Things I've Learnt from Watching My Favourite Doctor Who Stories : 51 - Eve of the Daleks

 51: Eve of the Daleks 

Auld Acquaintance Should Be Forgot!

Following Flux was always going to be tough. Regardless of how you feel about the finale, Flux was a tour de force of plotting, character and spectacle managed under exceptionally difficult conditions with Covid and lockdown restrictions.

By the time we get to the New Year special for 2022, the restrictions are still there so Chris Chibnall deliberately tailors the story to be in one location with a small cast that can isolate together.

Far from restricting the storytelling I think it enriches it and gives us a fun "base under seige" with some Executioner Daleks, although aren't all Daleks executioners in their own homicidal little way?

Anyway, these Executioner Daleks are out for revenge after the Doctor's actions at the end of the Vanquishers. Why the TARDIS chooses a storage facility in Manchester to land in, rather than the beach the Doctor promised is down to production convenience but Chris Chibnall takes a leaf out of the Terry Nation rulebook by making the TARDIS immediately inaccessible as it resets itself. 

This TARDIS crew are likeable and as a threesome, there's no spare wheel as in Jodie's first two seasons. Yaz and Dan, having spent a long time together during Flux have a fun bantering relationship although Dan has hardly spent that much time with the Doctor. They're joined by Aisling Bea as Sarah, the owner of the lockup facility and Adjani Salmon playing a character called Nick. This allows the meta joke of the Dalek (voiced by Nick Briggs) saying "I am not Nick!" which isn't as funny as Dan saying "Groundhog Day" instead of "Time loop" like the Doctor and Yaz. 

The time loops are different enough to avoid repetition and eventually we learn Nick is a "good hearted weirdo" with a crush on Sarah and that Dan has noticed how Yaz feels about the Doctor. These two scenes are nicely written and played, with Aisling Bea showing a softer side to her more caustic turns on panel shows like QI. 

Her performance feels Basil Fawlty-like at times, showing the same snappy, frustration and unable to keep control of the situation. That's not a criticism, far from it, and Chibnall does allow her a softer side in the scenes with Nick and she's surprisingly good. I wasn't too sure when I heard about her casting, but she won me over. 

The fast pace of the episode does give space to a tender scene between Yaz and Dan, where Dan asks Yaz if she's told the Doctor how she feels about her? Yes, there is the argument about why did it have to be a man who points out to Yaz it's obvious she's got feelings for the Doctor, but it allows them a nice moment that's well performed. Critics have commented that John Bishop is just playing himself, which I don't agree with and he's been a very welcome addition to the show. And Mandip Gill went from strength to strength during Flux; again a very naturalistic character and performance and this scene gives her a wonderful moment. 

But what about the leading lady herself? Here Jodie's on good form, her chastising Sarah for deviating from the plan to get to the fifth floor stands out in particular. Her interactions with the Daleks are good too, remaining as defiant as possible, as well as being delightfully facetious. "Daleks do not have no friends!" grates one, to which she replies "you've only got yourselves to blame for that!"

Plus any episode that features the wonderful Pauline McLynn has got to be worth watching? Right? Ah go on... 

Next Time : The Memory Does Cheat (well maybe just a little bit!)