Daleks in Manhattan

Amidst all the pre-season hype, this Dalek two-parter was probably the story that interested me the most. Like most Doctor Who fans, young and old, I'm Dalek mad, and so when I saw Sec hone into view in the trailer at the end of "The Runaway Bride" I allowed myself a sigh of relief ? the Daleks would be back in Series Three. As if there was any chance that they wouldn't have been?

However, "Daleks in Manhattan" is light years away from the Daleks' previous appearances in the new series. The most notable differences are the historical setting and the tone of the story ? whilst this two-parter is a very dark tale, it doesn't feel 'climactic' in the ways that the two season finales or even the stand-alone episode "Dalek" were. It's much more akin to the pre-Davros Dalek stories on TV and many of the Big Finish Dalek audios; here the Daleks are evil. They're cunning. They're lethal. And they're up to something.

But they aren't trying to invade Earth or take over the universe.

"They always survive when I lose everything!"

The scenic historical setting is a masterstroke both in terms of storytelling and commercially. What better to help get Doctor Who over with the American audience than to have your principal villains run amuck in one of their biggest cities? Furthermore, the setting allows director James Strong to deliver some beautiful shots of thirties' New York: we see the Statue of Liberty; Central Park; and of course, the Empire State Building. Now there's one of history's best-kept secrets ? Daleks built the Empire State Building! Those bumps around the mast? Dalek Thay's bumps!

What does the production team the most credit though is that they were able to produce a story that looks like it was shot live action in New York. The scenes in Central Park particularly impressed me as the blending is seamless; I would hazard a guess that most casual viewers would have thought that David Tennant and Freema Agyeman were flown over to New York to shoot this one.

The shanty town of Hooverville is also set flawlessly against the backdrop of skyscrapers; the few establishing shots near the episode's start sum up one of the story's key messages perfectly: people are starving, yet skyscrapers are being built. Something is very wrong.

Similarly, the scene that introduces the audience to Solomon sums his character up equally well. One man has stolen bread from another to feed his starving family. The second man attacks him in retaliation. Solomon steps in, breaks up in the fight and breaks the bread. He then gives them half each.

Hugh Quarshie puts in a superb performance as Solomon. His scenes with David Tennant resonate marvellously; the two actors share a wonderful chemistry on screen. Solomon knows that there is far more to the Doctor than meets the eye, but he still trusts him. He knows that the Doctor is the man to help them.

In contrast, Helen Raynor uses the Daleks' lackey Mr. Diagoras (Eric Loren) to show us the flip side of the coin. Whilst those living in Hooverville have fallen into poverty, he has thrived. And he hasn't thrived though having a pure conscience.

He offers those living in Hooverville "A dollar a day!" to do some work down the sewers for him ? a slave wage even in 1930. A little later on, we see him order the construction workers on the Empire State Building to risk their lives working through the night and when they protest he simply retorts "I can replace you like that!", and he could. Such sentiments still carry a lot of weight even today, where unless you're a plumber you're easily replaceable. You do what you're told or you're out.

Mr. Diagoras also reminded me very much of a character simply called 'the Controller' from a 1972 Dalek story, "Day of the Daleks." The likeness was only strengthened in my mind when the first Dalek emerged from the lift, flanked by two Pig-slaves. Particularly during Jon Pertwee's reign as the Doctor, whenever the Daleks appeared on screen they always had brutish, mute henchmen to do their dirty work. In the 70s it was usually Ogrons, but here Raynor cleverly links her Pig-slaves in with the plot: they aren't just some transposable alien mercenaries, they are humans that have been experimented on and genetically corrupted by the Daleks.

"Behold your Masters!"

When Caan came out of the lift and first spoke, I could feel my brow furrowing. There is something about the Dalek voices in the new series that is so much more disturbing than in the classic series. At first I thought it was down to the outstanding voice talent of Nicholas Briggs, but in his Big Finish audios the Daleks don't sound quite this monstrous. Last night I realised it's not just the voice in itself; it's the mechanical noises that come with it. Whenever we see a Dalek in the new series, every twitch of the eyestalk and every flex of the sucker-arm is emphasised, loudly. It makes them come across as that bit more inhuman.

"Humankind is weak.
You shelter from the dark and yet you have built all this?
My planet is gone; destroyed in a great war.
Yet versions of this city stand throughout history.
The human race always continues."

And so when you hear a Dalek talk like a human, things go off the page in terms of creepiness. One of my favourite scenes in the episode is where Diagoras and Caan are looking out over all the splendour of New York, having an almost casual conversation about war and attrition. Diagoras doesn't seem phased by Caan at all; it may be that he has worked with the Daleks for a long time, but even so the way that he seems almost at ease with them is fundamentally disturbing. It is this that unwittingly leads to his downfall ? Caan is impressed with his "rare ambition" to survive and so selects him as the principal subject for the Daleks' "final experiment"?

Central to the story is the tragic love story of Laszlo and Tellulah. The haunting pre-title sequence showed us the Pig-slaves taking Laszlo away to become one of them, and so when we first meet Tellulah in the main body of the episode she is tormented by his disappearance. If he was going to leave her, then why would he tell her than he wanted her to meet his parents? If he is dead, then who is leaving the flower on her dressing room table each night?

Miranda Raison imbues Tellulah with a lot of gumption, but also a lot of heart.
We see her threatening the Doctor with a fake gun in one scene, and then crying on Martha's shoulder in the next. She has a lot about her ? for example, she can instantly tell that Martha has feelings for the Doctor and that he isn't interested, although she does get the wrong end of the stick somewhat, thinking that the Doctor isn't interested because he's gay, injecting a bit of humour into an otherwise grim episode.

"If I don't make this month's rent I'm in Hooverville.
It's the depression, sweetie.
Your heart might break but the show goes on, 'cos if it stops you starve."

And of course, she brings with her the music. It's rare that we get chance to have a musical number in Doctor Who, but in this story it works delightfully as it really helps the viewer get a feel for the period. The fact that's she's dressed very much 'for the Dads' helps too.

Her reunion with Laszlo is touching, and also surprising in many ways. When she sees what the Daleks have done to him she is obviously upset, but she isn't revolted. If anything, from that little smile she gives it's evident that more than anything she's glad he's alive.

And what of the Daleks?

"We must evolve! Evolve! EVOLVE!"

Although it is only hinted at gently, I get the distinct impression that there is dissent amongst the Cult of Skaro. Sec may be convinced that the Daleks have to evolve to survive, but the other three don't seem so sure. What makes Sec so terrifying here is that he's right, and he's not letting his genetic brainwashing cloud his judgement. In Dalek terms, he's a blasphemer, but because he's free of his conditioning, this time the Daleks could win!

"There are millions of humans and only four of us.
If we are supreme, why are we not victorious?
The Cult of Skaro was created by the Emperor for his very purpose ?
to imagine new ways of survival.
Our purity has brought us to extinction!
We must adapt to survive!"

The scene where Sec assimilates Diagoras not only into his casing but into his mutant form is a wonderful bit of C.G.I. for a TV budget; a proper behind the sofa moment. Those tendrils made me think of the infamous "Genesis of the Daleks" Part Five cliff-hanger and how it should have looked.

Sec's emergence is one of the best cliff-hangers that the new series has spawned. The unavoidable Radio Times cover completely ruined the surprise for everyone of course, but even so I don't blame Russell T. Davies for allowing it ? he has to guarantee ratings to ensure that the show's success continues.

"A life outside the shell. The children of Skaro must walk again."

The hybrid is absolutely horrific. It's somewhere between the Emperor Dalek that we saw in "The Parting of the Ways"; classic series Davros; and the Jagoroth from "City of Death"! Even Thay, Caan and Jast back away in fear.

The first woman to pen a Doctor Who TV episode since Scots playwright Rona Munro's "Survival", Helen Raynor has really done herself proud with this spectacular script. And after a Torchwood episode as good as "Ghost Machine", I expected nothing else. I sincerely hope that she is given a chance to write for the series again next year.

I also think that this story also showcases Russell T. Davies' remarkable skill and foresight as Head Writer ? he's thinking seasons ahead! In "Doomsday" he spared thirty seconds or so of dialogue to give the four Daleks an interesting back story. Now "Doomsday" didn't need the whole 'Cult of Skaro' angle in there; it was already packed to bursting with everything that was going on. But Davies popped it in there regardless, along with a sly little "emergency temporal shift" right at the death. And now those thirty seconds of dialogue have spawned this fantastic adventure. It really makes you think about the significance of all this 'Saxon' stuff?