Dalek

Well, what can I say? WOW. This episode is the one that Who fans have eagerly awaited ever since it was announced that the good Doctor was coming back. We've been bombarded with talk of this episode for long before it aired and all I can say is "boy does it live up to expectations and more".

Let's start with the obvious, the Dalek itself. Hugely impressive, taking the well established history and back story of the Daleks’ themselves and building on it. A lone Dalek causing so much death and destruction, we can now truly believe that a whole army of them could wipe out entire civilisations. Nice touches such as the rotating mid-section allowing all round fire and the now multi-purpose plunger ("What are you going to do? Sucker me to death?") gives us a truly evil and potentially unstoppable enemy. The scene in which the Dalek sets off the fire-sprinkler system and then “elevates” allowing it to electrocute it’s enemies shows just how intelligent and cunning these “pepper pots” actually are. Stairs? What Stairs? The much publicised “the Daleks’ can now fly” stories in the media recently, however they all seem to have forgotten “The Remembrance of the Daleks” in which we see them hovering up a flight of stairs after the Doctor (then Sylvester McCoy).

Which brings me to the little in-jokes throughout this episode. The aforementioned stairs issue is joked upon by Rose and the Doctor insults the Dalek by calling it a Pepper pot. All names and comments that the public has used as derogatory throughout the years, turned back upon us with a little knowing nod and a wink. Again a credit to the writing staff.

We are also given a full load of information on the continually hinted at “time-war”. We now know that it was fought between the Daleks’ and the Time Lords’ and that both races were wiped out as a result, all except the Doctor, who mysteriously claims that it wasn’t by choice he survived. There is certainly more of this back-story to be told.

Finally, I just have to give full credit to Christopher Eccleston, his acting in this episode was absolutely superb. Gone were the silly grins and face-pulling of the previous episodes, instead we are treated to just how great an actor he really is. From the moment he realises that he is sealed in a room with a Dalek; the truly primeval fear he displays, to a few moments later when it becomes apparent that the Dalek is “unarmed” and his fear turns to mockery and then to true hatred. The venom with which he (literally) spits his words was a joy to behold.

I for one hope that this is not the last we see of the Daleks’. Not now we have seen how truly destructive they can be. Just imaging a whole Dalek army rampaging through a city... Bring it on!