Series 5, Episode 3 - "Victory of the Daleks"

pixelburp wrote: »

The more I think about it, the more I suspect that the little moment at the end of Ep 1 could be the reason: that bit where it looked like the Doctor did in fact return to child-Amy (though it was edited to seem like a dream), and caused a big time paradox of some kind. The crack-in-time is some kind of consequence, following the TARDIS everywhere? I have a feeling it won't be that long until we see the results - I can't see 11 episodes of "ooh, look there it is!"

"Dear BBC, please let pixelburp write some Doctor Who episodes, yours sincerly, a viewer."

Just watched it and was totally underwhelmed by it.

I really do try to like Dr Who but for some reason it doesn't let me.

Here's what I didn't like about this episode.

1) Portrayal of Churchilll as a caring & street cool cuddly person was over the top.

2) Daleks back from the brink.....yet again, either kill them off or have them as a proper thriving difficult to kill enemy who are not on the brink

3) Daleks have amazing technology and intelligence and they are confused by a biscuit...please.

4) Why do bombs in these type of shows have a build up/countdown process.....thus giving the hero time....can the daleks not just push the button and the bomb goes off instantly....sure the IRA mastered that years ago!

5) How the bomb was diffused by love or something, already commented on by other posts here.

6) The British Jingoism: Granted it's a BBC show but do they have to put Union Jacks in all the time.....I mean the raising of the flag to copy the famous raising of flag at Iwo Jima was just cheesy.

7) Planes were adapted and pilots had mastered spaceflight in Spitfires
within the space of 10 minutes...totally ridiculous.

8) How were they able to see on a screen what the Doctor was doing on the Dalek ship...where did the camera come from.

9) Matt Smith is fine, but to me he's just another version of David Tennant.

I do wish that the show was brilliant but it just doesn't do it for me.

I'm also in the 'thought it would be better' camp. But it was very funny to see the Daleks channelling Mrs Doyle, "Would you care for some tea?", and I did laugh at the little Union flag on the Ironside. Didn't like Churchill, the whole professor saves the world via his emotions, or indeed the fact that they are making Amy too competent - she had the idea to use the prof to develop new weapons, and she got through to the prof. She's only 21 and used to work as a strippogram, yet she has all this insight. Either sloppy writing or a sign of something to come regarding her background.

BBC's marketeers must be salivating at this stage - a new sonic screwdriver and 5 new Daleks for kids to badger their parents into buying. They did look somewhat cheap - that could be looked upon as the reduced BBC budget, or efficiency in this new breed of Dalek requiring less materials.

The Doctor being late and the crack in time obviously form the arc - that Leadworth is an anagram of Dr Who Late seems appropriate now. Amy's lack of knowledge of the Daleks intrigued me but, just like in Lost, we didn't get an explanation as to why.

Doctor DooM wrote: »

I wonder did this happen at some point though:

Mark Gatiss is sitting down to start writing an episode of Dr Who. SM has just told him he's getting the Dalek episode. Knowing it's his chance to shine in front of his new boss, he's got to think of something new... clever....

Just then his wife asks if he'd like a cup of tea.

Tea
Dalek

Dalek tea!!!

Not a chance.

Not his wife anyway...

I liked that bit from an episode that I was largely indifferent to, like Gatiss' other episodes. Which is slightly annoying because he's one of the League of Gentlemen so I keep wanting and expecting better.

Moffat's season seems to be doing a lot in hoping the viewer just accepts whatever's said and moves on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xETlYacSCHE

Killer_banana wrote: »

Still thought it was cracking episode and the series is still just finding it's feet so some faults are acceptable.

FORESHADOWING.

murpho999 wrote: »

2) Daleks back from the brink.....yet again, either kill them off or have them as a proper thriving difficult to kill enemy who are not on the brink

The episode was very much set up the latter I believe. There's the real reason . And the title of the episode.

murpho999 wrote: »

6) The British Jingoism: Granted it's a BBC show but do they have to put Union Jacks in all the time.....I mean the rasing of the flag to copy the famous rasing of flag at Iwo Jima was just cheesy.

Got any more examples? I don't see it.

Liked it overall. A few dodgy scenes from Matt, it was obvious the punch was totally fake, hardly his fault though. Just a few scenes reminded me of his inexperience as an actor, but I do think he has the capability to improve.

Loved the about take on the Daleks, my 11 year old loved that. The cups of tea, "can I be of assistance", Matt eyeing the Dalek going down the corridor and the extermination of the old Daleks.

The ending seemed rushed, though the spitfires was cool and appeals to the British audience.

Agree with everybody on the "human" part, though it was acted beautifully. Too weak and obvious.

Churchill was meh after seeing the Brendan Gleeson version.

Overall, happy enough, want to see Amy get more of a role, which I'm sure will come.

I thought it was the weakest episode so far. It was very rushed, not great acting and some of the plot elements were cringe-worthy ( the human emotions disarming the bomb, 3 spitfires in space etc. ).

Clearly the only reason for the episode was to kick-start the Daleks so they can come back in a big way in some future episode, and to hit us over the head with another 'crack / Doctor is always late' clue.

I noticed the film references are still coming strong too. Apart from the obvious 'Independence Day' reference, did anyone get the 'Where Eagles Dare' reference? The radio operator using the lines 'Broadsword calling Danny Boy' is straight from that film.

This was the first episode to make me think I'm not going to enjoy the season. The next episodes ( bringing back the Weeping Angels and River Song ) will either change my mind or confirm for me that it's going downhill.

One other thing. Was there some reason why we got a glimpse into the life of the radio operator who lost her boyfriend / husband who was a pilot, or was if just a bad attempt at trying to show us the horror of war?

J.

when i read this

http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=eye_tv&

last Friday I was deeply worried, esp about the line "Look out for some amazing found-at-the-back of the cupboard monster cameos towards the end of the season,” a show insider tells the Eye."

having seen it twice now, you have to be wondering if the reason behind new Tardis, new Sonic, new Daleks (wonder what will happen to in ther seies finale) - is it an attempt to get rid of the RTD era at the same time as paying homage to the Peter Cushing Movies which both Moffat and Gatis love - or is it being led by BBC Worldwide. Anyhoo, my kids loved the new Daleks, so the New Dalek Masterplan is up and running.

For the sake of some sort of rationale, you could say that the Daleks we have seen since 2005 are "warrior" or army Dalek Containers, constructed for use in the Time War, and that therefore the new "pure" Dalek is a reversion to the older version in more ways than one.

Now, the thing I dont get is the reference to impure Daleks - it begs the question exactly what Daleks we are looking at. The last two times the Daleks were valquished by The Doctor they were "reconstituted" by the Emperor Dalek and Davros respectivly. So, did this Dalek ship survive the encouter with the 9th or 10th Doctor (actually 10.5 if you want to nit pick as he killed them, not 10). There is something in the back of my mind that the Emperor used human DNA on Satilite 5 to make his Dalek race? So that could be where these lads came from??

As for the rest of the story, the idea of Spitfires -v- Daleks is great on paper and should have lasted longer, and it was amazing how fast they were adopted to be able to fly in space, but sure is Doctor Who it has to be rediculous. The idea that turning into a human stops you being a bomb is silly - its like my telling my heart to stop beating because I want to be a microwave. I did like the way that the Doctor couldnt stop him, but not the "did you ever love osmeone you shouldnt" bit.

For the second week running I found Smith acting again - this time when Amy reveals she knows nothing about the Daleks. Again I cant remember where in the shooting blocks this came but I hope it was early.

As for the crack not to mention the fact that everyone in the RTD era used to commute between universes so frequently they should have called bloody Hogworts for a loan of the train. Apart from that I really like Amy's character, I like the funny bits (Well I was promised Tea), and I do like this Doctor a lot. Any complaints about Stiff upper lip and Churchill are overlooking the fact that Doctor Who, the Daleks and the Spitfires, Churchill are all icons of Britain, and its the most Bristish of shows on the box right now.

I have to worry about the SFX, they seem cheap. God knows what they look like on HD but my 8 year old plasma reveals them to be not terribly convincing (and a big hello to the modern office block in the background behind the Daleks on the roof) and once you think about it, it becomes a fixation during the show for me, and is distrcting. I thought The Mill was doign the SFX again this year, but it looked like some other name in the credits at the end.

Anyway, not a dud by any means, I hope to God that next week is not a big deflation for me.