Saturday 1 September 2012

Asylum of The Daleks - SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

So, thanks to ABC iView, I was able to watch the brand new episode of Doctor Who as soon as I woke up this fine, but chilly, Sunday morning, instead of having to avoid the internet for a week until it airs on TV here in Australia next Saturday.

Oh.

My.

God.

I don't think I've ever shrieked at a computer screen quite so much. I don't know how they managed to keep it a secret, but new companion, Jenna Louise Coleman, made her appearance a few months early.

As a psychotic Dalek who believe's she's human (well, she used to be).

*major flailage moment*

Okay, now I've spoiled it, let's reverse back to the opening, to a woman's voice telling her daughter, Hannah, a story. We open on a very miserable Skaro, a cloaked woman and the Doctor. It is, of course, a trap and the woman is a Dalek drone (the eyestalk coming out of people's foreheads? Very creepy.) The we flash to the Ponds, who are getting dovorced, Rory having turned up at Amy's modelling shoot to get her to sign the papers. (this was hinted at during the prequel Webisodes - Pond Life). They are also kidnapped by dalek drones. Oh dear.

So, the Dalek parliament (Daleks have a PM now?) is terrified because the security on they're Asylum world, where only the most mad and crazy Daleks are imprisoned, has been breached. They want the Doctor to go in and let down the shield so they can blow the place up. Right.

By the way, the Daleks finding hatred beautiful? So perfectly horrid.

Now, not being a Classic series expert, I couldn't really pick out all the classic daleks. But I am very pleased the the Dalek Wiggles barely made an appearance, apart from the white Supreme Dalek. And I've just noticed th connotations in that. Huh. I much prefer the bronze Daleks.

There was a lovely little character moment through all of this, where Amy was doing a running commentary on what the Doctor was thinking based on his facial expressions and body language. Very funny.

While all this is going on, the lovely JLC is trapped in a room, listening to Carmen and baking souffles (or trying to) while Dalek voices can be heard outside a barricaded door.

So, off go the Doctor and the Ponds, with little wrist bands (sensing a theme here Moffatt) to protect them from the nanocloud (also a theme). Rory of course gets seperated, Amy and the Doctor run into the now dead and turned to drone crew of Oswin's (JLC's) crashed ship, the crazy Daleks start to wak up... and Amy loses her wristband and starts turning into a Dalek.

Oh Dear.

Ther eis lots of running about, the Doctor manages to trick Amy and Rory into sorting out their issues (nice moving little scene there), then walks through the intensive care ward, which is full of Daleks who have survived him. Excellent fear acting by Matt Smith when the Doctor is begging for Oswin to open the door as the crazy Daleks surround him.

Oswin, mnages to delete all knowledge from the Doctor from the Dalek hive mind. Huh. The door opens...

...and reveals the fact that Oswin has been turned into a Dalek but has convinced herself that she is still human.

At this point I'm fairly sure I started shrieking loudly enough to wake my neighbours.

Oswin saves the day and drops the shield, the Ponds (now reconciled) and the Doctor teleport back to the Dalek parliament (but manage to aim at the interior of the TARDIS)... and we discover that OSwin managed to wipe knowledge of the Doctor from the whole Dalek race, not just the crazy ones.

Cue the Daleks asking 'Doctor Who?'

Phew!

So... loved it! Still not particularly scared of the Daleks, but it was a much better use of them than there has been in recent times. I'm very glad that the Ponds marital issues have been sorted in one episode... it dragging on all series would have been plain annoying.

I am intrigued about the Christmas special and JLC's companion character now - I note that the Doctor never actually saw what Oswin looked like.

I do believe I am going to grab some breakfast and watch it again. Otherwise...

BRING ON DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP!




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