched together human flesh and so forth). No doubt many will argue that the programme is moving too far from the younger audience demographic.
Not everyone will agree that Matt Smith should have been given a cameo in this. Does the new Doctor really need the endorsement of his predecessor? I didn't mind this bit too much, as I think it will help any younger viewers who did manage not to be ordered to bed - and those newer fans not as used to there being older Doctors - to accept the new guy.
And what of the new Doctor? I am sure Colin Baker was gnashing his teeth watching this. "That's how my darker Doctor should have been handled!"
I can understand where this new Doctor is coming from - as I share his Scottishness. I do the complaining and the explosive reaction to the slightest irritation.(Just read some of my previous posts...).
Quite mad - initially - and apparently about to erupt in fury at any moment, I am personally glad that we have an older and more abrasive Doctor. Quite shocking when he appeared to abandon Clara in the spaceship - you really felt that he might actually mean it. And did the Half-Faced Man jump or was he pushed? Pushed - definitely.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Peter Capaldi settle into the role. Let's see how he reacts to his oldest enemies next week...

Figurine Collection - August 2014

Just to say first of all that I moved house over the weekend - hence the lack of updates in the last week. Also, my broadband won't be set up until three days before Series 8 commences, so you won't hear much from me until then.
Latest figurines arrived yesterday. Last month I was pointing out how good the likeness of John Hurt was, in comparison with some of the previous characters. This month the Ninth Doctor is also rather well rendered. He is wearing his blue jumper, and the associated story in the magazine is Boom Town. Let's hope this improvement continues. I haven't seen any previews of other "humanoid" figures so can't judge at this time. (Up-coming are the Morbius Monster, the Earthshock Cyberleader and the Ironside Dalek which I have seen - as well as the next Special Edition release of the Cyber-King, which is getting a lot of negative feedback. Not so much about what it looks like, just that there are far more popular things to concentrate on than this - especially from the Classic Series).
Accompanying the Ninth Doctor is one of the Scarecrows from Human Nature / Family of Blood. Hard to go wrong with something like this. Nice that they have got it's awkward gait captured - lurching forward. Ailsa Berk will be pleased...

Know Your Daleks - Miscellany...

"TARDISes are blue. This is red. Get it wrong again, Dalek Dave, and you will be dead!!!"

Hope you enjoyed my recent series of posts looking at the evolution of the Daleks over the years. There were a few things that I couldn't quite fit in, so here is the miscellany - or the apocrypha...

"It's Lord Kitchener I tell you, Barbara!" "No it can't be, it's a naked Dutchman..."

1. Dalek Art
In the first Dalek story we see that their city has some works of art on view. The statue which the Doctor and his philistine companions shove down the lift shaft is either what the Daleks think a general on horseback is, or a nude gentleman / lady - or it is perhaps a remnant of the previous Kaled culture and nothing to do with Daleks.
Discuss.

Dalek poetry includes the epic "Daleks Conquer And Destroy" - comprises only this line repeated, but one recital lasted for 43 days - and the lyrical "Exterminate, Exterminate, Exterminate". The most moving piece I have ever heard was "Where have all the puppies and kittens gone? Incinerated by the might of Dalek fire-power, of course!!!"
I cry every time I hear it...

Daleks are not without a sense of humour. A recent poll conducted on Skaro found that 100% of the population voted the following their favourite joke:
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: In a feeble attempt to escape being exterminated by the Daleks!!!

Least favourite joke on Skaro?
Q: Knock, knock.
A: Who's there?
Q: Doctor....

"Don't you see, Codal. It's from Habitat. This is more serious than I thought!"

2. Dalek Furniture.
At the height of the Dalek empire, they tended to shop at Habitat. Probably didn't pay, just invaded the shop, exterminated all the staff and took what they fancied. I suspect that the New Paradigm probably favour Ikea, whilst the RTD era ones prefer Argos or Homebase...
In Planet of the Daleks we see a nice Habitat coat stand, on which you can hang prisoner's guns etc. Later in the story a barricade is made that appears to include a table. Quite what the Daleks need with tables I do not know...
Discuss.

The Seventh Doctor tries to cut in...

3. Dalek Discos.
Off duty, Daleks like nothing better than having a knees-up. Even though they do not actually have knees... Whilst dancing tends to be a pretext to people getting to know each other in more intimate ways here on Earth, on Skaro the Daleks are happy just to dance round their handbags.

"You will show us the Kylie Minogue one next!!!"

4. Dalek Television.
It is a well known fact that the Daleks have all 7 episodes of Evil of the Daleks. And the whole of The Daleks' Master Plan (including The Feast of Steven). They downloaded these adventures directly from the Doctor's mind. Naturally, their favourite story is Victory of the Daleks. Someone's got to like it...

"Left. Left. Left. Too far! Right. Right. Too far...! "

Reception on Skaro can be poor. Special TV Antenna Daleks have been developed in order to get Sky Sports. Most popular programmes tend to be soap operas and home shopping channels. And Duck Dynasty...

"Fifty quid he'll laugh his arse off when he defrosts..."

5. Dalek Hats.
One of the first things that the Cult of Skaro devised after being created by the Emperor was that all Dalek slave soldiers should wear distinctive Dalek-shaped hats. Dalek Caan insisted that these should be sent back through all of Dalek history and not just be confined to the Time War. When his next idea was that Daleks should all travel backwards to fool their enemies into thinking they were retreating, the Emperor realised he had a right bunch of numpties here, and so tricked them into entering this nice roomy Void Ship...

The Daleks' attempt to raise money for dyslexia research was unsuccessful. Maybe it was the sign "Daily Sex. Please Give Generously" that was the problem... 

6. Dalek Philanthropy.
Doesn't happen. Move on...

"You would make a good Dalek..."

7. Dalek Justice.
Basically, you get exterminated. Even if you have done nothing wrong. Doing nothing wrong is a capital offence on Skaro - on a par with being nice. In the image above, the Daleks make a citizen's arrest when they encounter someone flashing at some nuns outside the local Lyons Tea House.

8. Dalek Childhood.
A scene from a typical Dalek household. (Just love this picture I came across on Google Images. Had to use it).

"No! You cannot have an iced lolly. I shall be obeyed! Daleks must always be obeyed!!! You will have a nutritious piece of fruit and like it!!! And do not touch my gun.! I see you reaching for my gun!!! Desist! Desist. Desist!!!!!! "

Daleks also make good child care workers. Only about 40% of children in their care have ever been exterminated - which is marginally better than some Ofsted approved nurseries...

9. Dalek Sec(s)...
After their defeat on Exxilon, a Dalek top shelf magazine was found. The following images are the only ones I can safely publish. Parental guidance essential...

Disgusting, I'm sure you'll agree... I've spared you the one featuring Mrs Mabel Oldthwaite of Accrington, her Airedale Terrier, and the bowl of rice pudding...

10. UKIP.

In 2019 this man will accidentally create a time storm in his bedroom whist stabbing pins into a doll of President Milliband. He will find himself on Skaro. After an accident with a nuclear missile that consigns him to a wheelchair, he'll develop an idea about creating a new half machine - half mutant life-form... 

Ever wondered what happened to the duplicates from Resurrection of the Daleks? The ones that were supposed to infiltrate and subvert British society? The ones that the Doctor assured his companions were unstable? I think we now know the answer. Xenophobic. A dislike for the unlike... I rest my case.

11. Dalek Dreams...
Daleks are far from unimaginative. Whilst taking a break from trying to conquer the Universe, they do dream of another life...

Instead of the monstrous alien alliance members that the Supreme was expecting, he imagined who he would really like to come to his birthday party that weekend.

On Friday, the Oncoming Storm had invited them over for lunch, and then they would watch the Wimbledon coverage and maybe go for dinner at that little place out near Teddington by the Thames. The Daleks liked the Thames. One of them had glided up out of it once. That had been fun. Andy Murray was playing at Wimbledon. The Daleks liked him as well. He was one of their duplicates after all... In contemplative mood, the Supreme Dalek decided not to exterminate the photographer from Titbits magazine after all. Perhaps future generations would like to know what his colour scheme might be. Perhaps a company that was one day going to create a figurine of him. He could but dream...