"I thought you'd run out of ways to make me sick... but hello again. You think hatred is beautiful?"
Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1st September 2012
Series: 7.01
Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory
Synopsis
The Eleventh Doctor, with his former companions, Amy Pond and Rory Williams, are used as a secret weapon by the Daleks to lower the defences of the Dalek Asylum and allowing the orbital attack on the Dalek inmates, who are at risk of breaching the defences. The Doctor can't save the day, or his companions' marriage, as easily as he can fix his bow tie, can he?
Verdict
Asylum of the Daleks is possibly the finest series opener in Doctor Who history. After the Doctor tricked the universe into thinking he was dead in The Wedding of the River Song, his 'death' was short lived as the Daleks lured their "predator" out of hiding. The way they did so was fantastic! The Prequel was a great little minisode leading into the start of this episode with the Doctor on Skaro. And he was disgusted with it, war torn and damaged. I liked how from above the city seen was reminiscent of that first seen in The Daleks. Continuity is always wonderful! After the events of Pond Life, the divorce angle between Amy and Rory was continued and I'm very surprised that they went in that direction. After Rory waited outside a box for 2,000 years and after the hell on Demon's Run, I figured they were the unbreakable couple. But by this point in the run of Amy and Rory as companions, I'm getting a little tired of the pair and I'm glad change isn't far away. I much preferred Amy as sole companion. Speaking of companions, kind of, Oswin was the surprise highlight of this tremendous episode. On broadcast, the appearance of Jenna Coleman was an incredible surprise and I'm not sure how they managed to keep it quiet. She was just incredibly good in this! Her flirting with the Doctor and Rory was excellent and I adored how she'd named them the "chin and the nose"! The idea of a Dalek Parliament was incredible and I loved how they just had their Parliament in its own spaceship! Bringing back the gold version of the Daleks was definitely a right move, the Paradigm Daleks just didn't look good. Although, I do wish Moffat had brought a new design to the Daleks but reverting to the previous size. Seeing many previous Dalek designs in the Asylum was absolutely fantastic and I loved how the Special Weapons Dalek seemed to stand out the most as it's probably my favourite Dalek design. To me that Dalek defines the brilliance of Remembrance of the Daleks. The references to Kembel, Exillon and Spiradon were wonderful to hear along with all the other Dalek story references! The Doctor was incredible in this episode, as per usual with the eleventh incarnation, and the gravitas that Matt Smith brings to the role is magnificent. The moment he realised the Daleks were sending him and his companions down to the Asylum and then that soon followed with the utter sickness he had towards the Daleks as he learned they had a concept of beauty. Oswin's hacking throughout the episode to aid the Doctor to rescue her was tremendous and the fact that she hacked into the Pathweb and wiped out all information the Daleks had on the Doctor was just outstanding! It causes a problem for future Dalek stories, but visiting in a different point in Dalek history can easily bypass the fact that the Daleks have forgotten the Doctor! Incredibly genius! That's the way to defeat your greatest enemies. I thought it was so sad when the Doctor finally got to Oswin, only to find that she had been fully converted into a Dalek. It was devastating as you couldn't not adore Oswin! When the Doctor triggered her memory and she'd realised the truth, she was devastated but sent the Doctor on his way, victorious. And whilst this was happening Amy and Rory had emotionally reconciled in wonderful fashion. Their love was stronger than ever! I just don't like the idea of companions going home. You either stay with the Doctor or you don't. There shouldn't be an in between! But overall, an incredible series opener! Utterly brilliant.
Rating: 10/10
Grand one.
ReplyDeleteThe Parliament scene rock on.
The Asylum scene rock on. Nice retro Daleks.
The 'egg' scene tickle me. And ncie Rory was trying to be nice to an enemy coz it was sickly.
Oswin was Clara eh. Evne when Dalek, she retain ehr humanity. And chose to self-sacrifice so the Doctor and his team could be safe.
It woulda rock more if Rose was involve. She handle the Lone Dalek. She's very talent on handling Daleks. Would be grand if somone said Daleks be her speciality.
ReplyDeleteIf the Parliament ask for her, Rose would agre.. and do the 'eye on you' suspecting they be keeping secrets.
If Rose had seen Dalek Sec become half-human and befriedn him, she can mention hima s a good reason for ehr to go to the Asylum.
Rose would be nice and promsi help to some Asylum Daleks, seeing hwo they were abuse. And she's show her regret they styll refuse to change.
I got this idea for rose's reaction to Oswin as a Dalek/. Instead of screaming and runnign, she gets upset (remmebr when some humans were turn to Daleks on Parting of the Ways). She can react on anger to the Parliament for turning Oswin to a Dalek and keeping the secret form her. She can comfort Clara and say her soul's mroe important than her body. She can also comapre he to the Dalek she humanisie, and promsie to rescue ehr. If Oswin chosoes to self-sacricie, she can use soem sheild to keep Rose back to save her.
I pcitur The Lone Dalek playing, espeicaly Rose mournign Oswin who prove human even when a Dalek. She can even form some shrine to ehr.