Doctor Who 1x06 "Dalek" rewatch-review

[arabian]

As I've stated elsewhere, once I finished season two of New Who, I was going to rewatch and review what I call my "Her Name was Rose" collection (click here for the full list of episodes).

Comments

[robshearman]

Thanks for the enthusiastic comments!

I do have answers to some (though not all...!) of your criticisms, but I think there's nothing uglier than a writer coming over all self-justifying. So instead I'll just be glad you liked the story overall. (I will just say though, because it's on record anyway, that I had nothing to do with the towns beginning with 'S' scene, and that was a late insert by Russell when the BBC got concerned I let Van Statten off the hook too easily. I'm not fond of the scene, but I can understand why they wanted it.)

[robshearman]

Do you know - I never thought to ask! I'm sure if I'd questioned it, he'd have let me set the story somewhere else, but from an office in grim 'n' rainy Cardiff, Utah seemed nice and exotic. I dare say Russell was keen to give as much of a global feel to the series as possible (even if all the Americans we saw had Welsh accents!), and to avoid the sort of criticism we used to get on Classic Who that the whole show was set in England.

I've never been to Utah, mind. I looked it up in the atlas, though. It seemed big. That impressed me. I'm easily impressed.

[arabian]

Utah, though? So not exotic, especially since we didn't even see it. The episode could have taken place anywhere as it was all underground, LOL!

dare say Russell was keen to give as much of a global feel to the series as possible, and to avoid the sort of criticism we used to get on Classic Who that the whole show was set in England.

But, but, but ... that's one of the joys of Who, that there's this Time Lord who can travel all over space and time, and not only does he keep coming back to Earth, but one specific country!

[prynne12]

But, but, but ... that's one of the joys of Who, that there's this Time Lord who can travel all over space and time, and not only does he keep coming back to Earth, but one specific country!

One wonders exactly how much it has to do with production costs...Phil Collinson's pained expressions in the Fires of Pompeii Confidential episode would seem to suggest the fiscal wisdom of remaining closer to home.

However, Utah can certainly be deemed exotic--after all, the Painted Desert is breathtaking, and indeed, the regular desert landscape itself is quite stunning--particularly at sunrise and sunset.

One could argue that the desert in Utah becomes a metaphor for Van Statten's inability to empathize or connect with anything other than his collection...;-p

[arabian]

Oh, it was definitely financial. Definitely. But that's the case with most tv shows and why they're set in one location. Any show that is supposed to travel, especially one that is supposed to travel all over time and space!??!, yeah, big fiscal concerns.

Sorry, I just don't think Utah is exotic. Beautiful, yes, but not exotic to me. I'd give New Orleans the only spot in the US, I'd deem exotic. Just my opinion. I dunno, maybe we just have different opinions on exotic, I grew up on a tropical island, after all, and I didn't find that exotic, LOL!

[prynne12]

That's absolutely fantastic! I love the idea of "Utah" seeming exotic--Cardiff seems exotic to me! I have to admit, I do like the idea of the series branching off and exploring different locations. After all, the TARDIS does theoretically travel through time and space and is not limited to the British Isles

Another theory on the hug

[linwick]

I'm sorry for joining this fascinating discussion so late, I'm way behind on my friends list.

I can't give an attribution for this, but I heard somewhere that the hug isn't really a hug. When the script included the dalek exploding, the Doctor shields Rose from the debris by wrapping himself around her. When the dalek imploded instead, the clip no longer made sense.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Re: Another theory on the hug

[arabian]

That theory makes sense based on what Shearman said in this thread, but he also flat-out said that it was cut because the Dalek didn't explode and thus it wouldn't make sense with the debris there. But none of his comments regarding the hug indicate at all that it was NOT a hug.

And don't apologize for joining in, the more the merrier. D)

[honorh]

I'd like to pop in at this point and say that quibbles aside (and I've got 'em with every episode, as does everybody else), "Dalek" is, as I stated above, by far my favorite one-shot of series one. In fact, I think it might be my favorite one-shot episode until "Blink" (darn Moffatt!). You made what I'd always thought of as a slightly comical nemesis, the Dalek (hey, I'm American and only knew DW by reputation until the new series), the scariest thing on TV. Thanks for stopping by to discuss it with us kids!

[robshearman]

Absolutely! Darn Moffat! (I say that whenever I see *any* of his episodes. He's just too... good!) The night that Dalek aired Steven and the gang came over to the house to watch the episode with me. (The writers all got on very well, so we always tried to support the others through the labour pains of first broadcast.) He brought over a copy of Empty Child for fun, and we all watched it later that evening. I was gobsmacked then just how wonderful it was.

That night, once all my guests had gone, my wife smiled and said how much she'd enjoyed that great episode of Doctor Who that night. I smiled and thanked her. She frowned for a moment, a bit puzzled, and then said, "No, not yours. That one with the gasmasks."

Darn Moffat.

[arabian]

Oh! Poor you. Yeah, I may issues with some characterizations that Moffat does, but he does do great story (and, I do concur, that whatever issues I do have with Moffat, "Blink" is absolutely brilliant!! One of my fave episodes ever). "That one with the gasmasks," is the episode I remembered the most when thinking back on S1 before I became hopelessly addicted to the show.

It's so nice to know that the writers hung out and supported each other, though. I'm sure that was what helps the continuity and overall arc of the episodes.

Semi-OT, but I love that your icon includes your cat (Nero, right? I read that in your profiel?) because I like to match icons, and this allows me to keep using the icon I have of one of my cats, Doyle. So every time I flit through this list, I see my kitty-cat. Yay!

[zenitt]

Thanks for my favourite episode. It was also the first. The story is superior in its portrayal of the Doctor.

I like how the story, acting and editing have the same edge. The only thing that buggers me regarding the flow is absolutely unessential - why the Doctor emerges from the lift not putting his jacket on (later I found out it was indeed in the shooting scripts, but didn't survive further).

Could you tell a bit more what were your thoughts initially about Van Statten's scanning device (f. ex. was it meant to cause pain, or that's just an agreeable by-product; could it be calibrated at all).

Thank you.

[robshearman]

I've honestly never noticed that about the jacket! It's strange - I haven't seen the episode very often (it makes me squirm), and when I do I'm usually doing a commentary for it at a convention. I sometimes think I should shut up and watch the thing, because I really don't know it as well as you might think.

The scanning device came in late in the day. Draft six, in fact! (See, that's the sort of drudgery I remember.) We'd lost the Daleks for a draft, so I had to write a script for a replacement monster. With the iconography of a big baddie gone, I realised I had to beef up the human villains a bit, so gave Van Statten a nasty bit of interrogation equipment, and a lot more attention to the idea he might want the Doctor as a collector's piece in his museum. Once it had been introduced, it stayed in subsequent drafts once the Dalek was back.

Besides, Julie Gardner asked if I could write a scene in which Chris took his shirt off. (This is true.)

[zenitt]

Thank you for the answers - all of them on this thread.

I said I was the only one who was bothered by the jacket... No worries:)

Doctor as a collector's piece in the museum - after Rose's words in the very beginning about him being Exhibit A, it doesn't seem like the upping of the evilness was additional. This scavenging motive runs strongly through the whole story.

Besides, Julie Gardner asked if I could write a scene in which Chris took his shirt off. (This is true.)

This is hilarious. And what was the explanation? Future of DW depended on that?

Besides now really understanding what a team effort the series is, I cannot help but wonder whose wishes had resulted in some of the decisions.

You wrote in another post about Eccleston's take on the Doctor's and dalek's scene. Did you and Chris have any conversations regarding the story or its certain elements?

[pluckyyounggirl]

Hi y'all, here through completely random serendipity (arabian - hope you don't mind me dropping in!). And I just wanted to say - this:

Besides, Julie Gardner asked if I could write a scene in which Chris took his shirt off. (This is true.)

Makes me love Julie Gardner even more. And I really didn't think that was possible.

(I'm so amused by this fact! Thanks for bringing the insight. On the other stuff, too. But insight on Shirtless Christopher Eccleston really is of the utmost importance.)

[arabian]

arabian - hope you don't mind me dropping in!

Not at all!! The more the merrier. I honestly love reading the different thoughts from fellow Who fans on my long and rambling reviews (and the comments that follow).

Besides, Julie Gardner asked if I could write a scene in which Chris took his shirt off. (This is true.)

Makes me love Julie Gardner even more. And I really didn't think that was possible.

Seriously. I didn't think it was possible, she may be an even bigger shipper than RTD, how can we not love her to bits? But this!? Oh, she just keeps taking the cake ... and in the best way possible.

(I'm so amused by this fact! Thanks for bringing the insight. On the other stuff, too. But insight on Shirtless Christopher Eccleston really is of the utmost importance.)

I love this info. Just fabulous. Oh, Shearman, if I didn't love you for "Dalek," I'd love you for this delightful info. Squee!!!