I was very disappointed by this shallow and superficial story which, given it included Spitfires attacking the Daleks, was very static. Take out the cgi and there's a lot of people and Daleks just standing around talking. The camera moves much more than any of the cast. And so little happens, with no twists or surprise at any point, that it leaves little to praise. The characters are just cyphers, not in any way compelling or realistic, and the plot is reminiscent of the sort of nonsense you used to get in a Dr Who annual in the 1970s. The Daleks return, the Dr has a life or death choice, the Daleks set a risible-beyond-a-joke countdown before their bomb explodes and all's well. Rubbish. The in jokes were fun, but only served as window dressing.
Worst of all were the new look Daleks. I thought the designs on the cover of the Radio Times were a joke. The Daleks reimagined as a 2001 Mini? Shit on toast.
Having started so brilliantly, this series is worrying me that it could drop it's standard of writing so soon. I know if I'm so clever I should write an episode myself and prove I can do better. But till then I'll just say I was hoping for better from this episode.
And remember, I do actually do this for a living
I thought that it was very weak too, for all the reasons that you said, and said better and with more authority than I could. I just hope that it proves to be a low point and that the series picks back up from this. Got the angels back next week.
ReplyDeleteExactly as you said. That plot could've been cut and pasted into any era and any set of characters; it really was that generic.
ReplyDeleteWhat annoyed me the most was the gross misuse of Churchill. One of the most fascinating and important men in recent history and they wasted the opportunity.
PJW
So far the first episode has been the high point. I'm so disappointed with what they've done to the daleks.
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