Evolution of the Daleks

Well this was a pretty satisfactory conclusion to a promising opening episode. In this respect, we're not let down by a rushed or silly climax as with most of new Who's two parters. This story delivers what it promises and nothing more than that. Dalek Seck is a wonderful creation, excellently realised, brilliantly voiced, and in the end, a quite compelling anti-hero and convincing petitioner of the Doctor - with this new slant on a possible re-moralisation of the Daleks, we have arguably the most compelling dilemma for the Doctor since Genesis of the Daleks. I think he also opts for the right decision in this case - but of course is thwarted - as is Seck - by rebelling Daleks who inevitably grow restless at their new corporeal leader, as they once did many times with Davros (speaking of whom, surely the ground is being laid for an eventual re-encounter?).

The disturbing suggestion that we humans might have potential to become Daleks ourselves, to degenerate morally as the Kaleds did back on Skaro, seems worryingly un-far-fetched considering our race managed to produce the Nazis, and that the world in general has been becoming more and more reactionary and territorial over the last quarter of a century. A good moral lesson for our times, which is what Who does best. I would have liked this thread to have been taken further: for a new score of Daleks to have been made from humans just to emphasize this point more. Rather like the - albeit somewhat pointless given its parallel Earth setting - plot of Rise of the Cybermen, it would have been nice to have had the human race mimicking the Kaleds and making Daleks of their own - but the suggestions were there, which is something still to think on.

The flying Daleks were impressive, the finale too, with a new short-lived half-human breed of Timelords courtesy of the Doctor's DNA interception of the process - quite a nice little twist, though not entirely unpredictable.

Tennant has generally been on his best form for some time during the last three episodes. Long may it stay that way.

Overall, not quite a classic, but a solid and very old Who-style romp, with philosophical sprinklings and an interesting development of Dalekology (hence a very apt title for this episode). The best two parter since Impossible Planet/Satan Pit, though by merit of its fairly well-balanced two episodes (in that neither is significantly better than the other), it is comparable to Empty Child/Doctor Dances in that respect, and light years above Risable of the Cybermen from last year. This season is going from strength to strength since the surprise minor classic Gridlock - let's hope there are no more Smith and Jones's and Shakespeare Codes along the way to undermine this momentum.

6/10