Doctor Who: Asylum of the Daleks Spoiler Filled Review!

                                       

     Doctor Who is back for a 7th season. It's been a long wait! Here we are on Matt Smith's I believe 4th year as The Doctor and at first I was upset like most when he became number 11. Not for all the reasons some may think though. Yes, I liked David Tennant but I think I complained more when Eccleston left. He was MY Doctor. I was tolerant of Matt taking Tennant's place and willing to give him room to grow and cement his place into the Doctor Who mantel. My mom was not and STILL isn't . A part of me misses Tennant too but come on. It's been years and I'm  pretty much used to Matt now. He has his own thing going and there are times where there's some sparkage of previous Doctors within him. Okay, enough on that. Why must we all beat a dead dog? There is a real problem here with Doctor Who and that may sadly be The Moff or is that changing? Well, let's find out.

     Most reviews I've read for this episode are saying how wonderful it was. I must say this is one of Moffat's better episodes since he's been at the helm and it had a very interesting ending but slightly predictable. Also, I don't know what it is Matt or the Moff himself but this era of Doctor Who ALWAYS seems to take a while to spark my interest. Wait, that should be keep my interest. I don't know why that is but it just is. I come back every season with new hope and it still does it to me. Must admit some of the beginning was very good but Moffat seems to be lacking in some department that I can't quite place my finger on. .

     Anyway, the episode begins with a lady talking to herself. Well, she's suppose to be talking to her daughter Hannah or something. Her daughter is trapped with a bunch of Daleks and she wants The Doctor to save her. Soon The Doctor makes his appearance and we learn the two of them are on the planet Skaro, the Daleks' home world. Also, that The Doctor was tricked to come here because the lady is just a Dalek puppet. I can see what Moffat is trying to do here. Give us another creepy creature. It was a little unnerving at first but it quickly became annoying too. Now Daleks operate humans. Yeah, wait for it. This is only the beginning.

     The Dalek Puppet Girl kidnaps The Doctor. We're now with Amy Pond who is modeling and we learn that she is filing for divorce from Roy. Oh my, what is wrong with the Ponds? Another Dalek Puppet kidnaps them both and the trio are back together at the Parliament of the Daleks. Rather than kill their greatest enemy these pepper pots want The Doctor's help. Don't really remember what these Daleks want the Doc for but they beam all three of them down to their planet for the mentally and criminally insane Daleks. The Daleks think hatred is beautiful which is suppose to be why they haven't killed the Doctor yet. Hmmm. The Doctor is now in contact with a girl (who is suppose to be the next companion) named Oswin who has been holed up in her crashed spaceship for a year trying to keep the loony Daleks away. She entertains herself by making souffles. The Doctor wonders where she gets the milk.

    All three characters, Amy, Roy, and The Doctor have their own little story going for them. Roy landed in a bunch of sleeping Daleks and Oswin helps him escape them. Amy has an armband which is suppose to keep her from turning into a Dalek Puppet pulled off of her by one of the living dead Dalek Puppets. She begins the process of turning into one until the Doctor puts his on her arm. He doesn't need one remember...Time Lord. Hmmm. Amy and Roy's relationship is mending after Roy tells her he loves her even though she can't have any more children now after River Song. Karen Gillan did a pretty good job with the emotion but I've never been able to connect with Amy like I have previous companions. Speaking of companions, when it comes Oswin, I loved her from the very beginning. She is quirky and funny and doesn't have a domineering attitude to her that Amy seems to have which I've never really liked. Oswin is very likable which is what Moffat probably had in mind so that the BIG reveal would hit a little harder.

     Oswin helps the Doc through intensive care to where her ship is suppose to be. We have some twisty ties here for when The Doctor enters the area where Oswin is, it's not like what we've seen through most of the episode. Sadly, we learn that Oswin was captured like the rest of the crew of her spaceship but unlike the rest she was a genius and so instead of changing her into a puppet they fully conformed her into a Dalek. Now, I must admit. I haven't seen very much of the original series so I don't know if this is a novel idea from The Moff when it comes to the Daleks but from my point of view it's a little clever but also disappointing. The Daleks are suppose to be The Doctor's greatest foes right? Well, at this very moment the Daleks are no different now than the Cybermen. :( So Daleks can control and change humans into themselves which is exactly what the Cybermen do. We don't need TWO different enemies who do the same thing. The Daleks have lasers built into them where they kill their enemies. That is frightening and that should be their main threat to EGGS-TER-MIN-NATE. Even that is too similar to the Cybermen's chant. Don't get me wrong, I liked the episode for what it was. One of the better of Moffat's time no doubt. This is just a stitch in my side.

      The Doctor tries to help Oswin come to terms with the fact she is a Dalek now. She wants to exterminate him at first but her drive to remember being human is enough to let him go and tell him to run. The Doctor escapes just in time with Amy and Roy before the planet is destroyed by the Daleks. Was Oswin destroyed too? How is she suppose to be The Doctor's new companion? Aren't we suppose to see her again for the Christmas episode or was that a fib from the Moff? Amy and Roy have made up and the Doctor drops them off at their home. How long will we continue to travel with those two? Many questions but the most important one is the one that Oswin managed to give to all the other Daleks. "Who is the Doctor?" In other words, "Doctor Who?" This seemed to greatly delight the Doctor. The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is coming. Will we finally get an answer to this question during this time? That's just it. What it all comes down to with Doctor Who. Only time will tell. :)

Next episode is Dinosaurs on a Spaceship. I'll be surprised if this one is even better than the first one but it does have two things going for it from this Harry Potter fan, Mr. Weasley and Filch! Oh just so we don't forget The Doctor even says the title in the episode. Hmmm. :)