Asylum of the Daleks

[ritchards]

If you think that's bad, think of why Amy and Rory (and River) didn't attack the Silence even though they should have been the broadcast of the moon landing by that point and would already have been instructed to kill them. (But it hadn't been changed by that point.)

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Of course, none of the Daleks threatening the Doctor at Oswin's door had blasters, so what was there to be scared of? That bugged me rather a lot.

Could have had his face suckered off, and all his knowledge stolen. He seems to not want that. And it's not like a bunch of angry Daleks couldn't find a way to kill him. Maybe they could just run him over, like a cat in a vacuum, or something.

Spoiler: snippage

This not only creates a completely new dynamic for the show (which is good, because it was getting a wee bit stale), but also setting up the unfortunate "Doctor who?" line at the end of the episode. Yeah, it echoes the end of The Wedding of River Song (2011) in which "Doctor who?" is revealed as "The first question. The question that must never be answered. The question that" the Doctor has been running from his entire life ... but it's dumb. Yeah, it's a play on the show's title, har, har. It was stupid last season and it's stupid now. I hope they drop that particular shtick soon.

Firstly, while it got milked a bit at the end of the episode, the idea of a series based around the idea of "Doctor Who?" has a lot of promise. Since Moff took over one of the underlying currents of the show has been what is The Doctor really like if you strip away the rose-tinted glasses the people of Earth have for him because he likes us. So far we've had:

A Goblin, a Trickster, a Warrior. A nameless terrible thing soaked in the blood of a billion galaxeys. The most feared being in all the cosmos. Nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tare down your world.

A man who can turn around an army at the very mention of his name. Doctor. The word for healer, wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, but if you carry on the way you are, what could that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests the word Doctor means Mighty Warrior.

An ancient creature drenched in the blood of the innocent. Drifting in space through an endless shifting maze. To such a creature, death would be a gift.

In this episode we find out the Doctor doesn't keep his name among the Daleks, but instead is known as "The Predator". I wouldn't be surprised if this is the running theme throughout this series, meeting different species who all have their own name for him either from previous meetings or legend. I would also dovetail nicely into a multi-doctor episode for the 50th anniversary as a case of "We've shown you how other species see the Doctor, now how does he see himself?"

On other areas of the episode, I didn't see the twist coming, but thats due to me never looking particularly hard because in my opinion that just spoils all the fun. I'd be surprised if Oswin and the new companion arn't related in some way. This is partly due to the fact all the fans and press who saw screeners were asked to not mention who was playing Oswin until after it had aired as they wanted to keep it a secret, and partly due to Moffett being someone who plans ahead to a surprising degree.

That's a really interesting idea. The Oncoming Storm meets himself, and sees what he himself is like. A man (Timelord, yes I know) who would rather die than kill comes face to face with himself years later freely committing genocide. Could even touch on the Mickey/Rory perception, of him being someone that manipulates people into doing what he wants (which is one of the worst kinds of people, anywhere else). Ten even admits as much to Wilfred Mott during the really awkward End of Time bit.

But the thing I love the most about this episode is the door it opens for the Doctor and the Daleks. His most hated enemy just forgets who he is? How fun is that?

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Maybe he could bring dalek Oswin onto the TARDIS by travelling to the asylum just before the Daleks blow it up, grab her and run. Thenmake her human again?

 

[gigastar]

Of course, none of the Daleks threatening the Doctor at Oswin's door had blasters, so what was there to be scared of? That bugged me rather a lot.

Im beginning to think that i really am the only one that remembers that Daleks can kill with thier plungers.

I mean, remember Daleks in Manhattan? They sucked a mans brains out as a form of interrogation.

They pose no threat to other Daleks, which is why they never bothered to remove them.

Ok, red Daleks I'll give you, but orange, blue and yellow? No. Sorry, but no.

According to Wikipeida, the colour represents military roles. White is the new Supreme, Red is soldier, Blue is a tactician, Orange a scientist.

And Yellow is Eternal. Last time i checked the writers dont know what that is even supposed to mean yet.

 

[ritchards]

Could have had his face suckered off, and all his knowledge stolen. He seems to not want that. And it's not like a bunch of angry Daleks couldn't find a way to kill him. Maybe they could just run him over, like a cat in a vacuum, or something.

Reminds me of another point. In Dalek and Doomsday, a time traveler touching the Dalek (or Dalek device) allowed them to regenerate themselves. I was half-expecting something similar to happen on the planet.

That's a really interesting idea. The Oncoming Storm meets himself, and sees what he himself is like.

Just what, or 'who', do you think the Doctor saw as his greatest nightmare in God Complex anyway?

 

[T'Generalissimo]

It was an OK episode, but the Amy-Rory relationship subplot felt completely pointless to me and it was another episode of the Daleks completely sucking and failing at everything they do. The only Dalek that's any good at anything is one who thinks she's a human.

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

I liked the Doctor's pure fear at being trapped against the Daleks. He may have beaten them at nearly every turn but they can still kill him when he is unprepared.

The part where he was backed up against the door screaming "Let me in! Let me in!" made me think of 2005's "Dalek" all over again.

This is a much bigger question that has been teased throughout the entire history of the show and I don't see being given a one line answer any time soon.

I've seen an interesting theory floating around on Reddit that says the 50th anniversary will conclude with Eleven's regeneration at Trenzalore, just after the question is asked. However, we won't get even a glimpse of Twelve. The writers will then leave the post-anniversary Series 8 a complete mystery until the premiere date. The Doctor, the companions, the stories, everything locked up tight, with the crew sworn to secrecy. Silence will essentially fall when the question is asked.

Therefore, the question of "Doctor who?" transcends from being a show-specific mystery to one of reality. We won't know who plays the Doctor next or how he'll end up answering the in-universe question. It would be one of the most suspenseful real-world moments of New Who history, if not the franchise in its entirety.

 

[Plinglebob]

I've seen an interesting theory floating around on Reddit that says the 50th anniversary will conclude with Eleven's regeneration at Trenzalore, just after the question is asked. However, we won't get even a glimpse of Twelve. The writers will then leave the post-anniversary Series 8 a complete mystery until the premiere date. The Doctor, the companions, the stories, everything locked up tight, with the crew sworn to secrecy. Silence will essentially fall when the question is asked.

Therefore, the question of "Doctor who?" transcends from being a show-specific mystery to one of reality. We won't know who plays the Doctor next or how he'll end up answering the in-universe question. It would be one of the most suspenseful real-world moments of New Who history, if not the franchise in its entirety.

While I prefer my idea for the 50th Anniversay (partly because seeing Paul Mcgann, Chris Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith all act off each other would make the TV explode with awesome-ness) that idea is awesome and I don't doubt that if they wanted to it could be pulled off.

 

[Karma168]

I've seen an interesting theory floating around on Reddit that says the 50th anniversary will conclude with Eleven's regeneration at Trenzalore, just after the question is asked. However, we won't get even a glimpse of Twelve. The writers will then leave the post-anniversary Series 8 a complete mystery until the premiere date. The Doctor, the companions, the stories, everything locked up tight, with the crew sworn to secrecy. Silence will essentially fall when the question is asked.

Therefore, the question of "Doctor who?" transcends from being a show-specific mystery to one of reality. We won't know who plays the Doctor next or how he'll end up answering the in-universe question. It would be one of the most suspenseful real-world moments of New Who history, if not the franchise in its entirety.

That sounds amazing. One of the problems (imo) with modern tv is we know half of what's going to happen before it airs; whether it's from the papers/internet or from those 'next time' bits at the end of the last episode. Just having no idea what's coming would be awesome, viewing numbers would be huge as everyone who has a passing interest in the show will be desperate to know what's new.

Unfortunately it'd never work, newspapers/bloggers would be desperate to crack the exclusive months in advance and would watch filming like a hawk to see who's on set the most.[footnote]this would be a great time for the female doctor idea that's always floating around, means nobody would suspect her of being the doctor[/footnote]

 

[nathan-dts]

Of course, none of the Daleks threatening the Doctor at Oswin's door had blasters, so what was there to be scared of? That bugged me rather a lot.

Their plungers are also deadly.

I disliked the information on The Doctor being erased; the great thing about The Doctor's relationship with the Daleks is that these things, feared throughout the universe, devoid of all positive emotions are scared of him. Retconning him out of their memory feels cheap.

 

[Tanis]

When they looked out of that strip, into space, I SWEAR I saw the same 'crack' that was in Amy's room!

Also:
Wasn't Sarco(sp?) BLOWN UP...like twice?

 

[bobmus]

Ok, red Daleks I'll give you, but orange, blue and yellow? No. Sorry, but no.

Go go Power Ranger Daleks!

OT:
The whole 'You must now destroy The Asylum because of reasons' felt really off to me, there didn't seem to be any real purpose behind it other than a plot device. What was their reason, that it was transmitting music or something? Surely they knew they'd imprisoned a Dalek who thought they were human down there anyway?

And the Daleks allow their human slaves to live now, like the one giving advice aboard the ship? Dunno, all felt a bit odd to me.

 

[Porygon-2000]

Dang I don't want to spoil anything so I'll be have to read this article and the comments in exactly twelve hours! One week Australia lag.

I should point out the episode is up early on iview. I watched it a few days ago, and thought it was rather good!

 

[saintdane05]

When they looked out of that strip, into space, I SWEAR I saw the same 'crack' that was in Amy's room!

Also:
Wasn't Sarco(sp?) BLOWN UP...like twice?

Skaro was, in fact, clearly destroyed in Remembrance of the Daleks by the Hand of Omega. According to Nicholas Briggs explaining its not-quite-total destruction, "It actually hit the Space Tescos next to Skaro by accident..." Of course, according to the Eighth Doctor Adventures, it wasn't actually the real Skaro we saw blown up...

 

[sky_rider19]

Had she met the Doctor before getting changed, and if so, why didn't she remember him?

This bugged me as well. There are two options:

1. She hadn't met him yet
2. She had met him before (but forgets due to what happened to her) but this is the first time he meets her (same as River Song in her first appearance)

Now 1 can't work because that messes the timeline and means there's nobody there's no reason to go to the asylum as it was Oswin that caused the problems that lead to the Doctor being kidnapped (and the whole thing seems like one of those 'fixed' events (like Pompeii))

2 seems like the better option but it is a bit crap if they are just going to rip off the intro of the most important character from the last series (and future ones).

God knows how they're going to hand-wave this into working.

Well, it should be known that the new companion's name is Clara, not necessarily Oswin.

 

[DalekJaas]

I think what we are all forgetting is that the SPECIAL WEAPONS DALEK showed up for a second, and that's awesome.

Spoiler

http://www.kasterborous.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/dw-sn25-rembrance-swd.jpg</

As for the episode itself, I really enjoyed it. It really felt like an old school episode, you know? Doctor gets roped into doing something, has to "fight" through a load of Daleks, then does. Simple.

It showed up for 3 (ish) seconds, as scenery. For all they hype they threw around about "every Dalek ever in one episode" they still defaulted to reboot gold and Moffat skittles. I was hoping for some classic design Daleks from long forgotten wars with the Doctor mixed with newer styles and a Special Weapon Dalek that actually moved and talked.

Reason I hated this episode, I thought its finally the 50th anniversary so we will have some real canon driven episodes. But no it was some nonsense about the Dalek parliament, with the same terrible SFX, and we saw 2 seconds of old school dalek. The whole episode should have been about the old school daleks with classic series references everywhere.

Typical terrible episode like all of the 11th Doctors series so far.

 

[Formica Archonis]

(Image.)

Bit dodgy there. McCoy was a chessmaster and to try depict him as lawful evil they had to take a quote out of context? There must be a hundred lines from the NAs that would fit better. (Of course, that would entail reading a considerable amount of dross just for quote hunting.)

It might be context-heavy, but his pithy "We all have a universe of our own terrors to face." never seemed very... honest... to me, as he said it after he tricked Ace into going back to Gabriel Chase without understanding precisely what she did there and why it scared her so damn much. Terrors to face, perhaps, but throwing someone into the deep end and waiting for results isn't how you teach someone to swim.

Yeah, I just used Ghost Light as an example for something; so sue me. Watched it a few months ago and it kind of shorted out everything I knew about the McCoy era.

 

[BloodyThor]

Is no one going to talk about how the hell did the doctor end up on skaro at the beginning of the show? I've read multiple reviews about this episode and some mention skaro but nothing else afterwards. SKARO WAS DESTROYED IN THE TIME WAR!!! therefore it is time locked, therefore the doctor cannot enter and land on skaro! i mean yes dalek khan did it but he lost his mind afterwards in the episodes when David Tennant was still the doctor (and the best one of them all in my opinion). So to any of the ancient whovians if you have an answer please tell me.

 

[Dr.Susse]

Dang I don't want to spoil anything so I'll be have to read this article and the comments in exactly twelve hours! One week Australia lag.

I should point out the episode is up early on iview. I watched it a few days ago, and thought it was rather good!

Daw!
I don't know how I missed that.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

With a clear understanding that they've both been very silly, Amy and Rory make up, hurrah,

This part drove me the most insane. Yeah, I can take a parliament of Daleks, I can go with an asylum filled with deranged Daleks and I can accept humans with Dalek eye stalks sticking out of their heads... what I can't believe is that a feud between Amy and Rory that caused near-divorce can simply be solved in a matter of minutes on an alien planet. What?