Evolution of the Daleks

Dalek Sec is far too clever for his own good as far as the other members of the Cult of Skaro (Jast, Thay & Caan) are concerned and he certainly is not what they had anticipated, but it gives the Doctor time to escape where...

He clambers aloft the Empire State, ripping off panels of Dalekanium plate, then harnessing gamma rays, off to where actors play, mutant forms start to congregate.

It's keep your fingers crossed time as two cunning plans play out in the theatre of dreams (or nightmares, depending on your perspective), please take your seats.

The Daleks have proved to be a bit of a nostalgic winner for the new Who but i'm thinking they may be on the verge of stretching it too far now after this ending. As with the other recent episodes featuring the Daleks, the Mill has for the most part done the series proud with excellent CG work. The big let down here was the very questionable prosthetic work on the Dalek/human hybrid which could have been so much more had it been a combination of prosthetics and CG – Davy Jones style. The Doctor Who Confidential series always see the production crew chattering about budget constraints so I guess that's the answer to that one. Perhaps had RTD not indulged his passion/obsession with pretty boys and got a Desperate Housewives stud muffin in for a five week filming schedule some extra cash may have been available for post production. I'm sure one more Brit actor giving it their best 'New Yoykar' accent would have made little difference to the overall effect. I love the Doctor Who franchise but fear that they will soon get very stale. If you could travel to any point and time in the universe – why would you always end up on earth – usually in Cardiff? If the budget is there to turn Wales into NYC – can't it turn it into another planet instead?

This is the second part of the 'Daleks in Manhattan' storyline, that didn't exactly get off to a great start.

This sadly isn't much better, and it's only a good performance as ever from David Tennant that holds it all together, but even then it's only just.

"Evolution of the Daleks." It's a title that will send chills down the spines of Dalek fans, conjuring up memories of previous classic stories including the masterpiece that is the "Genesis of the Daleks". So, a great title. But how does the actual episode stand up? Following a great opening with "Daleks in Manhattan", the conclusion of this two-parter is stirring stuff. There's a dark-as-night edge to events as the Daleks' plan starts to unfold. Never, in my opinion, have the metallic menaces been this deadly. As with "Dalek", we see The Doctor driven to the edge of madness by his anger at the creatures' inhumanity. The beauty of this tale is that there's a twist to the Daleks in the form of the human-Dalek hybrid, Sec. This is a superb touch of originality and one that will ensure this story ranks as a favourite in years to come.

The production values are through the roof, giving the episode a great sheen of quality. Despite the gloss, there's a genuine "classic" feel to the drama. Even when stripped of its magnificent visuals, "Evolution" remains a terrific tale, thanks to a very enjoyable script from Helen Raynor. There are many memorable scenes - the Daleks' attack on the Hoover Ville shanty town, the sight of the Daleks moving at a swift pace through the New York sewer system and their vast, Frankenstein-like laboratory.

One thought remains with me following the end titles. It can only be a matter of time when new fans of the show are finally treated to an audience with the dreaded Davros. All those references to the Dalek creator are surely a warm-up to this character's return.

9 out of 10. No funny business here, this is serious "Doctor Who". What a thoroughly delightful experience the third season is turning out to be...

It is a very generic episode that concludes generic story about Daleks. But what irritates me is not the script or actors, the science is just wrong. It would ok if they just made up some gibberish, but they used gamma radiation yet showing lightning.... Those tiny errors spoil the exitement.