Dalek

I was unsure of whether I would enjoy Dalek. My earliest memories of the greatest Doctor Who villain are from the Sylvester McCoy outing, Rememberance. Seven years old, quaking in my armchair as the white Dalek climbed the stairs towards the Doctor. Awesome stuff. On a repeat viewing recently, I was slightly underwhelmed by the whole thing. The story didn't make much sense. The Daleks were not as threatening, they wobbled and looked slightly rickety. They were still good, but only just. The downfall of rose tinted spectacles I guess. No pun intended.

So, did Dalek dissapoint? No.

Of all the episodes of the new series so far, this has been the standout, even more so than The Unquiet Dead. Good humour, dramatic to a tee and scary to boot. The moment the Doctor first meets his old nemesis is thrilling and downright spooky, the single blue light of its eyepiece looming out of the darkness. A moment to stick in the minds of many a young child I hope. I know it'll stay in mine.

Christopher Eccleston's performance was bang on the nail throughout. He displayed none of the gurning weaknesses that let down Aliens of London and WW3. His trademark "fantastic" was less annoying and more a wonderfully unhinged show of relief. He excels with drama and flounders with the humour at times, so it's nice to see this episode played entirely straight. His fear of the chained Dalek, his hatred of it, chilling. I would have objected to the Doctor rifling through guns with the intent on destroying his foe, but the payoff of this was also part of the episodes finest moment. More on that in a while.

Billie Piper was, as always, good. Not much more I can say. It was great to see her feeling sorry for the chained and tortured Dalek. I'll even admit to feeling sorry for the thing as the scientist was going at it with the drill. The shrieks were another thing that left a lasting impression on me.

I shall be interested to see how Bruno Langley fares. For the first time since the Peter Davison era, the Doctor is now travelling with more than one companion, so it will be nice to see how this dynamic works and if it lasts. Adam has not really had enough time to settle in this episode, so we shall see.

Henry Van Statton was superbly slimy. Perhaps the character was a little cliche, but nicely played.

But of course, what of the Dalek itself? After all these years, is it scary? Yes, and then some. I got cold shivers as it broke free whilst screaming "that" catchphrase. You know the one. Begins and ends with an E. The resulting chaos and slaughter was both shocking and exciting.

More than the action, the emotional content was a sharp slap in the face... In a good way. To see a Dalek in such turmoil is strange. And the high point of the story, the climax, that finest moment I mentioned... Breathtaking. I nearly cried for the Dalek, with its pitiful fading voice and single tired eye. As the Doctor runs in, intent on gunning the poor creature down, and Rose defends it. The roles are suddenly reversed. It is the Doctor who is intolerant and hateful, quite ready to murder as the Dalek is finding itself unable to do the same, vulnerable, alone and confused. A great twist and a great bit of writing. Gravitas, y'know?

This week the tone was just perfect. After the farting, camp and rather pathetic Slitheen, this is truly welcome. This is what Doctor Who should be. A perfect balance of humour, action, suspense and drama. Murray Gold even outdid himself in places. For all the excitement this episode had built up, I did not find my expectations so cruelly shattered.

I would put this right up there with the best of any other Dalek episode, Genesis included. There can be no higher praise surely?

Oh yeah, hooray for the Cyberman head.