The second episode of the series had got mixed responses, with many fans complaining about how it lacked any sort of originality, wondering whether the new production team had run out of ideas. The third episode continues this pattern at the start, with the Daleks acting very sly and patient, similar to ‘Power of the Daleks’.
Ironically, it is the first fifteen minutes of this story that work the best, when the viewer is unsure of why the Daleks are helping the humans to win the war. Before that clever plot idea is allowed to fully develop, the Doctor starts to abuse the Dalek, and they are back to their old evil selves.
From there on, the majority of the episode takes place onboard a bog-standard spaceship, with very bland metal walls and hardly any machinery, apart from the significant Progenitor device. However, the empty space is soon filled up by five brand new Daleks, each one in a different colour.
The new style Daleks have received different views, with some people saying that their larger size makes them more daunting, whilst others complain that their bright colour schemes make them look like childish toys. These new Daleks were also not given enough time to be explored in this episode, as they were soon disappearing into the stars, without having exterminated any humans.
The sudden departure of the Daleks meant that a lot of questions were left unanswered, suggesting that they are likely to return later in the series. As an episode, this story was an overall triumph, and complimented the fantastic guest appearances of Ian McNeice and Bill Patterson. Mark Gatiss redeveloped the Daleks in style, placing them in a good position to be explored once more…
Rating: 4/5 stars
You can also give your rating in the new poll, ‘The Daleks’ true colours…’
The cover for Doctor Who Magazine 431 has now been revealed via their Facebook page, and tells us more about what we can expect from the issue. The issue comes with a feature about the newly designed Paradigm Daleks, and asks whether it is the most controversial Dalek design ever. There is also an interview with Mark Gatiss who reveals some details about his new episode, which is currently scheduled as the Episode 9.
