Villordsutch reviews Doctor Who series 8 episode 2 – ‘Into The Dalek’…
The Doctor: It’s not my fault, I got distracted.
Clara: By what?
The Doctor: We can always find something.
In this week’s Who episode we have a true slice of sci-fi as a miniaturising machine is introduced into the Whoniverse. Even the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) comments how great an idea it would be for a movie, though a bad idea for a proctologist. The Doctor and Clara are taking a step into the world of the Fantastic Voyage and Inner Space, but instead flailing around in a soft, squish human being they are placed within the shell of a cold, soulless Dalek; their mission to discover why this Dalek is becoming morally good.
This episode may sound initially a bit cringeworthy and I’ll be the first to admit, when the miniaturisation was suggested I dreaded to see where this was going, however it went into the right places. We witnessed with The Doctor, with decisions made as lives are lost or as they fall into the pool of recently deceased and he quips about the top layer being their recently lost comrade if they’d like to say a few words. This is a lot darker than what we have come to expect from NuWho yet here we are laughing. Running in present time we are introduced to the soon to be new companion Danny Pink, a broken solider whowill be shortly be having his buttons pushed by the Doctor, and those skeletons removed from his cupboard for a good dusting.
This episode, as last week;s, has a shining star and she is called Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman). I cannot believe that for the entire length of the Matt Smith series this was a simpering, doe-eyed companion I truly despised. Here in two episodes I have been turned around completely as we have a lightning rod for our Doctor, a carer as well as a teacher too. Clara also has fire burning within her and when the Doctor goes too far in the wrong direction she lets him know – in this week’s case it was a slap across the face. The Doctor has reached an age where he stands on the edge of being totally unforgiving – having now lived for two-thousand years – he needs and is thankful when Clara steps up and gives him the short, sharp shock he deserves.
Throughout this episode humour is scattered everywhere – sometimes subtly, sometimes loudly -and you’re either smiling to yourself with the Doctor booting open the TARDIS doors, or laughing loudly when Clara gives herself the title of Carer for the Doctor.
Another corking new season 8 episode. Next week we see a step back in time to the green tights days of Robin Hood. It looks silly, and I’m sure it’ll be fantastic.
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit hiswebsite and follow him on Twitter.
Originally published August 31, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
