Rate And Discuss 3.5: Evolution of the Daleks

[Pip Madeley]

Dalek Sec's on the change - can the Doctor stop him realising his ambition?



This thread will be open for business directly after the episode has been broadcast.

Try not to get into a tizz.

[Pip Madeley]

A fantastic 9/10 from me - but damn that pesky Dalek Caan, the sod. Surprisingly, it was almost like Resurrection of the Daleks in terms of death count. Random yay: I *adored* that fast zoom to the Dalek as the Doctor got their attention in the theatre...

[Trudi G]

It gets an 8/10 for me - but a 10/10 for the line "You told us to imagine, and we imagined your irrelevance"
Probably the best line of the series so far!

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Solar flare somehow becomes a thunder storm, script editor fails to notice.

Yes another bloody reference to Rose.

And all to the backing of constant, intrusive, melodramatic incidental music.

Not to worry though, there's a big CGI monster and explosions to look forward to next week.

[Paul Hayes]

Better than part one, I thought, had a good pace and some good ideas. I was very glad the Doctor didn't ally with the other Daleks against Sec as some had predicted, and equally glad when the Daleks turned against him - I'm a bit of a Dalek purist I'm afraid, all for proper metal pepperpots! So I am glad Caan survived to fight another day.

There's no way, surely, they can do *another* "Last of the Daleks" storyline, so here's hoping when he next pops up he's built a brand new space-faring army of conquest.

7 out of 10.

[Ralph]

"Can't we all live together. Can't we all work it out" Zap!



Pure lift from Mars Attacks

[Martin Penny]

It gets an 8/10 from me, I was a bit tense all the way through as I wasn't really sure who was going to survive and who wasn't. I felt really sorry for poor old Dalek Sec, especially when he got the leash around his neck and was led into the theatre at the end, and I enjoyed the scenes with him working with the Doctor, and the reference to Davros. I'm sad he didn't survive, but I saw his death coming.

I surprisingly found myself turning against the Daleks in this one as well, where as I usually root for them in a way, but I gave a small cheer when the hybrids killed Thay and Jast at the end. I think we should go without them for a while now, also...biggest miggest oppurtunity ever...The Doctor should have shouted 'CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!' at the end

[Pip Madeley]

biggest miggest oppurtunity ever...The Doctor should have shouted 'CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!' at the end

That would have been Wayne's wet dream

I agree though, the Daleks should be rested for a while now, we don't need them every series... but sadly, I know that won't happen, because they're such a hit with the kiddies...

[Alex]

Ah, this one just didn't do it for me unfortunately, I just didn't feel involved with the storyline, and I found I lost interest in the supporting characters and that the ending was all a bit predictable.

4/10 alas, but hey, on the plus side, next weeks looks cool!

[Wayne]

I know that won't happen, because they're such a hit with the kiddies...

For once i'm down with the kids.

Proper reply when the Confidential has finished, but i'm dithering between 8/10 & 9/10 at the moment.

[Pip Madeley]

Come on Wayne, join me in the 9 club

I should explain by the way, the one point deduction was because of the speed in which the Daleks got to the theatre - one minute they're at the Empire State Building, and within seconds they're on the stage... just didn't make sense!

[Trudi G]

"Can't we all live together. Can't we all work it out" Zap!



Pure lift from Mars Attacks

Hehe - absolutely!

[Milky Tears]

Highlights for me were:

"Gammon radiation, what the heck is that?"

Cartman's/Soloman's "YOU WILL RESPECT MAH AUTH-OR-RAH-TAH!!" and death scene.

Martha kneeling over the designs in a Peri/Androzani stylee.

Shame I missed it all by being a moaning ****/putting my foot through the screen when Martha started all that Rose crap already again FFS! Her high pitched whine has raped my ears!!

[Pip Madeley]

Cartman's/Soloman's "YOU WILL RESPECT MAH AUTH-OR-RAH-TAH!!"

I thought of Wayne when he said that

[Andrew Curnow]

Yeah, I really enjoyed that - lots of action, some good moments (the Doctor's calling the Daleks to just kill him at Hooverville was superb, as was the little moment of the Doctor effectively apologising to Lazlo for helping Sec), and red-hot Dalek action!! The final scene felt a little muted, I was expecting Martha to be far more upset about all the death & destruction (a la Tegan) but she seemed totally unbothered by the time they got back to the TARDIS - although I suppose we're supposed to assume a few days have passed, since Lazlo is now up & about and moving into Hooverville. I expected Lazlo to die, being the final death in a v-e-r-y dark episode (for new Who anyway) but the 'twist' of the Doctor being absolutely resolute in saving him was nicely done (although I feel that scene ought to have gone on as far as seeing the Doctor produce his magic formula and administer it to Lazlo). It was a bit stagey in places, and I expect some things will start to irk on repeat viewings (the speed the Daleks reached the theatre, and also the logic (or lack of) of them making an entrance onto the stage rather than through a more convenient side wall, for example, plus the very lucky timing of the lightning conductor to kill the pigs just as they emerged from the lift) but on first viewing, a very enjoyable episode.

HST, Little Miss' attention wasn't particularly held either this week or last, and she was playing on her DS/the PC while half-watching on both occasions. Maybe this one has been a little dark for some - certainly it hasn't had as many laugh-out-loud moments as most new episodes have. But for all that, I enjoyed it (and Alex, Zel said exactly the same thing, about Cartman!).

[Andrew Curnow]

Actually, I think the only thing that... maybe not disappointed, but surprised me, with this one is that, being written by a female author I kind of expected it to be at least as 'emotionally-driven' as the other new series episodes. But the one thing I would say it didn't do was particularly move me in that way - Lazlo and Tallulah were a sweet enough couple, but it was all a bit obvious and rather superficial tonight; and Solomon's death was all very noble but I didn't particularly feel much over it. And that almost lack of emotion seemed to extend to that final scene, with Martha apparently unfazed and unchanged by her experience.

But, before I divert this thread into criticism and nit-picking, I definitely enjoyed watching it, but in many ways it was more akin to old-style Who than almost any other new story yet.

Oh, and the guy playing Diagoras/Sec did very well in a part that was very important to get right - he convinced as a one-time Dalek, but also convincing when he wanted to change things (and so I could believe the Doctor's being swayed by him).

[Philipnet]

They said Exterminate!

YAY!!!

I really loved this one.

It had some absolutely great moments - the Daleks 'looking' over their 'shoulders' in the sewers before concuring on their opinions of Dalek Sec.

The 'humanity' in Sec - although it was not the humanity the Doctor was expecting; a neat plot twist.

The Doctor working with the Daleks to create the even more human Daleks - and at the same time Martha trying to fathom out what the Doctor wanted her to do and her then trying to stop the Dalek's plan. With the two heros obliviously working against each other I wondered what the heck was going on.

The overturning of Dalek Sec and the rise of the Human-Dalek race.

The death of Dalek Sec and two other Daleks in the Cult of Skaro. The death of Dalek Sec was somewhat obvious - once Sec has started moving about on the stage, it was a big giveaway that he was going to get exterminated by 'accident'.

The death of the Human-Dalek race - oh how so bitter sweet. How Dalek through and through that the Daleks make a race of people that they can instantly kill (Human-Daleks) or only survive a few weeks (Pig-Slaves).

All in all a better episode than last week's and one of the best (if not the best) episode of the season.

[Captain Tancredi]

Enjoyed it more than last week's- the irony of the title is a good one, in that the Daleks reject the evolution that's offered them and whatever Dalek Caan gets up to, he's left as the only Dalek in the universe and without the easy option of merging Dalek DNA into another race.

[michael]

well had to see both parts. but not the best one so far of a dalek storey did not like the man dalek so happy he died
am happy there still one more out there never say never daleks and doctor made this show for me

[P-Bal]

I liked it this week and awarded a generous eight. I also really liked the chap with the Britney Spears accent.

[Wayne]

I think i'm gonna give it a 9/10. And also, i'd say 9/10 for the story as a whole. I really enjoyed it, but there were just a couple of minor things that took the edge off it for me. Just little things in the grand scheme really, but they bugged me. Like Martin, i enjoyed all the Dalek Sec stuff, especially him working with the Doctor, but i laughed out loud & rolled my eyes when the Daleks bought Sec in like a dog on chain. I thought that was really corny. They're Daleks, not bloody Klingons! I liked the whole idea of the Sec hybrid, but like Paul said ealier, i'm also a Dalek purist, so i was happy that the Daleks rebelled against him. But the other minor bugbear for me was Tennant's 'The Doctor is In' speech at the end, which i found rather OTT/cornball, as well. Which is a shame because because this story more than any other so far has got me warming to Tennant's Doctor much more than anything from the previous season, bar 'Rise of the Cybermen'. I think Tennant is finally growing on me more this season, so far. Although i do think the Doctor seems to do an awful lot of shouting, But that's not really Tennant's fault if that's what they want him to do. But otherwise, i've enjoyed his performance much more, particularly in this episode. He seems much more convincing, overall. Perhaps i'm finally getting used to his style.
As a big Dalek fan, i obviously loved all the 'Red Hot Dalek Action', (another 10p to Mr.McCow) especially the Daleks attacking from the skies, which was brilliant! As others have said, Soloman's death could be seen coming a mile off, but nevertheless, i still loved it when the simple: 'EXTERMINATE!' was the Dalek's reply. I love it when the Daleks simply ride roughshod over puny human sentiment. Sec's death was also not unexpected, but again, i still thought it was a great moment. I love that extermination effect! And the flash battle between the Daleks & the human daleks was brilliant, too!
All in all, i've found the story as a whole, probably the most exciting since 'The Parting of the Ways', to be honest. It definitely brought out the child in me, as tension built up throughout, i was on gleefully on the edge my seat getting really into it!
Oh, i really liked the music score in this ep in particular Excellent!

The Doctor should have shouted 'CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!' at the end

Absolutely! Just what i thought at the time!

I thought of Wayne when he said that

Yeah, i laughed at that, having been watching loads of 'South Park' over the last few days.

[WhiteCrow]

My favourite scene by far is when the two Daleks dismissed the pig slaves and one admitted to having doubt. I've never seen anything like that before, and it was nice to see a bit of character coming through the Daleks in that respect.

It was exciting to think there could be a new race of Daleks coming out of this, and a shame that never happened. However the tone of just so much death in the end seemed very Dalek.

In parts reminded me of Genesis of the Daleks in it's quality. I personally think of it as "the un-Genesis of the Daleks".

[Andrew Curnow]

Although they went to some lengths on last week's DW Confy to justify it, overall the theatre location seems a bit... odd. It's not being used as a cover for the Dalek plan, their plan doesn't really require them to steal human dancers, and it's only really justified by the presence of a manhole cover in the basement.

The human Dalek asking "Why?" reminded me of "The Evil of the Daleks" with its similar questioning sequence. There were some nice little nods to earlier stories Dalekwise.

[Martin Penny]

I did enjoy Sec pulling a Davros "I created you! I am your master!"

Also did anybody else find the Pigs in the lift hilarious? You could see them all looking at the counter thinking 'Come onnnnnn....come onnnnnnnn!'

[WhiteCrow]

I did enjoy Sec pulling a Davros "I created you! I am your master!"

Also did anybody else find the Pigs in the lift hilarious? You could see them all looking at the counter thinking 'Come onnnnnn....come onnnnnnnn!'

Very Blues Brothers. If I'd written the script though I'd have to include after they were electricuted "ew - can you smell bacon?".