Doctor Who - Daleks in New York/Evolution of the Daleks Thoughts

[jetpack_monkey]

They say that this two-parter was created from a laundry list of elements given to script editor Helen Raynor by Russell T. Davies. I believe it. It spends a lot of time establishing connective tissue between a lot of disparate elements. Although these connections are occasionally arbitrary, from a thematic standpoint, a lot of it works -- the Daleks seeking refuge in their own Hooverville (1930s New York City) vs. the real Hooverville. The Daleks jumpstarting their race in human hosts and the Doctor's intrusion with his own DNA -- and watching both races die again, with only one left.

Shame about the characters. Ten was emo all over the screen again -- last season he was hyperactive, this season he's just kind of a depressing dick. Martha has yet to win me over. She had two fantastic intro eps and then they've failed to use her effectively since, completely bungling her character by feeding her lines of Rose dialog. When she stands up to the Doctor for his bs, she completely rocks, but beyond that... I haven't seen enough to really make me embrace her. As someone thoroughly sick of Rose's emo nineteen-year-old whine by the end of Season 2, I'd hoped for something with a little more spark and mature intelligence in Martha. Maybe we'll get it in "The Lazarus Experiment."

Dalek-human hybrid Sec failed to excite me. I think the character needed to escape with more time to develop. What ended up happening was a crash course in humanity that didn't ring true. For the most part, I just didn't get why the whole Dalek/human/penis-face-phalange monster thing was necessary.

I sincerely hope they give the Daleks a rest for the remainder of the season -- they're getting old. Even the old series only pulled them out once a season -- if that.

midnightfae has a new review up over at Classic-Horror for Night of the Lepus. Read about the non-terrifying giant bunnies of doom.

Comments

[booster17.livejournal.com]

Have to agree on the general meh-ness of the last couple of eps. Something is just not quite working right for me. It's almost as though they've dusted off old Rose and Ten scripts and written Martha's name in instead.

[midnightfae.livejournal.com]

Exactly. And it makes me sad because I was so excited when I met Martha in the first two episodes. She was intelligent, witty, courageous and totally made of awesome. A compliment for the Doctor, someone who could look out for herself and give the old boy a run for his money.

Suddenly, now, she seems made of meh and emo. And it makes me want to stab her in the head. I want my confident, self-assured Martha back. Not this Rose-wannabe they keep giving me.

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

Martha is acting pathetic and dumb because the Doctor is constantly beating her over the head with, "ZOMG YOU ARE NOT!ROSE, I MUST TALK ABOUT ROSE, WAAAAH!" It's like dating a guy who won't shut up about his ex. Suddenly you get a complex and want to crawl into a hole. Martha is being annoying, but it's the Doctor that's making her lose all her self-esteem. :( :( :(

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

You know, I think it's time for somebody's Momma to set a Time Lord straight.

"You! Weasel-faced git! If you can't understand that my daughter is twice the woman that your Blossom..."

"Rose."

"Shut up. Twice the woman she is, then you have serious issues. Either get over it or leave my daughter alone, because I promise you if you hurt my girl I am gonna thrash you so hard..."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you understand me?!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"All right. Would you like some tea?"

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

HEE! Now, that's a scene I wanna see! :D