Daleks in Manhattan

1930's Manhatten is great and stunning to look at. I think whilst this is a solid episode not all of it gells together. Like the Human Dalek element is a good idea but it's very underdeveloped that it doesn't fit with the episode. And the Pig slaves while a decent idea, it doesn't make much sense. Because, Daleks would kill anyone in there path. I do quite like the ideas though, and the setting is great. An idea that does work is the homeless people of New York, there's a slight joke about the tallest building being build and others in Manhatten feeling desperate and starving for Food and anything. This concept works well, and I feel they were integrated into the story nicely. As the struggles of Poverty is important and was in those times, and perhaps more so. But It'll be a problem for many generations either way. The Kult of Skaro are also back. And they do seem as scary as they were the last time. They try and make a different breed of Dalek, in the human way. And then the ending is very intense and well pieced together to make an exciting, if slightly flawed first part.

An underapprichated episode. Has some good elements that although lack any depth are interesting themes to have been explored. Daleks building the tallest tower, with slaves around them, men being forced to work many painful hours. With distressed homeless people not living far from the construction sight the Daleks are working at.

The Start,

Start is very good in some respects. The musical score is different, and it's performed well, by Tallulah herself. Her boyfriend leaves her to get ready for the musical score she is about to perform. He then hears a strange noise, curiosity gets the better of him, he's then taken by the Daleks slaves, and is now reported missing. The start has alot going on, and is an interesting starting point as we are getting to know these characters and there traits. Missing people around the area, with also homeless people is an interesting choice, and it pays of. We get this sense of danger around them as they aren't far from the proximity of the people that weirdly disappear.

The performances,

David Tennant is incredible. When he finds the Brain of a dalek, he doesn't know what it is at first. But then the realisation kicks in. This has some great build up and creates disbelief as the Doctor is just as shocked as the audience. He shows fear and anger whilst rage added into the blender of emotions. This is good part of the story, as the Doctor has many different emotions and David Tennant is portraying these so well, with his brilliant acting skills.

Where this episode full short is the over the top acting, along side the Overused Daleks. Who also get sidelined in there own story as we have there minions or slaves, with them. They don't get any depth. We also don't know there motivations for being there or how they got there. Them seem to be just there.

The Ending,

Everyone thats held hostage and including the Doctor are all there witnessing a human in Dalek form. This is interesting and a unique story as it's completely different from other Doctor who stories that feature the Daleks.

The trailer also for Part 2 is crazy good. Action Packed, emotional ride, complex plot and themes makes for a fun story.

Verdict, Very underatted 7.5/10.

I've always preferred the two-part stories of the noughties "Doctor Who" series. There's more time to breath life into the script, more character development and a less hurried feel to the proceedings. Dare I say it? There is more of a mature "classic" feel to these episodes. "Daleks in Manhattan" is strong on a number of fronts. It avoids the silliness that occasionally creeps into the new stories from time to time, it has a genuinely dark and sinister edge to the tale, a convincing '30s atmosphere and some great performances. On top of this, Helen Raynor's script is excellent.

The Daleks are always a superb villain and they fit the '30s New York setting unexpectedly well. The moment a Dalek glides from an Art Deco lift in The Empire State Building, flanked by pig-men slaves, is unforgettable.

While the episode is mainly a scene setter for the second part, this is a fine viewing experience. New life is being breathed into Dalek mythology and the Cult of Skaro is proving to be an inspired creation. I'm pleased that the Daleks now seem to be a permanent feature of each season. There is clearly a lot of new ground to cover with these metallic dictators and they're not outstaying their welcome.

The cliffhanger is excellent but lacks surprise thanks to the week's "Radio Times" cover!

I genuinely can't wait to see the resolution to this tale.

9 out of 10.

Since its revival, Doctor Who has had some incredibly strange story lines. The ones that you simply cannot figure out where they're going, and how, when presented with a certain situation, it's going to resolve itself. I think so far, season one's The Empty Child ranked as the biggest case in point. However, Daleks in Manhattan has completely blown that away in terms of its sheer unpredictability. Even after the trailer for next weeks second part, Evolution of the Daleks, I have absolutely no idea how it's going to turn out.

The beauty of this revived series is that it's got stupid comedy, all-out scary and deeply emotional rolled into one. Not always all three in the same episode, mind you. And some episodes are designed to be just one - last years Love and Monsters springs to mind in the comedy stakes - in this case, this episode, and I expect next weeks conclusion, follow the road of last years The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit double header in being intensely dark and deeply sinister.

Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful episode, and everything slots together perfectly. The four remaining Daleks somehow seem perfectly in place in 1930's New York, Helen Raynor's script is absolutely brilliant, and the Daleks pigmen slaves are somehow genuinely disturbing.

This new season seems to have made a habit of really rolling out the guest stars, and after Andree "Hollyoaks" Bernard's and the delightful Christina "Hex" Cole's unexpected showings in The Shakespeare Code, and then Ardal "Father Ted" O'Hanlon and Lenora "Sugar Rush" Crichlow's appearances in Gridlock, this episode rolls out no less than three of the best TV actors in England. This time we get the fantastic Hugh "Holby City" Quarshie, Andrew "last seen being dumped by a lesbian in Sugar Rush" Garfield, and Miranda "Spooks" Raison, and all of them excel in their roles (although I do have one small gripe - how does a black man get any sort of respect in 30s New York, one of the most racist periods in history?).

All of this adds up to one thing - this series is shaping up to be the best yet.

There's a common myth that DOCTOR WHO is " The show with the Daleks in it " . Yes the show did feature Daleks from 1963-1989 but Daleks aren't the be all and end all of the programme . In fact when you think about it the most highly regarded seasons among fans , five ( 1968 ) seven ( 1970 ) , thirteen (1975-76 ) and fourteen ( 1976-77 ) haven't featured any Dalek stories at all . The reverse is also true with stories such as The Chase , Death To The Daleks and Destiny Of The Daleks held in very low regard by the fans . It's somewhat annoying when producers bring back the Daleks for the sake of it and this certainly applies to this story .

It's not just the return of the Daleks that's so underdeveloped -it's the entire script which has a lack of thought . In fact there's something painfully inconsistent with every scene . For example Soloman ( This week's token black character )talks about his time in The Great War and the need for sticking together but seeing as the American army was segregated until 1947 would such a character be aware of a need to be sticking together ? It'd be more logical and credible if he was bitter and anti assimilation . In an early scene he takes back a loaf of bread that'd been stolen and breaks it in half and gives half of it to the rightful owner and the thief . Is that moral ? I guess because his name is Soloman there's a biblical reference there somewhere but again there's a lack of credibility , same as it's pushed down the viewers throat of how hungry and poverty stricken the people are in Central Park then when they'r offered a chance of work most of these unemployed , hungry and poverty stricken people turn it down

You also have to ask yourself why is it the Daleks have decided to locate to New York in 1930 ? Despite the poverty caused by the Wall Steet crash America was still a capitalist democracy with a free press and where people were allowed to ask questions . Wouldn't the Daleks have been better off in Hitler's Germany or Stalin's Soviet Union ? Indeed with the dubious success of Stalin's five year plans it would be far more logical to have set the story there and have the character of Diagoras as a high ranking commissar who doesn't tolerate dissent , but I guess Daleks In The Gulag doesn't have the same ring to it

Director James Strong does his very best with the weak material , but there's a fly in the ointment and that is the " Noo Yoirk accents " . They are absolutely terrible and a great distraction . Likewise much of the dialogue such as " Laszlo was da smartest guy oi ever dated " . Strong does however make sewers look like sewers which is not often the case in the history of the show ( Attack Of The Cybermen being an example ) and he does pace the impact aesthetic of the cliffhanger very well . It's just a pity that the Radio Times gave away the episode ending with a front page photo