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.