Didn't write about Victory earlier...

[daibhidc]

To quote Gatiss in DWM: "The Daleks win. They win."

And I suppose they do, given their goal was simply to ensure the continued existence of Daleks. And I'm certainly pleased that we have a Nu-Who Dalek story that doesn't end with them all being completely wiped out forever - again. We know they'll be back, so lets aknowledge that.

Churchill was brilliant, and the "Ironsides" were pitched just right; there's a couple of moments when it looks like they're slowly counting to ten and reminding themselves there's a plan.

The new Daleks are awesome!

It looks like every episode is going to have a "bad science" moment for me. In "Eleventh Hour" it was the Doctor illustrating the effects of the computer virus by pointing to a mechanical clock; in "The Beast Below" it was the stuff with the glasses of water (inertia keeps a spacecraft moving at a constant speed until it hits something or the engines are used to slow down or steer). And this week, well, I have a hard time believing that a Spitfire modified to be an antigrav spacecraft would still look like a Spitfire in any event, but what pushed it over the edge was that the propellor was spinning, despite having nothing to push against.

But the Doctor ... well, he didn't really seem to do much, except, you know, get completely scammed by the Daleks into allowing them to open the box. And, yes, it's "Victory of the Daleks" and that's the point, but a couple of minor victories on the Doctor's part wouldn't have gone amiss. (He didn't even stop the scientist blowing up; he worked out what to do in theory, but Amy had to actually get it to work.)

So all in all, something very odd in Who terms: A good episode, with a disapointing Doctor.

Comments

[scarfman]

The Doctor doesn't really do anything in The Long Game either, or Rose. He instigates, but then both of them are tied up in the villains' lair till the locals get their act together. The only one from the TARDIS who does anything is Adam and he gets dumped off home for it in the end.

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

Yes, but in that case I found it a rather disappointing story as a result. All that sold it for me was Simon Pegg, and even then only just.

Although I've seen it suggested that this is Matt's "thing"; in contrast with Time Lord Victorious, he's the Doctor who isn't quite up to speed (last week, he didn't even work out what was going on, although he was a lot more pro-active about it). And if it's a deliberate writing choice, rather than just a misstep in the story, I can live with it.

[scarfman]

Oh, I wasn't disagreeing with you.

I said in 1982, "If the new guy wants to contrast with the old guy, then in his first story he needs to be pure-D wrong." Interesting that they're finally listening to me. But it's not something you can do every story and still be Doctor Who.