Doctor Who XXXIII(7).1: Asylum of the Daleks

[sir_guinglain]

Extending an earlier Facebook post.... probably the most effective episode of the entire Moffat era, returning to the Russell T Davies philosophy of building stories around strong, arresting images. There is a homage to past masters Terrance Dicks and Robert Holmes, with the Daleks placing the Doctor and his companions in an maze of lethal puzzles, but this time with a decidely ghoulish twist. We return to the idea of the being which thinks its human but isn't, a favourite of Moffat in Silence in the Library, with a teleport system presented as part of the key to the mystery; so will the Oswin who eventually joins the Doctor be the rehumanised maddest Dalek of the lot? Or is this just one of many misdirections, in which media hints prepare the audience for something which only hints at the story which is to be told (and completely obscures the role of Jenna-Louise Coleman in this episode). A very strong start to the new series, and promising for the reshuffled production regime of Moffat and Skinner.

Comments

[sally_maria]

I loved it. :-)

I don't claim to be the most critical audience in the world but I really enjoyed the call-backs to previous encounters with the Daleks. I also completely agreed with the choice to wipe all that from their memories - it has just got so involved over the past few years, and I'm all in favour of going "back to basics" so to speak.

I thought Oswin was tremendous fun and had a real lump in my throat when I realised what had happened - I think one of Moffat's more overlooked gifts is to created these characters you really care about over the course of one episode (I'm also thinking of Sally Sparrow). I'm all the more intrigued as to what Jenna-Louise Coleman's companion will be like.

[sir_guinglain]

So am I... that last 'Remember me' and sideways look to camera was tantalising.

The eggs/eggsterminate/souffle (whisk-gun) /milk (of human kindness) compressed metaphor was wryly done. Perhaps Oswin managed to escape, and can travel under the radar of the (other) Daleks long enough to recreate her human form using Dalek technology; or perhaps she is aboard the TARDIS, undergoing a similar process.