Doctor Who (TV Series) Asylum of the Daleks (2012) User Reviews

A very well made episode

[pjgs200 · 8/10 · 28 June 2016]

Starting with Asylum of the Daleks is one hell of a way to kick of a series of Doctor Who. Visually, it's one of the most stunning episodes yet- the direction was really impressive. Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill are easily the highlight actors in this episode, and the guest performances were creepy. Oswin was great; her banter with the Doctor and Rory was funny and clever, and the end reveal where we learn that she is a Dalek could not have been done any better- Matt Smith and Coleman's acting was great, and Nicholas Briggs' Dalek voice was excellent- The directing and music worked together flawlessly to create a genuinely chilling twist.

The Amy and Rory divorce plot felt very contrived, but the rest of the installment really made up for that. The scene where Rory tells Amy he has always loved her more could have easily been the most cringe-worthy/cheesy moment of the episode, but Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill knocked it out of the park with their performances. Coupled with the excellent directing and writing, that scene turned out to be a standout sequence in an already great episode.

The production values were good, the directing was fantastic, the acting was strong, and the tone was spot on for the whole episode. Asylum of the Daleks is an excellent way to kick off a new series, and a story that makes me proud to watch Doctor Who. It's not without its flaws, but it's still a fantastic series opener that sets up this series' arc really well.

A fine start to the seventh series

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 2 September 2012]

This episode gets off to an interesting start with the Doctor being lured to Skaro by a woman who has somehow been turned into a Dalek; once captured he is soon joined by recently divorced Amy and Rory on a ship that is the Parliament of the Daleks. The Doctors is expecting them to kill him but instead they have a job for him and his two companions! They have been receiving a strange signal from the Asylum of the Daleks... a planet where the insane Daleks are sent, and they expect the Doctor to go down and deactivate the planetary defence shield so they can destroy the planet and everything on it.

The signal is coming from Oswin Oswald; the sole survivor of the space ship Alaska. She has been there for a year and understandable hopes to be rescued. Before going down to the planet The Doctor, Amy and Rory are given special bracelets that will prevent them from being turned into servants of the Daleks by the planets Nano-shield; they soon encounter a problem though when Amy loses hers; it is now just a matter of time before she becomes a threat to her friends. Oswin surprises the Doctor with her ability to hack into the Daleks' systems; something even he couldn't do; perhaps she really is the genius she claims to be or perhaps there is an altogether more sinister reason!

I'll admit that I was unsure about this episode when it started; for a start why on Earth were Amy and Rory getting a divorce? That seemed to come out of nowhere; thankfully it was explained later in a way that was surprisingly emotional. It was great to see the Daleks again; particularly the ones on the planet the fact that they were almost broken seemed to make them creepier than the ones we usually see. The three main stars did well; having worked together for some time now they have developed a good dynamic. Guest star Jenna-Louise Coleman did a great job as Oswin; I thought the 'genius hacker' character might be a bad idea as it could be rather cliché but she was fun and when we learnt the truth about her character it was a genuine surprise and quite tragic. While this wasn't a comedy episode it did have some genuinely funny moments; the one I liked best was when a Dalek, struggling to speak, appeared to be saying 'egg'; much to Rory's confusion... it turned out of course that it was trying to say 'Exterminate'!

If the rest of the seventh series approaches being as good as this then I shall be happy.

She Sells Sanctuary...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 26 December 2021]

Dropped down to a planet for a task in a spin. Amy and Rory, the Doctor with chin. Disable the force field the Dalek's instruct. Beware of our brethren, they're insane, overcooked. And keep on your bracelets, to avoid nanobots. They'll process you into Dalekanium dots. At least there's soufflé girl, below and within. More formally Clara, for now called Oswin.

More Daleks Than You Can Shake a Plunger At

[boblipton · 10/10 · 1 September 2012]

Doctor Who begins the seventh season of its revival with a Dalek special. These favorite Doctor Who monsters, which the NEW YORK TIMES has recently called "pestilential pepper pots", were introduced in the second serial of the classic show and were an immediate British hit, spawning sequels, movies, comics, books, magazines and even a novelty seasonal song, "I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas With a Dalek".

Why were they so popular? Unlike most sf monsters of the era, they were not humans gone horrendously astray, giant insects nor someone dressed up in a bad costume. Between their unearthly shapes, electronic voices and their inhuman way of moving, they were obviously alien.

In addition, a Dalek's simple credo of dealing with every foe -- "Exterminate!" -- gives science fiction a metaphor to hang its emotional hat on. One does not have to worry about subtleties when dealing with Daleks. It is you or them. Stop and worry about their unhappy youths or sex lives and you're dead. How could you not love them? Unless, of course, you're another Dalek. That's what this story considers, in the context of the Doctor's increasingly complex and lonely existence. More than that, it's a study in shared insanity and the circular nature of fear, hatred and, indeed, love.

Although the Daleks and their relationship with the Doctor is the major theme of this episode, series runner Steven Moffat has other fish to fry. The disintegrating relationships between the Doctor's companions are on view. A long story arc about the question "Doctor Who?" is advanced.

This season of Doctor Who is extending into 2013 and the vast arcs that lend texture to the series have to make room for other issues. Amy Pond and Rory Williams are scheduled to leave the show this year and a new companion was scheduled to be introduced at Christmas -- and shows up in this episode -- nice surprise, everyone!

Some of these issues have been set up as far back as 2006 with the episode "The Girl in the Fireplace" and some of the resolutions in 2010's "The Hungry Earth". A promo for the show notes that "Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end -- but not necessarily in that order. Moffat's patience in making the whole show fit together like an ornate ormolu clock is very much in evidence here.

This episode is a brilliant study in terror and hope that stretches back to 1963 and, I hope, far into the future. I look forward to the next one.

A beast of a Dalek story

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 7 September 2015]

The Daleks capture the Doctor, Amy and Rory, and set them a task, to enter The Dalek asylum.

I've been quite critical of some of the Dalek stories. There are arguments for classing this as one of the best, they are brilliantly used, back to being the intelligent metal meanies from Skaro.

A brilliant Amy story, best Karen Gillan has been for a few episodes, Rory as always is on top form.

We knew we were going to see more of Oswin, she made a big impression.

Some outstanding bits in this one, Rory trapped with daleks of all kinds, was so good to see renegade Daleks, Special Weapons, and also good to see a battered teletubby dalek, classic line 'eggs, eggs, eggs,' true menace. I love the Doctor's walk through intensive care, dalek survivors from Masterplan, Power, death to etc, it was a nice touch, traditional Daleks would have been nice.

I think Asylum is a wonderful episode, clever, witty, intriguing, sad, entertaining. There are some wonderful references to the show's history. A brilliant episode. 10/10

Genuinely Good

[alison-465-684768 · 10/10 · 1 September 2012]

No Spoilers - but an honest review.

I really had personal doubts as to whether I wanted to continue watching Doctor Who when I saw that Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill were being pushed out of the show (so I felt).

All I can say to anyone who reads this and hasn't watched this episode yet - DON'T miss it! It really is brilliant, and I am so glad that I gave it a chance. It was exciting, (after a somewhat startling beginning) - interesting writing and a lovely twist.

I shall be interested to see how the writers develop the plots of the next few weeks - but personally, I WILL miss both Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill and the contribution they have made to Doctor Who.

One of the best Dalek episodes in all of newWho

[dkiliane · 9/10 · 29 March 2019]

This episode's detractors probably strongly disagree and may have some choice words for me but I stand by my headline. I honestly can't think of a purely Dalek episode as good as this one in all of newWho (although the season one episode "Dalek" comes close, at least in terms of showcasing why the Daleks are feared).

While some definite suspense of belief is required here, with humans transforming into Daleks (well, basically being taken over zombie fashion by Dalek nano-tech), it's not any more far fetched than most things presented to us in Doctor Who and definitely raises the creepy factor. Although I agree with other reviewers of the opinion that this would have made more sense for the Cybermen (oh well).

This episode definitely puts the Daleks back on top of the villain meter and they certainly seem a genuine threat. The premise of the Doctor having to deal with Daleks that even the Dalek population as a whole deem too dangerous was interesting but most of the Daleks didn't seem to behave in a different manner than the "sane" (using the term loosely) Daleks we are used to and didn't seem to reflect the level of insanity of the deranged Dalek from the season four finale. Even so, having to infiltrate a planet full of unhinged Daleks is an exciting premise and we are treated to many genuinely chilling Dalek moments and equally awesome Doctor moments.

Jenna Coleman's character Oswin is the standout in this episode - - a human turned Dalek, who still delusions herself into believing she is human. It was an amazing twist, and a truly poignant scene setting up the fantastic climax of the episode. On the other hand, the Ponds seem less interesting this time around by comparison and their impending divorce and reconciliation feels a bit shoehorned in but still allows for some great character moments. Moffat's strongest season opener. 9.5/10

A bit over-hyped...

[stomper131313 · 8/10 · 14 September 2012]

... by fandom with the whole 'every Dalek since 1963' rumours running around the internet. Given the scope of the episode, it is forgivable. But having said that, there was no way in the world that this episode could live up to that hype and anticipation.

What was good about the episode? Daleks, Daleks, and more Daleks. More Daleks than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at. Including one that belongs to former show runner Russell T Davies and the Special Weapons Dalek (although I must have blinked and missed it) from the Sylvester McCoy era. And, of course, Steven Moffatt's new Dalek paradigm.

Interesting twists? Yes! And at the top of the list is the reason for the friction in and eventual 'ending' of Amy and Rory's marriage, the soufflé girl turning out to the the doctor's new companion (and what she actually turns out to be). Many claim to have seen that denouement coming from a mile away, but I will frankly admit I did not see either coming and was surprised to see the credits featuring Jenna-Louise Coleman as a cast member.

Steven Moffat promised to 'reboot' the Daleks and seeing what he did in this episode, you can confidently say that he has started. Where is going with the 'new' Daleks, no one knows (Maybe not even Mr. Moffat, but I seriously doubt it). And advancing one of the carryover story arcs about the 'first question' by giving his new Daleks a lobotomy and wiping their memory cores of the Doctor.

All in all a fun episode that seem to have a couple of nits that are being picked at by Whovians familiar with the Dalek back-story.

The best Dalek episode since Season 1

[gridoon2024 · 8/10 · 11 April 2015]

The Daleks, the Doctor's most iconic enemies, had grown a bit rusty by the year 2012 ("Victory Of The Daleks" and "Daleks In Manhattan" being among the weakest episodes of their respective seasons), but "Asylum Of The Daleks" shows that there is still some life in the old metal. This is one of the most cinematic episodes (directed by the same man who made the superb "Girl Who Waited"); the introductory sequences, one on planet Skaro and one inside the Parliament of the Daleks, are visually stunning, and there are some extra-creepy scenes as well, like the attack of the reanimated-skeletons-Dalek-puppets, or the scene where Rory is in a room full of dormant Daleks who are slowly starting to wake up. There is also one of the most epic moments of the series, when Rory asks "Who killed all the Daleks?" and the Doctor responds "Who do you think?". Series newcomer Jenna Coleman makes an impressive debut, and the final twist is somewhat illogical but still effective. *** out of 4.

The Ice Box Effect

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 13 September 2012]

I could say I was really looking forward to the seventh season of NuWho but that would make me a liar . For many people the first of September 2012 was a date much anticipated as the start of a new series of DOCTOR WHO . . I spent that date wasting money on drinks with a bar girl in Pokhara . Nevertheless I did take some interest in what was happening back in the UK and emailed my friend Ange asking her what she thought of the new series of the Steven Moffat produced children's show masquerading as DOCTOR WHO . Ange shared my opinion that DOCTOR WHO is a children's show but that the opening episode Asylum Of The Daleks is a total belter . Having just watched the episode I do agree that it has a dramatic impact . Alas however as I type this the flaws are becoming more and more obvious

It was Alfred Hitchcock who used the expression " The ice box effect " . By this he meant that you watch and are compelled by a movie then when you go to the refrigerator , get a beer , open the can you're struck by how the plot falls apart when you give it any analytical thought . Asylum is a very good example of this

Lets ignore the illogical continuity like the parliament of the Daleks, after all why should metallic fascists need a parliament since parliaments are the foundation stones of all democracies . Likewise why have an asylum in the first place since Daleks are quick enough to exterminate any type of dissident Dalek as seen in stories like Planet Of The Daleks . In other words if neither the parliament or the asylum existed then we wouldn't have a story so as I said ignore these two concepts . What you can't ignore is how much of the plotting remains unexplained . What is the point of the plot in the first place ? Daleks can destroy whole planets as seen in both classic and NuWho so why'd they need the Doctor to do their dirty work ? Because if they didn't there wouldn't be a story ? Why do the asylum Daleks set a trap for the Doctor if they're not expecting him ? Because if they didn't there wouldn't be a story . Why does a character not realise they're a Dalek ? Because if they did there wouldn't .... Can you see where this is heading . Contrived writing disguised as mind blowing clever cerebral writing but not clever enough I'm afraid even though it is miles better than most of the stuff that's been served up to us in the last couple of years since RTD left

There might be a clever plot twist involving the new companion Oswin but I'm afraid this will be leading to more timey wimey nonsense from Moffat at a later date . Worse she speaks exactly like every generic female Moffat has created all the way back to PRESS GANG . I take it Moffat has been wasting his life writing not very good scripts instead of going out meeting girls . If you're reading this Steven please buy buy two plane tickets to Nepal so I can show what a real woman sounds like

Best Moffat episode in a long time!

[kingkass · 9/10 · 12 October 2018]

This episode works really well in my opinion. I am not so sure on every new thing added but I think overall it works really well. The doctor travelling through an insane asylum of Daleks, companions trying to stop themselves forming into Daleks by remembering the love they lost for each other, and finding someone who you were trying to save and realising they are a dalek? It all works so well.

The only problem I have is with Amy and Rory. Yes the reason for their split makes sense but it's all so self contained in this episode. None of this has ever been foreshadowed and comes across as exposition of character. Rory always wanted kids? Why don't we know this already? This is further proof that Moffat can't write characters long term. So I'm guessing this issue will never ever be brought up again, just like every Rory and Amy issue. They are just terribly written characters. Although I have to admit the acting and dialogue still make it mostly work for this one episode. But I probably works better as a standalone than in a series. So yeah... Overall great episode.

Can we have new ideas ???

[sassenachaline · 4/10 · 4 September 2012]

*SPOILERS*

Since the reborn of Doctor Who, we have seen the Daleks in every series, making them less and less terrifying (we even had a "funny" cameo in the series 7!). "Asylum of the Daleks" is a good example of how the Daleks are boring now.

The episode start with Amy and Rory getting divorce and as the same moment being abducted by the Daleks. Good timing isn't it ! We all wonder what's going to happen, especially when there's no reason at all to abduct them ! So we have Rory and Amy in a similar story as ... well almost every story they've been in : a "heartbreaking" love story including Rory death or Amy amnesia. This time, Moffat couldn't choose between the two options, so we have Rory ALMOST being killed and Amy ALMOST having amnesia. If Moffat has no idea of what to do with two characters played wonderfully by two great actors, he should stop writing stories.

Here, the Daleks couldn't even frightened a kid of 5 years old and we have hundreds of them in the episode. There are here to ask "help" from the Doctor. Yes, that's not logical, but it's written by Steven Moffat after all ! The rest of the episode is old ideas from Moffat, just change a little for the audience to think it's genius. Here we have nanocloud that turn people into some sort for daleks. That's totally different from nanogene that turn people in ... something weird. We have skeletons wearing white clothes who want to kill the Doctor and his companions, exactly like in "Forest of the dead". We have a girl who can control anything from some kind of appartement but she doesn't know she's a dalek. In "Forest of the dead" we have a young girl who can control anything in the library from her house but she doesn't know she's a robot. The "big" revelation that the girl is in fact a dalek, we can so easily see it coming. And what to say about the fact that the voice of the girl was normal until we can see it's a dalek : a plot hole.

There is also stupid things like The Doctor using his screwdriver to see if a crew of skeletons is dead ?!?! The Doctor who stay pridely in front of hundreds of Daleks thinking that they're gonna kill him, but in the end, he's scared to death in front of 6 or 7 daleks ?!?!? The Doctor saying to Amy that scared isn't Dalek after saying that they were scared of him ?!?! The Daleks that don't want to destroy the inmates Daleks and detroy them with the entire planet in the end ?!?! My favorite one is the shield around the planet to keep the inmates daleks that can only be control FROM the planet?!?!

To sum up, this episode is exactly what Steven Moffat use to give the audience : an illogical story with plot holes that he fills with explosions and great lines. The actors are good, the direction is good, it's great visually. But there's nothing new, nothing really interesting. At least, we didn't see weeping angels, it will be later in the series for sure !

Good, but...

[laura-bonaventura1 · 8/10 · 25 April 2014]

8/10 for just one thing: I love the Daleks, you guys can get tired of them, as much as you like, I never will. But why a parliament? They are basically an army of killers in a metallic suit, they EX-TER-MI-NA-TE every inferior species (except for the Doctor, 'cause they're also the kings of procrastination), I can accept everything from them, not a parliament. Too much Star Wars in here! Besides this huge mistake it wasn't a bad episode, the Rory-Amy moments were sweet, but not pathetic. Oswin Oswald story is kinda interesting, I know she's gonna be the Doctor's companion Clara so I'm afraid Moffat has in mind a boring, non-sense, paradoxical plot for her, as he did for River Song. I'll see. It's a good start for the season, I'm genuinely convinced it's hard to get worse after season 5 and 6, hopefully I'm not wrong.

Good, but confusing

[hillhousehannah · 9/10 · 3 September 2012]

Generally loved this episode, as it delivers everything you want in a season premiere; risk of life, the possible end of everything, a tonne of Daleks and a sneaky plot twist that sets things up to be VERY interesting for the rest of the series.

The only thing that is puzzling me is Jenna-Louise Coleman. Playing the central new character in this episode, I can't recollect her name, but I am pretty damn sure it wasn't "Clara" ("Oswin" or something like it) - yet checking her out on IMDb shows no mention of her or her character name in this episode. It shows her only as appearing in a few episodes' time as this new companion girl. If this is the case, why on earth didn't they get a different actress for this episode?! OK, so Karen Gillan may have made a cameo appearance as a background character long before she reappeared as Amy Pond, but that was in make-up, in a role where few would notice - but playing two very different, very central characters in the same series is surely a bit of a no-no? Unless she turns out to be her own twin or something.

Odd.

I am going to take out a loan...

[krasnegar · 8/10 · 2 September 2012]

...drive down to New Orleans to the passport office (where i can get a passport in two or three days), buy a ticket to London (or maybe Cardiff), find Steven Moffat,,, And slap him upside the head.

I forgot that the new Dr Who season started last night - but i had set the DVR.

I just watched it.

I think this one qualifies as a shaggy K9 story.

Now, there's more than a little pathos, particularly concerning the central non-TARDIS-related character, and the situation Rory and Amy are in at the beginning of the episode, and it's pretty good pathos.

But the punchline...

ARRRGGGHHHH!

Still confusing, but I like it.

[AleksandrBelenko · 8/10 · 5 September 2019]

This opening is more understandable then the finale, but still somewhat messy. I like it, I admit. Amy is so sexy wearing this dark make up. Still feels as a fairytale, but darker then before. Overall enjoyable. But why Oswin is played by the same actress as a future companion Clara......

Thrilling trip to Dalek Asylum

[martmare · 8/10 · 1 September 2021]

This is really great Dalek episode one of my favourites. Matt Smith is awesome as always. Plot is very good and there is great Dalek scenes, explosions and Daleks from different eras even Special weapons Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks. It has first appearance of Jenna Coleman and she is so excellent in this.

Rating 8/10.

Eh....yeah it's....good

[warlordartos · 8/10 · 7 April 2021]

It was a good episode but the problem is that the Daleks weren't scary at all, in fact they were bland and boring. Fortunately this picked up later on with Rory and the Daleks which was fairly decent. The only time I saw the Daleks as even a slight threat though was when they were going after the Doctor towards the end.

The only reason I'm giving this a 8/10 is that the acting and directing is very good and I mean VERY good. And to people saying the Daleks have been in every season of New Who. You guys just watched season 6 and they were not in that season at all. It's kinda sad that you don't remember that.

A Decent but Flawed Opener

[georgesepiclife · 7/10 · 6 November 2015]

"Asylum of the Daleks" is one of the better episodes of NuWho because it takes itself seriously and it was generally entertaining. However there are still many problems.

First of all, there are plot-holes everywhere. The idea of a Dalek asylum is stupid and goes against many previous episodes of the series, especially from 'Classic Who'. The Daleks are no longer scary at all, and somehow seeing so many of them in "Asylum of the Daleks" makes them look even more retarded. Remember how scary that one Dalek was in "Dalek" way back in the first series of the revived show? Well, "Asylum of the Daleks" is basically the opposite of that.

As mentioned, plot-holes aside, the main plot in "Asylum of the Daleks"is entertaining. However the female character Oswin is one of the worst written female characters so far. Once again, Moffat has failed to write a female character properly. I have never met a female who spoke in the way Oswin did.

The side-plot of the relationship problems between Rory and Amy were also hard to listen to. Doctor Who is supposed to be a serious family show, not a dating simulator. Thank goodness their arguments and Oswin's dialogue didn't take up too much of "Asylum of the Daleks", as I found everything else generally entertaining and engaging enough. Certainly better than a lot of previous episodes.

Asylum of the Daleks

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 11 April 2021]

This was a true classic episode in my mind, the first appearance of Clara or should I say Oswin and one very good trek through Dalek insanity in order to rescue her. And what's more the Doctor is erased from the memory of the Dalek's leaving them all shouting the same thing, in one brilliant scene at the end. Doctor Who? Doctor Who? DOCTOR WHO?

Asylum for the criminally illogical.

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 5/10 · 5 February 2019]

This opens Series 7 with another quite epic Steven Moffatt story. We do not just get the Daleks but the Parliament of the Daleks, the Asylum of the Daleks on Skaro, the Prime Minister of the Daleks, a number of different Dalek designs (including the dodgy Paradigm Daleks) plus a new Dalek idea where humans are converted into Daleks by nano technology. A lot of this adds exciting ingredients and is interesting. However, for my taste, it falls well short of its potential due to Moffatt's insistence on ignoring logic (not for the first time).

We are shown Amy and Rory at the point of signing divorce papers. Given all they have been through, the revelation that this basically boils down to a failure to communicate about their feelings is a bit unconvincing to me but it is the Dalek plot which then ensues that causes me real grumbles. At least the Rory and Amy drama brings some emotional scenes which I liked. (It does make me wonder why some anti-RTD fans accuse RTD era of being "too soap opera" given that Moffatt had things like these Amy and Rory relationship dramas and especially the Clara and Danny relationship stuff in Series 8.)

The whole Dalek plot sadly is unconvincing to me to be honest: The Doctor, Amy and Rory are taken prisoner by the Daleks who inexplicably can achieve this easily. If Daleks can locate Amy and Rory and transport them so easily and get a message to the Doctor to lure him to successfully capture why did they not do this before or since to just kill them?

Instead of killing their most feared enemy, the Daleks choose to send him and his companions on a mission on their behalf. The Daleks have him at their mercy with nothing to lose and they supposedly think they 'need' him for a mission because they are 'scared' to go into the Dalek asylum themselves! Sorry but that makes no sense to me. Daleks are frequently shown to sacrifice themselves or send other Daleks on deadly missions. They exist to prolong Dalek supremacy not to preserve their individual lives. Any Daleks ordered to go would go.

Also Daleks kill each other in other stories for failure or defects so the idea they kept deranged Daleks alive due to their "beautiful hatred" is a stretch to believe.

Why would the Daleks choose Skaro for the asylum? Hasn't Skaro been destroyed at least twice by this time anyway?

Why would the Daleks have no way of closing down the forcefield? Wouldn't they have a control centre run by 'guards' or some way of shutting the forcefield from space?

As they can beam the Doctor down through a 'gravity tunnel' why can they not send a bomb down or fire a laser that penetrates the shield instead of the bizarre plan of sending their enemy?!

If Oswin is actually a Dalek why does the voice over the communicator sound like the original Oswin and where does the music come from?

There are positives though: All the actors perform well. Karen Gillan is on top form with a couple of really good scenes. Arthur Darvill and Matt Smith are great as usual. Jenna Coleman makes a great debut creating a strong, fun and intelligent character.

The skeletons are creepy, the Daleks are really good and there is some good action and drama.

It is a fun episode if you overlook the lack of logic but in my opinion the plot is one of Moffatt's contrived messy misfires sadly.

My Rating: 4.5/10.

Remove the Daleks and this episode may be OK!

[Robinson2511 · 4/10 · 23 December 2014]

Oh Dear, how can people call this the best episode in any way, it's not the best Steven Moffat episode, it's not the best Dalek episode, it's not even the best season opener, this is an abysmal attempt at creating a tense, action packed story that falls on it's face in the first 10-seconds, when the Doctor visits Skaro, the daleks' home planet, you know, the one he destroyed in Remembrance of the Daleks, whoops, but the biggest problem here is the Daleks, if you were to take them out of this story and replace them with any other powerful enemy, like the Cybermen for example, then you would have the exact same story. But no, the big thing about the daleks in this story is that every dalek in the BBC storerooms is being put into this episode, apparently, I barely saw any old series daleks at all, and just mentioning that a new series dalek once fought the Doctor on Spiridon, or Exxilon, is not satisfying, I wanted to see some old series designs, not to mention the story makes absolutely no scene. The Daleks tell the Doctor to go into the Asylum to switch off the forcefield, because it can apparently only be turned off from the inside, yeah let me think about that for a sec, not to mention that the President of the Daleks claims that Daleks must not destroy each other as they find that offensive, rubbish, just look at Destiny of the Daleks, Resurrection of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks, Remembrance of the Daleks, Evolution of the Daleks, Victory of the Daleks, and while this also shows the amount of imagination that goes into the titles of Daleks stories, if you watch any of these episodes, you'll see that this line is absolute Pony. But still the direction is very atmospheric, the acting is superb, the music is tense and the whole episode runs very smoothly, just a shame about Moffat's terrible script! Not the worst Moffat story, it's certainly better than Let's Kill Hitler, but still one of the worst!

Weak Story, Full Of Plot Holes.

[sair-feather · 1/10 · 1 May 2013]

This story doesn't just have plot holes it has a gigantic plot chasm which threatens to swallow the characters whole.

The basic plot concerns a Parliament of frightened Daleks who ask the Doctor to switch on a forcefield located inside the Dalek asylum. Straight away we have a plot hole, why is there a Dalek parliament and a Prime Minister, since when did the Daleks care about democracy,they are fascists and are convinced they are the Master Race. Why is the forcefield switch on the asylum and not on the main Dalek spaceship where they can easily reach it? Who knows,because these questions are never answered.

We are also introduced to Oswin, a super hacker who can hack the "Dalek hive mind". They've never had a hive mind before,but for this story they do. Oswin helps the Doctor and companions,the Ponds,and is also annoying and overly familiar with them,giving them nicknames based on their looks. There is also a sub-plot about Amy and Rory getting divorced,this is so contrived it's not even worth talking about and has no bearing on any subsequent episodes.

Things get resolved in the usual convoluted Moffat way with super hacker,Oswin, deleting the Doctor from the Dalek database so they forget who he is. SPOILER ALERT Oswin turns out not to be a genius super hacker girl, but a girl who was converted into a Dalek,which goes someway to explain how she knew so much about Dalek technology. The Daleks,now unaware of the Doctor,find they have a stranger and his pals aboard their ship. Normally they would just shoot them, instead they all start shouting "DOC-TOR WHO!!DOC-TOR WHO" at which point the Doctor leaves with the Ponds.

In conclusion not very much happens,the Doctor bumbles about like a senile hipster,even using his Sonic Screw Driver to check if a skeleton in a spacesuit is dead.Yes really. :(

If people want to watch something pretty and shiny with aliens in it they might enjoy this episode. Fans of the show are more likely to be baffled or annoyed by it since it's more like amateur fanfic than a professionally written script.

Why

[naamahml · 1/10 · 20 June 2021]

This episode made me go full on Dalek Caan. I cant stop internally screaming because of how incredibly idiotic and filled with real obvious plot holes this episode is.