Watching Doctor Who

(Firstly, I’d like to apologize for this review being so late. My weekend was a bit…hectic. Anyway…) What did I tell you? This episode gets started and it doesn’t really slow down. Quite a ride, eh? There’s so much to talk about. Let’s get started, shall we?

Episode: Evolution of the Daleks by Helen Raynor
Rating (1 to 5): 4 (yes, I liked it that much more than ep. 1)
Time: November 1930
Place: New York, New York
Baddie: Daleks (from the cult of Skaro)
The Doctor’s Death Wish: He kind of goes for it this time, doesn’t he? He just walks out in front of the Daleks in the basement room, he tries to get them to kill him in Hooverville, He gets electrocuted, and he stands before the Daleks in the theater and just offers himself up.
The Doctor enjoys: New York ability to accept folks.
The Doctor dislikes: The Daleks killing people. Heights?
The Doctor apologizes to: Sort of to Laszlo. (Martha apologizes to The Doctor.)
Rose? Martha tells Tallulah about her. “There’s someone for everyone.” (and The Doctor says “Maybe” and gets really quiet.)
Who fancies Martha? Frank
Doctor-y Strangeness: He keeps trying to die. He tries to help Dalek Sec.
Scary Stuff: Daleks, Pigs, and New forms of life, oh my! Heights, and The Doctor in mortal peril.
Does someone local help out? Solomon, Frank, Tallulah, and Laszlo.
What we learn: Dalek Sec has become a hybrid. Daleks never change their minds. The Doctor is a genius (he could have told you that.) The Doctor has a great knowledge of genetic engineering. Now there is only one Dalek left in the Universe.
My Favorite Bits: “Hello. Surprise. Boo. Etc.” The Daleks looking around to make sure that they are not overheard when they are talking about Dalek Sec. The Doctor going a bit mental in Hooverville. Martha figuring out why The Doctor left her the psychic paper. Dalek Sec actually asking The Doctor to take the new race of Dalek/Humans to another world in the TARDIS. “First floor perfumerie.” “Never waste time in a hug.” Martha’s lightening idea. The Doctor lying on the scaffolding with the wind in his hair. “Allons-y!” “In the whole Universe. Just one.”

Observations and musings:

Well, The Doctor would be lost without Martha again in this episode. She figures out where to take the psychic paper, finds the location of the Dalekanium, and even figures out how to stop the pig slaves. Has anyone else noticed that she hasn’t “wandered off” once yet? Anyway, kudos to Martha for getting the job done, even if she had to go and make that “someone for everyone” comment at the end.

Oh, heavens. The Doctor in this episode. The Daleks always seem to bring out the dark!Doctor, and this episode is no exception. He just keeps trying to die. You can see it in his eyes. He’s so tired of everyone dying because of him. He just steps out into the midst of the Daleks in their underground lair. He screams at the Daleks to kill him in Hooverville. He decides that electrocuting himself might be a viable option after he drops the Sonic Screwdriver. (That poor screwdriver this season.) And in the theater, he just stands there on the chairs waiting for the death blow to fall. At least The Doctor tries to order Martha and Frank back to safety. (Not that they go anywhere.) One Dalek and One Time Lord. Oh, dear. Someone for everyone, eh? Oh, poor Doctor.

Anyone else wonder if the Daleks have been reading Frankenstein? Now there is only one Dalek left in the Universe. I expect that it will show up next when it is most inconvenient. I’m glad that Frank, Tallulah, and Laszlo survived. I was rooting for them. *whew* Well, I’ll see you next week.

Evolution of the Daleks, Helen Raynor