Absolutely magnificent!

This was not only comfortably the best episode of the new series but, quite possibly, the best Doctor Who story ever - and I know I'm not the only one to say that. In exploring the allegorical potential of science fiction, the episode took up the gauntlet thrown down so dauntingly by the likes of the new Battlestar Galactica and beat them at their own game. We were shown the Doctor as refugee (and, perhaps, war criminal) a man (alien?) struggling to come to terms with his own past and, in his torment, posing some serious questions for our own world.

There is no need to rhapsodise at length about the tautness of the plot, the excellence of the special effects or, even, how well Billie Piper performed as Rose; others have covered that ground and said nothing with which I would disagree. For me, it was the overwhelming sadness of the episode that ensured its classic status. The moment when the Dalek learned that he was all alone in the universe was genuinely moving. And has the series ever produced a finer moment of acting than Christopher Ecclestone's utter devastation in response to the Dalek's "You destroyed us"? The actor conveyed perfectly the Doctor's realisation that he, too, was a mass murderer, no better, and probably worse, than the creature he was so violently taunting.

But even that was topped by the Dalek's melancholy response "You would make a good Dalek" to yet another of the Doctor's bile-filled rants. How easy it would have been to make that line a flippant throwaway, an infantile "one-liner" with an instant, and unsatisfactory, payoff. Instead, it added a bleak resonance to the Dalek's earlier remark that he and the Doctor were alike. The Dalek had meant that their loneliness united them. In fact, as the creature came to understand, the common ground was irrational hatred.

At such moments, the programme was much more than an entertaining piece of fantasy hokum, but a profound exploration of the human condition. Of course, such existential speculation has always been begged by a series with the title Doctor Who; many more episodes like this and they're going to have to start writing it with a question mark.

Okay... now, how should I describe this episode? I have read everyone else’s reviews after I finally saw this episode on Saturday that has just passed. (Us poor deprieved people in Australia were five or six episodes behind the UK; I have been brave and not let myself look at any other reviews for future episodes).

While having watched the new Who every Saturday and the reruns of every all the old series (we are currently on the second series with Tom Baker) every weekday I thought the Daleks in the old Doctor Who weren't all that scary compared to the latest episode. I actually got really scared when the Dalek started to go one its killing spree because it showed many shots of the dead bodies. I did feel a lot of sympathy for it when Rose's DNA started to mutate it.

Actually coming to Rose I thought that Billie Piper acted brilliantly, especially all of her scenes with the Dalek and as usual all of her scenes with the Doctor were a joy to watch. The Doctor's reaction to thinking that Rose was actually dead and gone was extremely convincing but his reaction to seeing her alive was even better to watch. Christopher E's acting though stole the show when he first encounters the Dalek and his reaction and speech to the Dalek after he realises that it actually can't hurt him because his laser can't "Exterminate!" I did get a bit disturbed though when the Doctor threatened the Dalek with a massive gun, even though the Dalek had opened his casing and only was trying to feel the sun. Since when did the Doctor become a military man? Her reaction though was extremely well played and her asking the Doctor, "What about you Doctor? What the hell are you turning into?"

Excellent acting but the only thing that peeved me off was the introducing the character of Adam.

Why on earth did the Doctor take him? I can understand from Rose's point of view but why oh why Doctor? Hopefully he'll die or something in the next episode!

I also really hope that the Doctor and Rose get together in the end.

Overall I would give Dalek a 9/10.

The Daleks are back. Well, one of them anyway. Indeed, it was the last Dalek, as Rob Shearman and Russell T Davies had obviously decided. So how did this story compare with previous Dalek adventures and most importantly, did it do a good job of 'reinventing' the Daleks for the 21st Century audience and the fans of the classic series.

So how does the story go? The TARDIS lands in a long corridor, lined with display cases. It turns out to be a huge museum 53 floors underground in Utah, containing alien specimens and owned by a multi-billionaire who owns the internet. So it will come as no surprise that within minutes the Doctor and Rose are surrounded by about a dozen, fully armed guards all pointing machine guns at them. After a chat about alien technology, the Doctor is taken to what the billionaire claims is his only living specimen. After being locked in a room with it, the Doctor finds out (...wait for it) that it's a Dalek that's fallen through time from the time war with the Timelords! The Doctor, somewhat out of character, tries to kill the Dalek, but is stopped by the billionaire. Meanwhile, Rose has been left in the capable hands of Adam, a young, self-proclaimed genius who soon shows off his genial skills by hacking into the security camera overseeing the Dalek’s torture session. He takes Rose to see the Dalek. She feels sorry for it and, lured by the Dalek, touches its case. Her time travelled touch enables the Dalek to start self-healing. With this new vigour, the Dalek (finally) shows what that sucker can do. Suck the life out of the torturer and single-handedly decode an electronic lock, before smashing a monitor and absorbing the entire internet. The Dalek proceeds to start it's killing spree, during which we find out it can repel bullets in true Matrix style. The ever resourceful Rose decides that the legless Dalek can't go up stairs. Wrong! With the simple word 'Elevate', the Dalek glides up the stair at a slight better pace than in 1988 (Remembrance of the Daleks), before entering a room full of armed guards. Now this is the best bit. The Dalek Elevates to about 10 foot off the ground, starts the fire sprinklers and uses the water to electrocute all the guards. Adam manages to get clear of the area before the bulkheads close, but Rose doesn't. The Dalek accuses her of 'infecting' it, as it feels her fear. The Doctor finds a big alien gun and heads for the room where, bizarrely, Rose and the Dalek are enjoying the sunlight. Rose doesn't let the Doctor kill the Dalek, but eventually the Dalek persuades her to order it to kill itself, because of it's 'Sickness'. Rose then persuades the Doctor to let Adam go with them.

In short, great story, great direction and great graphics. A brilliant achievement in television. So let's break it down.

The Story was, as previously mentioned, Robert Shearman. Shearman also so wrote the Big Finish Audio Adventure 'Jubilee' and the beginning of 'Dalek' was very similar to that of Jubilee. A lone Dalek being tortured and the Doctor's assistant feeling sorry for it. But the similarity ends there. This adventure had the Dalek go on a full scale killing spree and made the fact that they destroyed Gallifrey in a massive war all the more believable. But the best scene in the whole episode was undoubtedly the sprinkler electrocution scene. The clever way it was done showed just why the Daleks are the Doctor's most dangerous enemies. The whole story shows both the excellent talent of Rob Shearman and the supremacy of the Daleks over all other races in the art of war. Furthermore, the fact that the Daleks were wiped out in the time war too, makes it all the more likely, if the Daleks are to be brought back, that the Gallifrey will also be brought back. All in all, a thoroughly brilliant experience.

The Direction of the episode was given over to Joe Ahearne for the first time and he has done a great job. The way the characters are presented on screen, including the Dalek, and the way the action scenes were shot was excellent.

The Graphics in Dalek were some of the best on British TV to date. The Dalek elevating up the stairs was hardly distinguishable as CGI to the casual watcher and exterminations were also of a very high quality. Add to that the great Matrix style bullet force fields; the mill has done an exceptional job with this episode, especially considering the short timeframe they had to do it.

So overall an excellent performance on all accounts, hindered only by the fact that Russell T Davies made the Dalek Designer change it from Steel and Gun Metal Black to the Bronze and Copper we saw on screen (exterminate him) and the continuing emotional instability of the Doctor. Great performance, as we expect from an episode featuring the Daleks.

"You would make an excellent Dalek". After several episodes, we FINALLY get a story that really takes us back to the old series. What we have is the most simple, yet effective Doctor Who story to date. We have a Dalek and a Doctor. I realized watching this episode that most people would compare it to "Star Trek" or a bunch of other Sci-Fi series, but I was left thinking about this: The last time we saw the Daleks, we had the 7th Doctor explaining to the last remaining Dalek on earth that it was alone. The Dalek could not accept this so it self destructed. Really was this episode any different? Well, yes and no.

First off, we have AMAZING special effects. Second, we have probably the fastest moving story yet. Yet at the same time one of the most moving. I have said before that Chris E. as the Doctor is probably the darkest portrayal since Colin Baker, but for once, it feels right in this episode. Not only do we have years of hate against the Daleks, but also we learn a little more about what happened with the "Time War". Whether or not I agree with the way the series is going with this "Time War", I have to admit the continuity is being upheld.

I also have to say Billie Piper once again wins the award for the best actor in the series. I feel she is the best companion to grace our TV screens in 20 years. If you watch her facial expressions and her reactions in this episode you will really see that she is an amazing actor who understands the amazement of traveling in time and space that is required for a companion. She shows no regrets but is human enough to show fear. That to me is what makes an amazing REAL human role. I can relate and understand the character more than any other companion. If she has a good agent, she should ask for double what she is being paid. There has been a lot of press about her not watching the original series and therefore not having done enough research to portray a proper companion. Well, folks, she puts you to shame here.

Christopher E. fares better than the other episodes (That silly grin for once doesn't appear.) but he lacks something all the other Doctors had - a sense of wonder and compassion, not only for the people around him, but for all living creatures. I honestly don't see Sylvester McCoy aiming a gun at a lonely Dalek who is the last of his race, trying to kill it. What Chris E. needs is a sense of humour and a light heart, somebody who is in control of a situation, and I just feel he is never in control of it. But while he is getting better, unfortunately I feel he might reach his full potential when too late, and once again we will be left with a Doctor who did a couple of episodes and then is gone before we knew him.

Finally, I can't help myself - The Dalek looked great! It’s been about 17 years since we have seen one, and my God, it was worth the wait. Just think - a whole new generation of children will be hiding behind sofas and having nightmares. Many of us were kids watching the old episodes, and now we have our own children, and this episode I hope scared them to death. And that's the way it should be! Doctor Who isn't always safe, isn't always secure, and certainly it will shock, but it's always entertaining. So sit back, open a bottle of wine, get your friends around and enjoy because we waited so long for something like this, and it was worth it and we are all here to see it together. I give five stars to the new series, for even throwing in the Cyberman in this episode.

It’s a cracking story with great acting and the production team finally knows that the old fans are watching and they give a generus nod and smile in our direction. So I guess what I can say to them is "Thank You"! And also one note to a debate I KNOW lots will be talking about: Doctor Who did not rip-off "I Borg" from "Star Trek". They ripped off tons of ideas from "Doctor Who" and you know what? Their cancelled......and we’re not!) (Apologies to Star Trek fans, of which I am one of). Keep them coming people, it just gets better!

Dalek was astonishing. One of the most consistent aspects of this new series of Doctor Who has been how astonished each episode has left me (for very different reasons) and this was perhaps the most breathtaking so far. Perhaps it was because, after seeing all of the hype and publicity pre-transmission, I had catalogued it in my mind as the 'event' episode of the season - all big guns, big action, lots of soldiers and old enemies coming back shiny and new. A kind of Earthshock for 2005 - shouting impressive, griity action and set-piece scenes with the old foes, but not a lot else. I was probably then not really prepared for the intense 45 mins that were to follow as I sat down and (once again) caught the end of Graham Norton's dance fest.

The striking thing about Dalek, in comparison to what has preceded it in the new series, is how dark, humourless and, at times, positively horrific it was. The fart gags and iPod jokes have gone, to be replaced by gunfire and screaming. We knew that Dalek was going to be more hard-edged (which was needed for some balance in the series) and it certainly delivered. Completely shot in darkness, or dim light, the violence was unending. I suspect that the BBC may get the odd complaint! The shots of dead bodies, the screaming of the woman killed on the stairs (what a pointless act of self-sacrifice that was!), the moment when Simmons is 'suckered', the skeletal exterminations, the Doctor's 'crucifiction' - all very cinematic stuff. However the scenes that I found the most disturbing (and actually a little difficult to watch) were the ones where Simmons was torturing the Dalek - his drill thing not quite managing to drown out the Dalek's screaming. Yes, the Doctor's been wired up to some machine or other that electrocutes him in the past, but the depiction of torture here was quite shocking. It was probably even more so as we were actually being forced to feel sorry for a Dalek, just as Rose did.

And this is the key to why Dalek was so astonishing. It completely turned the tables on us. There was I, expecting my Earthshock-style romp, all guns and no story, and instead I am faced with an episode that ends with a bitter, crazed, hate-filled Doctor, brandishing a massive gun, about to blow up a tortured Dalek that doesn't want to kill and just wants to be free to do some sunbathing. When Rose asks the Doctor "what are you changing into?" and the Doctor almost breaks down, it's a devastating moment. That last scene is one of the most emotionally intense that the series has produced and dares to do something wonderfully different and eschew all-out action in favour of depth of character and story. It was absolutely fantastic.

Christopher Eccleston is at his most angry (and probably most effective - I'm not sure that humour really suited him as well), Billie Piper is wondeful (again) and Bruno Langley is also good. When the Doctor comments on how pretty Adam is, it's another indication of the refreshing relationship that the Doctor and Rose have - close, fun, loving and very almost sexual. When before has a companion been refered to as "the woman you love", or whatever the Dalek said? But how true would it have been if it had been said of the Third Doctor and Jo? Or the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa? (well maybe not fun - for all of her intelligence, Nyssa could hardly have been labelled the most 'fun' person in the world!). It will be interesting to see what happens to Adam next week...

So, despite the fact that I had to watch it a second time before I could make up my mind (and also to get my head around all of the Rose DNA stuff), Dalek was truly astonishing - in a good way. Adult, gripping, intelligent, emotional, well-acted, well-realised and ground-breaking Doctor Who. I had some very minor gripes (the editing seemed a little jumpy, the Slitheen arm a little conveniently placed, and Van Statten a little too much), but the tear-jerking end made me forget all of that. Probably best of the series so far (with The End of the World coming in at second place).

Back in 1965, the production team sent up the Daleks. We had one interrogating a talior's dummy, one "thicko" (which doesn't sit well with the idea of purity and perfection) and the Doctor calling one "Aunty".

There's no time for that now. Since Terry Nation died the Daleks have been mocked left right and centre, and have been turned into figures of fun. Rob Shearman has been given 45 minutes to make them cool again-and he wipes the floor with everyone who ever took the mick.

Starting at the beginning, the Cyberman reference was great, but I would have kept it in the background more. (Not that I'm complaining, but does this mean that if the Cybermen ever appear they'll have to be the Revenge style ones? Because, frankly, there are better).

The Dalek itself...all the elements that people laugh at (the monosyllable voice, the sink plunger, and of course the stairs) are subverted beautifully. So now we get a deadly sucker (in more ways than one) and a fantastic job by Nicholas Briggs as the voice to make the creature far more realistic. Their agenda is obvious, but it's worthy and carried off with brilliance.

Certain scenes had me gasping-something I haven't done with Doctor Who for ten years-such as the part where the Dalek breaks free and the spinning mid-section that nullifies the joke about them being able to move at two mp/h; now they can draw like Clint Eastwood. In fact, it was so good when it was over my mum rang me and we had a long conversation about how great it was, to the bemusement of my housemate.

But the best part of the episode, the very very best part, is that the Daleks are characters again. The last time they were characters, the series was in black and white. Pertwee's Dalek stories were colourful runarounds (except Death To The Daleks, which was a runaround in various shades of brown) and after that Davros turned up. By Remembrance they were boring drones that squawked nothing by "exterminate" three thousand times and couldn't shoot straight. That catchphrase can be very badly used; here, the number of times it is uttered more or less matches the number of people who get exterminated. That's good. People have complained that the Dalek was made into too sympathetic a figure; frankly, the noisy little cliches from Resurrection and Remembrance can take a jump.

Add to this some superb special effects (the exterminations were a wow!) and some nice characterisation from both the Doctor and Rose, and the episode just gets better and better. The Americans were characterised as corny G.I. Joe types, which I'll peg down as satire from the pen of an English writer. Even with tiny little uncomfortable bits, like the Doctor relishing holding a huge gun, this is still an utterly, utterly brilliant episode.

The one final question is how it relates to the other Dalek stories. It beats every colour Dalek story bar Genesis; it beats Revelation by inches, as the Doctor's lack of involvement in that story means it can never truly satisfy. The black and white ones are harder to judge-it's better than The Chase, but after that I'm hedging my bets. Still, this is a superb episode and while I can understand that being asked to sympathise with a Dalek can be hard to swallow for some, with time I think this episode will be very well remembered indeed.