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Ten Thoughts About Doctor Who: Into The Dalek

Another week, another episode of Doctor Who. How did we get to be so lucky?

1. Coffee. But No Chips.

That's the kind of Doctor we have now. Leave the chips, but pick up a hitch-hiker in an exploding space ship under attack from Daleks in an asteroid field. As you do. And since, he's just had the traditional Glasgow experience of buying coffee, no wonder he is insisting on good manners.

2. Fantastic Voyage.

The film, not the original book. And we get a nod from the Doctor, "Fantastic idea for a movie, terrible idea for a proctologist". Useful to acknowledge the fact that you nicked the idea for this just before the opening credits. Also, the antibodies to come…

Also last week you couldn't breathe even though you wanted to. This week, you must breathe even though you don't want to. Breathing is life, not breathing is not-life, the alternative is exploding.  Is this another examples of the electric lightbulbs or might it mean something this time?

3. Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink

Did someone just see the Monty Python Live show while script editing this? "Did you have a good weekend." "I, did yeah." "I bet you did. What did you get up to?" "A bit of reading" "I bet you were reading." "I was." "I bet you were." "Well, yeah I was."

Say no more! Say no more!

No, really, say no more.

4. Into Darkness

"He was dead already, I was just saving us." Well, that's the War Doctor's way of thinking isn't it? That, right there, is William Hartnell picking up the rock, considering smashing it against the head of the injured cavemen, to give everyone a better chance of survival. You wanted a darker Doctor? You have him.

The Doctor doesn't have a catchphrase yet. Maybe that could be it?

5. Cup-A-Soup.

So much of the darkness. The callous dismissal of death – especially when it's a soldier. More on that in a few thoughts. But for those wanting a darker Doctor, here he is.

6. Clara Was A Good Dalek.

Does Clara remember when she was a Dalek? Souffle girl trapped in metal? Not quite sure how those various versions of her collapsed, she certainly retained memories of the different Doctors at some point. Might have been worth bringing up during the Doctor's ranting.

Another link to The War Doctor, this Doctor is outsourcing his conscience to a pretty young girl again. So, we know how the Dalek is broken. And now, after tonight's episode, we see how the Doctor is broken too.

7. What Will The Doctor Name After Gretchen?

After all, he doesn't know she's been Missified. We'll need something extraordinary. Unless of course he forgets her instantly. Which, you know…

He snuck away so cowardly. Trying not to acknowledge what he was doing. Another life sacrificed. Maybe forgetting is all he can do. That's why we have someone who won't let him forget.

8. Not So Much An Afterlife, More An Après-Vie

And yes. Missy. This series' equivalent of the hatch opening for an eye-patch woman to look in on Amy Pond. She is collecting those who have… well not died at the hands of the Doctor but… sacrificed themselves at the Doctor's behest. Is this a pattern? Well, we'll need another one – and then we'll know that the clockwork robot didn't jump but was pushed. There have been many inspired by the Doctor to sacrifice themselves, Davros told the Doctor he was just turning them into weapons. Is Missy gathering an army?

9. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Doctor…

It wasn't that long ago that the Doctor was mourning the absence of the Brigadier. Or working with The Church in the 51st Century. Now he's turning away soldiers. There is your new Doctor, happy to use a soldier, sacrifice a soldier but never actually recognise one as a fellow.

I'm wondering if this might provoke some American ire. Something I've noticed when travelling there, is the great respect given to those who serve in the military. Flying into San Diego, the captain of the plane asked us to recognise young men about to start boot camp flying on the plane, to thunderous applause. Again in the airports, those in the military get preferential service. "Thank you for your service" is a common cliché now – but not in the UK. There is more suspicion of the military amongst us, There isn't that automatic unquestioning respect given. The Doctor not liking guns was one thing, but not liking soldiers? Or seeing soldiers as nothing more than an extension of a gun?

I think, with Danny Pink if nothing else, the Doctor will be challenged on that.

10. Let's Drink-A-Drink-A-Drink…

Especially with Danny Pink, we have a soldier who has killed and killed the innocent. And one that has learned and changed. So we had a Dalek who learned and changed. The Doctor… he just changed. But can he accept change in others?

So go on then, who's The Master? Danny or Missy?

Bonus Thought

Finally! After plenty of Welsh and Scots, Northern Ireland now exists in the Whoniverse.

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