Doctor Who Night 2

"Dalek"

Location: Utah . Time: 2012 . Enemy: Dalek

Few seasons of Doctor Who have passed without the Doctor fighting this master race. The Doctor first encountered the Daleks in 1963 and has scarcely stopped fighting them since. Sometimes the Daleks are scary and sometimes they are just silly. But I would argue that this one was pretty intimidating- A cold killing machine if there ever was one. This Dalek gives validity to the race in general, which isn't easy as they are giant pepper pots with plungers.

The Good

The relationship between The Doctor & Rose, The Doctor & the Dalek, and the Dalek & Rose were the strong points in this episode. First of all Eccelston's terror / glee / madness when he first encountered the Dalek told us everything we need to know about the time war.

"I watched it happen. I made it happen!"

The Doctor's anger was a powerful central plot to this episode. Both Rose and the Dalek call him on his ruthlessness.

"What the hell are you changing into" ~Rose "You would make a good Dalek" ~Dalek

You never see Tennant's Doctor or Smith's Doctor this ruthless.

The Bad

Von Staten. Obviously this is the most annoying character of this episode. He's suppose to be powerful, but he's just whiney and annoying. I honestly wonder if this character could have worked under a different actor like, say, Michael Emmerson, for instance.

The other thing I didn't like was Eccelston's sacrifice of Rose. Tennant and Smith would never, in a million years sacrifice a companion that easily.

Kyle's Britishisms: "Blimey" "God-smacked" "Nutters"

R.I.P: Heroic Butch Lady- Next time... run!

The Geeky: The Cyberman helmet is from 1975, the Fourth Doctor's Era

Bad Wolf sighting: Helicopter Pad is called "Bad Wolf One"

Brock's rating = 8 - Would have been 9 without Van Statten

"Father's Day"

Location: London . Time: 1987 . Enemy: Reapers

The Good

This isn't just another "Monster of the Week" episode (We've been skipping most of those). This is Rose really dealing with something big in her life, something we don't get enough of in Doctor Who. Rose breaks the rules in this episode, but The Doctor is really the one to blame. He sets her up: not once but twice. It's like her wanted her to save Peter. Maybe he feels bad because he can't go back and save his people.

It's also rare (but not unheard of) for Doctor Who to deal with paradoxes. This is a classic "trying to go back in time and change things" time travel episode and we don't get many of those. Usually things are time-locked and The Doctor can't do much.

I think the best piece of this episode is how Pete is so flawed. He knows it he is but to Rose he is perfect, none-the-less. She has never met him, but truly believes that he would have been the best father in the world.

The Bad

There is nothing specifically bad about this episode other than it's a little slow. There's nothing too exciting about being locked in a church in the 1980's.

Cool Quote: "I've traveled to all sorts of places. Done things you couldn't even imagine, but... you two... street corner. Two in the morning. Getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that." ~The Doctor

The Geeky: This episode employs the Monster POV technique that made Who so famed in the 60's - 80's. Also "Watson... Come here... I need you" Not sure how the first phone call fits in with this episode, but still kinda neat.

Bad Wolf Reference: Energize poster near beginning of episode

RIP: Pete Tyler. He's dead... He is! Well...

Brock's Rating = 8

Next week:

Join us for Steven Moffat penned / Hugo Award winning episodes "The Empty Child" & "The Doctor Dances"

It's going to be Fantastic!