....NEW DR WHO TONIGHT, 30/4/05, EPISODE 6, DALEK...

[ARRISARRIS]

...DEBATE, DEBATE...

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Speaking as a Dalek, I cannot wait. It's been 14 years since I've had any work.

If anyone wants me, dahling, I shall be in my trailer.

[Dounreay]

So then Dr X, what have you been up to these past 14 years to earn a crust? Bet a dalek would make a great cab driver. DO NOT BRING THAT KEBAB INTO MY VEHICLE OR YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED.

I too am much looking forward to the return of the metallic voiced ones. I think they will fit in very well with the look and feel of the new series.

 Probably because they are now iconic and its expected they will be in. But also because they are suitably daft and menacing at the same time. This sits well with the show itself which moves between light hearted and serious.

Are thay still going to look the same, y'know, grey with dear little suction cup hands?  

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

"suction cup hands"?

Don't you know anything? It's not a suction cup, it's a highly complex magnetic field manipulator that allows the dextrous manipulation of anything nearby on an atomic level.

And it looks like a suction cup.

[MIKE COLLINS]

Debate? what's to debate?

Here i am, 43 years old, currently writing and drawing the Who comic strip so you'd think I'd be jaded and cooly professional and yet I'm stupidly stupidly excited by the prospect of seeing a Dalek going up against the Doctor again for the first time in almost two decades...

[gnilleps]

You're writing that as well? Doesn't that mean they've let you in on stuff that happens during the season? That's got to be something of a mixed blessing. I'm really looking forward to all these episodes but fighting my innate urges to glean details and spoilers has been ridiculously hard.
That said, if I hadn't seen, and got used to, the new Tardis exterior long in advance I'd probably've been distracted thinking it looks slightly wrong.

God, I'm such a fanboy.

[MIKE COLLINS]

Nope, no hidden secrets.

I'm writing just one story at the moment, then there's an arc coming up by Dalek's author Rob Shearman, maybe I'll get to do more writing later-- I sent in a stack of pitches and some got rejected for reasons 'they couldn't say' so obviously I'd crossed future continuity but fanboy I am I didn't want to know why! Just as well, as one was to do with stuff covered in Aliens/WW3.

[Carlsborg Expert]

S
P
O
I
L
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Ooh its the Daleks tonight whats the outcome
Fascists with cute half bubbles on them.

[Byron Virgo]

Sorry to drift wildly off-topic, but when's your Who strip seeing print, Mr. Collins?

[Roger Godpleton]

I'm slightly upset that the trailer gives away what will probably be the best bit, but still, can't wait.

[MIKE COLLINS]

Part 2 of the story written by Garerh Roberts drawn by me'n'Dave Roach (and coloured by Dylan Teague-- a 2000AD group job!)came out on Thursday- there's one more part after that then my solo story.

[Byron Virgo]

You might just be able to persuade me to buy DWM again if it's a Collins solo job...

[paulvonscott]

EX-TERMINATE!

Awww, the littlest Dalek, ain't he cute?

Pretty good episode, and quite a blast for the old Dr Who fans and new I hope.

Was that a Fendahl in the other case?

[McNulty]

I've got to say - absolutely brilliant! A very good episode. I never thought I would ever feel sorry for a dalek. We find out more about the Doctor's darker side, and why he's feeling survivor's guilt.
And nice touch with the Cyberman!

[The Amstor Computer]

Well, that was great. Very mixed, but great all the same.

Things I loved:

The interplay between the Doctor and the Dalek. Some of the best scenes in the series so far, that really made use of the Daleks in a way that's never really been attempted before - in the TV series, at least.

The Dalek effects. Generally very good, with some great additions to the Dalek "template".

The work done to make the Dalek menacing. It's been a while since they've been quite so threatening a presence, but this one episode did a lot to remedy that.

The alien museum.

Things I could have done without:

Bruno Langley. He doesn't convince at all, and I would have preferred a more competent actor in his role.

The final "self-destruction" effect. After some neat work on the earlier scenes, this was a bit naff.

The constant and intrusive music in scenes that should have been silent or far more muted.

Next week's episode looks interesting, but I'm a little less hyped after this one - although I suppose any episode following a Dalek one is always going to look a little less interesting.

...oh, and another Bad Wolf reference at the beginning!