In the second episode of eighth season of Doctor Who, Clara (Jenna Coleman) and the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) go into a "good" Dalek. This episode also features the introduction of Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), a new character who works with Clara at Coal Hill Secondary School. The episode presents many questions about morals and what it really means to be "good."
The Daleks are one of the Doctor's oldest enemies. To the Doctor, the Daleks represent pure evil and hatred. Historically, Daleks try to kill all other life forms. They believe that the Dalek race is superior and their goal is to exterminate everyone else.
The episode opens with a group of human soldiers fighting against the Daleks. The Doctor saves a soldier named Journey Blue after the Daleks destroy her ship. When he takes her back to the command ship, the Doctor finds out they have a Dalek prisoner who has turned good.
However, the consideration of "good" is very loosely applied. This Dalek, unlike the others, doesn't want to destroy humanity and most of the universe. Instead, it wants to wipe out the other Daleks. So its desire to destroy is still there--it has just shifted. Using a shrinking machine on the human's ship, the Doctor, Clara, Journey Blue, and two other soldiers go inside the Dalek to find out what happened to change the Dalek's morality. While trying to find the answer, the morality of the Doctor also comes into question, as it has throughout the history of the show.
Before the Dalek leaves to rejoin his race, the Dalek and the Doctor discuss the differences between the Daleks and the Doctor. That conversation echoed an episode with a similar theme from the first season of the Doctor Who reboot.
In the episode called "Dalek," a different Dalek tells the Ninth Doctor (Chris Eccleston) that they are the same in their hatred of one another. In much of the "Dalek" episode, the Doctor struggles with what is right and good, as well as trying to be a good man. In "Into the Dalek," the Doctor faces similar dilemmas.
This episode shows more of the Twelfth Doctor's personality. For example, within the first ten minutes inside the Dalek, the Doctor unapologetically sacrifices one of the soldiers to save the rest of them. While the Doctor has never been a fan of war, the Twelfth Doctor seems particularly inclined against anyone involved in fighting. Throughout the episode he makes rude remarks to every soldier he meets. He also rejects and criticizes Journey Blue continuously about her decision to be a soldier.
Through Journey Blue and Danny Pink, the show introduces the concept of "moral soldiers." While both characters have killed people in the line of duty, they both value human life, sometimes seemingly, more than the Doctor does. I assume this idea will be a recurring theme throughout the season. This will especially be prevalent as Danny Pink, who is an ex-soldier, joins the Doctor and Clara. I'm excited to see more of Danny throughout the rest of the season.
I liked this entire episode, but Danny Pink's scenes were my favorite. I think his character is brilliant I also love his social awkwardness, particularly around Clara. He obviously likes her and his inability to construct a coherent sentence when she is around is very sweet. He will be a great foil for the Doctor. From this one episode, it is obvious that something happened when Danny was a soldier--something for which he feels a lot of sorrow and guilt. I am very excited to see his back story and character develop in future episodes.
More new characters continue to come into the show and the relationship between Clara and the new Doctor continues to develop. Overall, I think the newest season of Doctor Who is off to a good start.
The Daleks are one of the Doctor's oldest enemies. To the Doctor, the Daleks represent pure evil and hatred. Historically, Daleks try to kill all other life forms. They believe that the Dalek race is superior and their goal is to exterminate everyone else.
The episode opens with a group of human soldiers fighting against the Daleks. The Doctor saves a soldier named Journey Blue after the Daleks destroy her ship. When he takes her back to the command ship, the Doctor finds out they have a Dalek prisoner who has turned good.
However, the consideration of "good" is very loosely applied. This Dalek, unlike the others, doesn't want to destroy humanity and most of the universe. Instead, it wants to wipe out the other Daleks. So its desire to destroy is still there--it has just shifted. Using a shrinking machine on the human's ship, the Doctor, Clara, Journey Blue, and two other soldiers go inside the Dalek to find out what happened to change the Dalek's morality. While trying to find the answer, the morality of the Doctor also comes into question, as it has throughout the history of the show.
Before the Dalek leaves to rejoin his race, the Dalek and the Doctor discuss the differences between the Daleks and the Doctor. That conversation echoed an episode with a similar theme from the first season of the Doctor Who reboot.
In the episode called "Dalek," a different Dalek tells the Ninth Doctor (Chris Eccleston) that they are the same in their hatred of one another. In much of the "Dalek" episode, the Doctor struggles with what is right and good, as well as trying to be a good man. In "Into the Dalek," the Doctor faces similar dilemmas.
This episode shows more of the Twelfth Doctor's personality. For example, within the first ten minutes inside the Dalek, the Doctor unapologetically sacrifices one of the soldiers to save the rest of them. While the Doctor has never been a fan of war, the Twelfth Doctor seems particularly inclined against anyone involved in fighting. Throughout the episode he makes rude remarks to every soldier he meets. He also rejects and criticizes Journey Blue continuously about her decision to be a soldier.
Through Journey Blue and Danny Pink, the show introduces the concept of "moral soldiers." While both characters have killed people in the line of duty, they both value human life, sometimes seemingly, more than the Doctor does. I assume this idea will be a recurring theme throughout the season. This will especially be prevalent as Danny Pink, who is an ex-soldier, joins the Doctor and Clara. I'm excited to see more of Danny throughout the rest of the season.
I liked this entire episode, but Danny Pink's scenes were my favorite. I think his character is brilliant I also love his social awkwardness, particularly around Clara. He obviously likes her and his inability to construct a coherent sentence when she is around is very sweet. He will be a great foil for the Doctor. From this one episode, it is obvious that something happened when Danny was a soldier--something for which he feels a lot of sorrow and guilt. I am very excited to see his back story and character develop in future episodes.
More new characters continue to come into the show and the relationship between Clara and the new Doctor continues to develop. Overall, I think the newest season of Doctor Who is off to a good start.
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