Doctor Who Series 1 Episode 6: Dalek

Director:

Joe Ahearne

(Strange, Ultraviolet, This Life)

Screenplay:

(Born And Bred)

Cast:

Synopsis:Beneath the Salt Plains of Utah, billionaire collector Henry Van Stattenholds the last relic of an alien race. When the Doctor and Rose investigate,they discover that the Doctor’s most deadly enemy is about to break free.It’s a fight to the death, with Rose caught in the middle…

In an episode guaranteed to bring fans out in a frenzy of excitement,Dalek sees the titular nemesis of The Doctor return – but in a quitesurprising way that serves as an introduction of the Daleks for old fans,and new fans alike.

“Dalek”, written by Robert Shearman, is a fairly straight-forward episodethat derives almost all of its enjoyment from the sheer fascination ofseeing a Dalek on-screen again after all these years.

Quite remarkably, the show’s producers have kept the Dalek’s iconic”pepperpot” design intact; yet manage to provide new quirks and featuresthat make the Dalek seem more formidable than ever before. Primarily, thisinvolves a sequence foiling the clichéd remark about Daleks being foiled bystairs (well, not anymore…), a plausible use for their seeminglyridiculous “sink plunger” attachments, and a 360-degree rotating mid-sectionfor all-round attacks!

Simply put, “Dalek” is great fun mainly on a visual basis. The story aboutHenry Van Statten, an unscrupulous collector of alien technology, is littlemore than a set-up for the Dalek grand unveiling.

The episode builds a genuinely exciting atmosphere courtesy thanks todirector Joe Ahearne (whose camerawork also manages to make us empathizewith a Dalek), and the script’s dramatic moments give Christopher Ecclestonthe opportunity to ditch smug-grins and give a more palatable performancewith The Doctor stuck in a dilemma over the Dalek’s future…

It’s enjoyable to see the series continue its own facet of Who mythology,namely with the Time War (here confirmed as involving the Time Lords and theDaleks, as if you hadn’t guessed already!). It also delights inre-introducing a classic villain to television screens. Undoubtedly, manyhairs rose on the backs of many necks when “EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE”blasted out into homes across the nation!

Unfortunately, “Dalek” undoubtedly falls short in other departments; theguest cast are almost superfluous to the scene-stealing Dalek – particularlyCorey Johnson as Van Patten. Bruno Langley (Coronation Street‘s gay ToddGrimshaw) makes his first appearance and, despite being pushed into thebackground, certainly has presence onscreen that should make good viewing inthe future…

The effects are strong and believable throughout, with nothing standing outas particularly embarrassing. The visuals throughout the series have beengenerally strong, although it’s clear that episodes requiring fewer effects

tend to get the best effects. “Dalek” adheres to that rule, with someeffectively sequences throughout – particularly the Dalek’s innards, a novelself-destruct sequence, and whenever the Dalek takes to the air…

Overall, this was an entertaining story that managed to show an age-oldvillain in a fresh light. As expected, the Dalek steals the show fromeveryone, but it’s refreshing to see Eccleston’s Doctor put into a moredramatic situation than man-eating bins and farting aliens.

The Daleks are back; badder (and better) than ever before. Let’s hope theyreturn in greater numbers…

Next Week: The Doctor, Rose and Adam arrive in the year 200,000 on abroadcasting station that transmits programming to the Earth Empire…

DIRECTION
PERFORMANCES
PLOT
SOUND/MUSIC
SPECIAL FX



OVERALL