Daleks in Manhattan

[meddow]

So there were Daleks, and they were in Manhattan. The title delivered. Though I shall always be miserable they didn't call it Sec's in the City.

Heh, the Empire State Building was built by Daleks. I love the Who-universe.

I wonder if we're going to get a link between the pig-men in DiM and the pig in Aliens of London, 'cause they aren't actually that similar, but they're too similar for it to be left untouched..

I quite liked Tallulah, she's not your stereotypical blonde showgirl. I was expecting a scream or something when she discovered Laslo, but she was quite cool about the who "my boyfriend is now a pig-man" thing. I hope the both of them survive; they're quite sweet.

Whatshisname, the leader of Hooverville really got saddled with clunky exposition and speeches. The actor was good, but the dialogue really didn't do him any favours.

The Doctor didn't seem to do much in this one. I'm surprised the Daleks didn't recognise him though, after all those very same Daleks had met that very same Doctor. Martha didn't make much of an impression either. Still like her, though this whole unrequited romance angle to the relationship is a bit annoying.

All the Daleks debating purity and the like really reminded me of Genesis of the Daleks. I read a comment somewhere, TWoP I think, of someone wondering whether Sec is going to be the new Davros, which I think is a good idea (though I've only seen the one Davros story, I've heard he gets a bit annoying in later serials). Though I hope he doesn't have kids. One Dalek-Human hybrid is quite enough. Really, it's the suits and the Nazi-like talk of purity which make Daleks the brilliant villains they are, and the mingling of Sec has taken both of those aspects away from them.

Also, I think they need to give the Daleks a rest for a season or two. They are in danger of becoming boring.

Though WTF was with that green jellyfish-like matter turning out to be from Skaro? It looked like a very small Rutan. Now a Rutan showing up in a serial called Daleks in Manhattan - that would have been brilliant.

Anyway, not a classic, but good. This is of course subject to change depending on the second episode.

Comments

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Sec's in the City
See, and I keep thinking that the title should be Daleks Take Manhatten.

Also, I think they need to give the Daleks a rest for a season or two. They are in danger of becoming boring.
I can't seem to find it now, but somewhere in the back of my head I recall that the BBC only got the copyright from Nation's estate for the first three years of the new series, so they were packing in as many Daleks as possible in that short time. Maybe.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have thought getting an extension the copyright would be too much of an issue. With the sucess of the show, the money must be rolling in for Nation's estate so I can't imagine them not wanting to do another deal.

But if that is the case, maybe the Beeb has a master plan of craming Daleks in the first three seasons. I'd pefer lots of Dalek episodes and then none for a long time then one Daleks story and then none for a long time.

[snorkackcatcher]

I only caught the last fifteen minutes -- what was the setup for Sec then?

[meddow.livejournal.com]

It kind of started with exposition back in Doomsday in which it was explained that the Cult of Skaro, of which Sec is the leader, are the only Daleks that get to use imagination, which was rehashed in an argument between the Daleks in this one. Sec decided that since humans always survived, they must be superior. A man was picked because he expressed a desire to rule New York by any means possible, and thus the most Delek-like human they could find. From there, against the wishes of some of the other Daleks, Sec decided that if Daleks couldn't beat them, they would join them, and so he did, by swallowing the guy and doing some freaky DNA meld thing within the Daleks suit to create the ugly one-eyed Dalekman.

Now what would be funny is if it turns out that depth perception is the key to humanity's success.

[snorkackcatcher]

Though I shall always be miserable they didn't call it Sec's in the City

Not sure if this was what you had in mind when you wrote, but I was browsing and found this page and it reminded me. :)

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Ha, that’s brilliant! The Sec’s in the City title was coined by someone months and months ago at TWoP when the spoilers as to the plot were just emerging and before the episode had a confirmed title (which is where I picked it up from). Seems someone on the website staff has their eye on fandom (or at least has a very similar sense of humour).