Doctor Who - 305 - Evolution of the Daleks

[retro_eidas]

Or are HUGE fans of James Whale. "They're alive ALIVE!!!!" The Daleks, Doctor, humans and their hideous progeny. Holy crappola, things were very Frankenstein, even down to the suspended conductive beds I remember from Branagh's version. Hell the Doctor even got electrocuted. Again! (Shout out to ole Ben?)

Although gamma radiation? Marvel should sue if that wasn't the go-to means of mutation for several golden era comics (which is actually more what this ep reminded me of. Some old school sci-fi comic book and a bit old school Who). And a bit of "Back to the Future" ("1.21 jigawatts!!!") Doc jokingly talks about getting electrocuted in ep1, then gets electrocuted in ep5. In ep2 Doc name-drops "Back to the Future" where a character uses lightning as Macguffin and someone does this very thing in ep5. Probably means nothing, but I just found that amusing. Hmmm, any other random or pop cult references in ep3 or 4 that'll be literally re-enacted to advance the plot in later eps?

But... Daleks mastered genetic memory? Too much Shelley and too much Clarke? Ok then. ::will not think of grossly blatant dodgy skience::

I'm going to have to take conference with the old-new school fans, but despite all the anvilly parallels made last week of Solomon=the Doctor (and Diagoras=, erm, someone else but let's say Dalek Sec)? Solomon's speechifying didn't make me think of the Doctor... but Romana (+wiki aid for the non-old school knowledged). AKA, the Lady President of Gallifrey (and a former companion of the Doctor's), possibly president during the Time War or the beginning of it. IIRC, in the 2006 Annual (I think?), Rusty gives a bit of backdrop of (his version of) the Time War, President Romana tried to make peace with the Daleks to evade a war... obviously she failed. In theory, like Romana's efforts, Solomon's - leader of Hooverville - were equally futile. Despite the Doctor's advise against it (likely in both cases). Is that how it was in the last vestiges of the Time War? All the Time Lords huddled together by a campfire Eye of Harmony?, desperate with their numbers dwindled and dying and Romana's last attempt to save lives on both sides, only to get shot down (either figuratively or literally) like Solomon? The Doctor (grief-stricken probably much like Frank was) tried to step up to stop the war himself - maybe as a sacrifice - as the reverberations of it were effecting worlds far beyond Skaro or Gallifrey, but it all horrifyingly ended up in M.A.D. Possibly leading to M.A.D. because of a betrayal on the side of the Time Lords? Not unlike what happened vis-a-vis Dalek Sec (Doctor?) vs. the other Daleks (Time Lord of Iscariot?).

"I'm sorry Martha, but you've got to fight!" AND SHE DID!! WEEEE!! Martha? You are so very made of win. She's not only made of win, but the Doctor has enough faith in her ability to figure things out, he hands her the psychic paper. She also has enough heart to feel remorse for her actions. She was so very smart and effective. Kept her wits together even facing piggy carnage. Not to mention, I'm very glad to see she's still not taking any of the Doctor's shit. "What are you then, some sort of Dalek?" Oh, so much love. It was adorable (however brief) Martha's relief at seeing the Doctor in both parts and she even got some hugpr0n out of it. Adorable... until the Doctor opens his mouth of course.

I really hope all this Doctor jerkfaced dismissiveness of Martha's clear and present awesome is leading up to some kind of compensation (and maybe a bit of hubristic smackdown for him). All this giving her emo/made to feel second-best or a substitute? I mean, Rusty has made the Doctor's not-so-kind demeanor with her so frakking obvious man? Not in the least bit subtle. It's GOT to be leading somewhere (and pleasant for Martha). How else are we supposed to react but want him to acknowledge her? Leave us with the hope that glaring line of clue-by-four in TSC wasn't all for not and he finally sees what's right in front of him but can't due to being blinded and drowning in his sea o' emo or... does Rusty really want us all breaking toes kicking screens in? Throw the Ten dolls across the room? Well, if a pig and a showgirl can find love or whatevs (not that I want the Doctor getting any EVER until he learns to acknowledge what's in front of him and stop treating Martha in such a way, otherwise he and his sea o' emo can just go on and piss off).

I'll probably have more to edit in later on, but I'll leave this with... "Empty human beings ready to be converted" and "genetic template"? Heh. You know, entrepreneuring alien races perhaps aiming to restore their vastly dwindled numbers could use that idea. Nick it like Shakespeare. Foreshadowing, maybe? Although Martha got the first "genetic transfer" so HA-ha all Nelson Muntz to you Dalek-Humans!! :P

Comments

[cedara]

I'm starting to bet the whole genetic engineering stuff and genetic transfers might point towards the "you are not alone" line and the finale three parter.

But then, I can be wrong and it's all just about that other guy...

[darenothope.livejournal.com]

Word (jeez, coming from me that sounds lame) to your whole second last paragraph. There has to be some sort of payoff for Martha. At some point she's going to call him on his emo-ness (? - btw, I find it hilarious in people's review that they're describing him as emo) and realise what a twat he's being. Sometimes I just want to smack him. And not in a good way.

[a-caged-heart.livejournal.com]

Dang, the genetic transfers are just flying around all over the place this season. You think old Ten would practice "safe" genetic transfer, wouldn't you? He's old enough to know better, and to have seen a commercial or two on the subject, right? (is it wrong of me to think he has a condom or two in those ginormous pockets of his?)

How the heck could I actually feel sorry for Dalek Sec? How is that possible in the matter of a few minutes? (although that breathless voice was irksome after about 30 seconds).

Go Martha!!!! Way to hit the ground running!!! And Go Lazlo and Tallulah too!!!!

As to how Ten treats Martha, yeah, he's being a punk, but really, I can almost see what his rationalization is. Almost. In his mind, he doesn't want anyone to get too close. He needs someone (being that lonely figure, last of his kind blahblahblah), but he can't allow himself to get too close. It's dangerous to get close to him. In the past all his companions have come and gone, some left him, he left the others, and all the time they were in some sort of danger, simply by traveling with him. He may be alien, but he certainly feels responsibility, and he feels pain as well. He made a mistake with Rose in that he allowed himself to grow too close to her. And they both paid the ultimate price for it. Here he was, playing the hand-holding-skipping along-you and me forever-bit, then WHAM!!! Rose is gone from his life. He's an open wound now. I'm sure in his mind that he's resisting all temptation to get close to anyone, and perhaps he's making an effort to keep her from wanting to get close to him, all the while "needing" her there by his side. In a way he's protecting her, but more importantly he's protecting himself. I feel for the Emo-Doctor, (he's still being a jerk though), but in a small way, I can see why he's doing what he is doing. It'll be a long road, but in the end I think both he and Martha will come to terms with the situation, however hard and painful those terms are. It may even be a difficult thing to sit back and watch, but that's why this is a drama after all, and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

I'm finally caught up again! The Husband misses Eccleston, I think, and will only watch Tennant in certain moods. Silly man! Or maybe he's guessed that I think Tennant is cute and is trying to keep me away from him. ;)

I think if an episode has Daleks in it, I'm just about guaranteed to like it. They just bring out the dark sides of the Doctor, and I really really love the themes. Plus they make me laugh when people make their eloquent speeches about change, and then go off into, "EX-TERM-INATE!" and their hyper Dalek rants...

You know, in the first part last week I was starting to think I wasn't loving Martha so much, because in a way I felt like her very obviously being taken with him was somehow diminishing her intelligence and just turning him off...(And oddly, I was thinking that as annoying as Rose could be with stringing Mickey along, and all her other little boy toys throughout the series, the hard to get thing was the one thing that almost made me ship her and the Doctor -- because he was driven crazy, and you wanted him to get the girl. But I digress.) But yes, in this part, when he pushed her to take action, and she did it, I felt the vibe again. And the hug. Greatness. :)