Doctor Who (TV Series) Victory of the Daleks (2010) User Reviews

The Biscuit is Mightier than the Gunstick...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 10 December 2021]

Winston's new weapon will shorten the war, though he's wise enough to know that he can't be too sure, so he's called an old friend to ask his advice, who has said he'll be there in less than a trice (he's a month late).

When the Doctor appears with Amelia Pond, he's welcomed by a weapon made of Dalekanium bond, but the Ironsides are friendly, courteous and polite, avoiding the Time Lord's aggression and spite.

Like a leopard however they can't change their dots, they're conniving to realise a cunning Dalek plot, in the blink of one eye they've teleported away, Victory for the Daleks, not the Doctor's day today.

A partial victory at least

[dkiliane · 8/10 · 10 March 2019]

To be honest I don't really understand all the hate this episode gets. Yeah the new Daleks are a little technicolor but I don't really mind it. It's certainly better than The Beast Below but definitely not as good as the season premiere. Although I do think it is one of the stronger Mark Gatiss written episodes, whose writing I'm honestly not a huge fan of in general, at least in connection with Doctor Who.

The idea of the Daleks inWW2 is intriguing and I thought overall well done. I enjoyed the portrayal of Winston Churchill and the moment when the Doctor loses it screaming at the Dalek that it IS a Dalek..and then the chilling reply, "correct." Seriously good stuff.

Matt Smith again wonderful as the Doctor, the goofy wanderer covering the dark rage brimming beneath. The WW2 planes in space was admittedly a little hokey, but still entertaining. Me thinks some of the Doctor Who fandom taking these things a little too seriously. As I said, perhaps not amazing, but definitely entertaining. 8/10

A Rushed Victory?

[timdalton007 · 6/10 · 11 January 2011]

One of the most anticipated episodes of the 2010 series was Victory Of The Daleks. This episode, penned by Mark Gattis, would see the first showdown between new Doctor Matt Smith and the series oldest villains: the Daleks. Yet, while anticipated, Victory Of The Daleks would receive a mixed reaction upon its broadcast. So now we fans are left to ask the question: was this episode a rushed "Victory"? Certainly Victory Of The Daleks covers a lot of ground. Not only is it the first showdown between the eleventh Doctor and the Daleks, it also features an outer space battle between Spitfires and a Dalek saucer not to mention homages to classic series Dalek stories and introduces the radically redesigned Paradigm Daleks. Sound like a lot of ground to cover in 45 minutes? In short: yes it is and that's a bit of a problem.

Victory Of The Daleks has the distinct feeling of a two-parter being crammed into a single episode. It's easy to imagine the reveal of the Paradigm Daleks and the old Daleks chanting "Hail the return of the master race!" as the cliffhanger of part one so to speak. Sequences such as the battle between the Spitfires and the Dalek saucer, spectacular as it is, push believability as they are set up in with just a few lines about gravity bubbles instead of a proper set-up where things are explained just a bit more (maybe a scene showing Bracewell readying the devices for example). Things never seem to get properly explained as the script rushes from point to point, as if to sacrifice plot for spectacle.

Perhaps the biggest side effect of this crammed feeling is the lack of depth out of the supporting characters. While both Winston Churchill and Professor Bracewell are both well-written and well portrayed, by Ian McNeice and Bill Paterson respectively, other characters seem to fall by the way side into being nearly one dimensional. A prime example is Blanche Breen, the WREN in the Cabinet War Room whose boyfriend is a RAF pilot, whose depth seems down more to the performance of actress Nina De Cosimo then down to the script. Considering the depth that Gattis brought to his supporting characters in his previous TV stories The Unquiet Dead and The Idiot's Lantern, this lack of depth seems rather surprising to say the least. Once again, it seems almost as if the spectacle of the Daleks return overrode everything else in the episode.

Which isn't to say that the episode is bad mind you. While the script might feel as though it is rushing from point to point, the performances certainly don't. In fact, if there is a single big redeeming aspect to Victory Of The Daleks it is that this episode gives Matt Smith the chance to show off his range as the new Doctor. Whenever Smith and the Daleks are on-screen together, sparks fly as Smith shows off a dark side to this new Doctor. Moments such as beating the Dalek in an attempt to get it to reveal its true self show that this Doctor, who just two episodes earlier was sitting at a table with fish fingers and custard, is a man still haunted by his enemies and maybe even the memories of the Time War itself. Yet Smith's best moments may well be when he is just simply reacting to the Daleks such as the horrified reactions he gives when the Ironside Dalek is revealed or the big reveal of the Paradigm Daleks. With all this darkness though, Smith gets to show off his lighter side as well such as in his moments both at the beginning and end with Winston Churchill for example. It's Smith at the top of his game and it very much sets up the performances that were to come in the rest of Series Five.

So where does that leave Victory Of The Daleks then? It has some fine performances from its cast (especially Matt Smith's still new Doctor) and some fine sequences as well such as the reveal of the Paradigm Daleks or the Spitfire vs Dalek Saucer battle. The script by Mark Gattis though feels rushed as it uses those spectacular sequences, rather then its characters, to keep the story moving. The result is that, being so full of those sequences, that this is an episode that feels, whether it was created as such to begin with, as two episodes crammed into one.

A rushed "Victory"? Indeed it is...

One of the most hated Dalek stories but its alright

[martmare · 7/10 · 1 October 2023]

This time Doctor and Amy travel to 1940s and meet Winston Churchill played brilliantly by Ian McNeice he was excellent choice to play him.

The Doctor also meet Daleks and new Paradgim Daleks who are disliked but I quite liked them. Their design is quite different but its nice to see some changes. Paradgim doesn't make much of appearances after this.

Daleks win by escaping the Doctor and Doctor saves the earth once again or this time Amy does it by deactivating Dalek's bomd who is Professor Bracewell played very well by Bill Paterson.

Overall I liked it. First half is much better paced than second.

Hmm...ok I guess?

[benjaminnewbould · 7/10 · 31 May 2023]

Things I Like:

• Ian McNeice's performance of Winston Churchill was very charming to watch on Screen
• The Ironside Dalek design is really nice
• Umm...the voice of the Paradigm Daleks..
• The Scene where the Doctor says to Amy "tell me you remember the Daleks..." with the crack music is flipping amazing!!

Things I Didn't Like:

• I just wasn't as engaged with the plot, kinda meh
• it felt like the Daleks where there for 5 seconds and then just buggered off
• I hate to say this about my favourite Tardis Team but 11 and Amy felt kinda off, particularly Amy :( Although KG DEFINITELY redeems herself in other episodes!

Some great Quotes for the Daleks & the Dr

[Money-730-496469 · 7/10 · 5 May 2010]

I think Mark Gatiss (who has appeared in a previous Dr Who, & this one) did a great job writing this Dr Who episode. Some great Quotes for the Daleks & the Dr. I love the Daleks. The that the new Daleks are taller & different colours. I think we'll be seeing more of them, as per.

Not keen on New Dr but there ya go ! New companion is a tad too sexy, I think - lol. Fav Drs in order are David Tennant, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, & Christopher Eccleston.

Can't wait to see the conclusion of this series. Will probably not be what we thought/think, as ever.

Only 2 more reincarnations left

Could be worse

[zuyuu · 7/10 · 28 November 2023]

Victory of the Daleks is a solid story for furthering the Doctor's ongoing battle with the Daleks. I do think this episode is way more hated than it should be. It's definitely not terrible, but also not outstanding. I think it falls through in it's climax but is excellent in the emotional scenes with Bracewell. Both Karen Gillan and Bill Paterson really are amazing in their scenes together and this episode does a great job at further showing Amy's human contribution to the show. After having a very "human" doctor with David Tennant, Matt Smith is more alien-y and, in my opinion, needs a stronger human, rational mind in the TARDIS. Amy (so far) is perfect for this and is almost pulling the Doctor along. Anyways, it's pretty good but is brought down by the actual plot. Could be better, could be worse! 7.3/10.

I thought it was good - spoilers

[proflandry · 8/10 · 1 May 2010]

Maybe I just like everything, or maybe I'm just too easy to please, but I liked "Victory of the Daleks." Yes, there is a danger of the Daleks being overused. And there can be the question of were they brought back to advance the overall plot of the series, or for the sake of bringing them back/as a way to ease viewers into the new Doctor; sort of like how the first episode of the Patrick Troughton run was a Dalek episode, "Power of the Daleks"? "I don't know if I like the new guy, but hey, it's got Daleks in it..." type of thing.

There have been Dalek episodes where the Daleks were brought back for really the sake of bringing them back/ratings, not because there was a story to warrant it. I'm thinking of "Destiny of the Daleks," during Tom Baker's run - it was the first time the Daleks had appeared in four years, since "Genesis of the Daleks," but it was a lackluster episode. Of some of the Dalek episodes during the Third Doctor's run - "Day of the Daleks" and "Evil of the Daleks." Even "Daleks in Manhattan" seemed like that. I don't want to get bored of the Daleks, but if there's good writing, that won't happen. And even having them out of the series for a few seasons doesn't guarantee that when they do return, the episode in which they return will be a good one.

But I thought the idea of having Daleks during WWII was clever, and the early scenes with the Daleks wondering around Churchill's HQ were menacing. Having one Dalek saucer survive the events of "Journey's End" is plausible. Lets face it, it isn't like you're going to have Doctor Who without the Daleks, so there needs to be something giving the reason for their return, which this episode does. It's a fun episode, with some great moments in it, but action wise as well as drama. I'm not sure I like the new Dalek design. They're too... I don't know. I like the classic Daleks better.

I think Matthew Smith is doing an excellent job, his dialogue is great, with quick, sharp, and hilarious quips.

Not good

[wolfordcheyenne · 6/10 · 25 March 2020]

Wtf were they thinking? This episode was a mess and made little sense. The new Daleks look absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe the color changes were approved and the Spitfires using anti-gravity bubbles in space was too much. Also, the Oblivion Continuum bomb being disabled through emotion was dumb. This episode was a big disappointment.

An Indecisive Victory At Best

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 17 April 2010]

I didn't hold high hopes for this episode . There seems to be an element from the second season onwards that the Daleks are being brought back for the sake of it . Writers are obviously finding it difficult to find something new to do with Daleks , a fact reflected in this premise that owes a massive amount to the 1966 masterpiece Power Of The Daleks where the Daleks befriend humanity while working to their own agenda . This plot device works brilliantly it must be said as The Doctor warns the humans that these new found war winners are not what they seem

Unfortunately after this good beginning the plot skates all over the place as plot devices fly thick and fast and appear from nowhere . Professor Bracewell is an andriod in the service of the Daleks ? If this is the case why did the Daleks let him invent gravity bubbles that can cause spitfires to fly in space ? If Bracewell also doubles as a bomb that can destroy Earth the Daleks could have detonated it any time so why wait till they've explained their plan to The Doctor before doing so . This is a story that that uses spectacle and production values to disguise failings in internal logic and plot but no matter how spectacular things become you realise the narrative is working against its own advantage . It lacks drama , it lacks credibility

This lack of credibility shows itself in small details . There's a massive suspension of disbelief needed . The whole foundation rests on " What if ? " What if there was an alien who looked human , can regenerate in to someone else if he dies and can travel anywhere in time and space . If you can swallow these concepts disbelief will be suspended , but little things will destroy the illusion . Amy walks around with the tiniest mini-skirt possible in 1940 and no one notices or makes any comment on it . I'm sure they'd be a law against miniskirts in 1940 . The Daleks turn on the lights of London making it an easy target for the Luftwaffe but the Luftwaffe wouldn't have had the capacity to inflict a Dresden or Hamburg style firestorm raid on London . And why would the Daleks need to the Luftwaffe to do their dirty work when they can detonate Bracewell at any time ? What poor plot mechanics

It's very difficult to enjoy Victory Of The Daleks . It's probably not as bad as Daleks In Manhatten / Evoluton Of The Daleks but you'd have to really plunge the depths to come out with a story as bad as that . It's also sad to realise the best parts of Victory are culled from a story from over 40 years ago . Add to this that Matt Smith seems to speaking dialogue that's identical to the previous Doctor and that next week sees the return of the weeping angels and you really have to wonder if Steven Moffat has any ideas of his own .One strength DOCTOR WHO has over any other show is the idiosyncratic ideas that a producer brings to the show I'm very intrigued as to how well this new regime will be viewed when the season ends in the Summer ?

The Daleks return

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 17 April 2010]

We are only three episodes into the tenure of Matt Smith's Doctor when he has to confront old enemy the Daleks. In a rather nice twist when he finds them they are being used as a weapon in the Second World War; not by the evil Nazis as one might expect but by British forces under the direct control of Winston Churchill. Churchill doesn't know them as Daleks, he refers to them as Ironsides and claims they have been designed by Dr. Bracewell, a scientist played by the always watchable Bill Paterson. It turns out that the Daleks were waiting for The Doctor and his attempts to expose them to Churchill is just what they need to activate a source of pure Dalek DNA to create a new race of super Daleks.

I found this to be a really good episode with some good scares such as when Dr. Bracewell's hand is shot off and we learn that he isn't human. There are also some laugh out loud moments like when the Doctor threatens the Daleks with a Jammy Dodger. I thought it was a nice twist to have the good guys accidentally helping the evil Daleks; first Churchill then The Doctor himself. The episode wasn't without its faults; while the idea of Spitfires in space is rather entertaining the CGI used in the scene was far too obvious and I'm not sure why the new Daleks had to have different colours although I suspect this might appeal to the younger viewers.

Definitely a Spanner in the works

[ewaf58 · 4/10 · 18 April 2010]

Another indifferent episode - it seems that Dr Who is now lurching from one CGI set piece to another and in the process forgetting about character development and credible story lines.

Perhaps in this faster moving world the producers feel obliged to fit everything into just one episode not leaving time for the viewers to get to know and develop empathy for any new character.

And on the subject of empathy - I'm not sure the histrionics of the Doctor smashing a Dalek with a giant spanner worked that well either. Evil though they are - the good Doctor has dealt with them in a far more mature fashion in the past. In short a rather violent message to the children who watch this show- and we must remember other children don't go round wearing impregnable body armour.

In my opinion there was more maturity in the classic series of Dr Who (and many episodes of the Eccleston Tennant era)-with time spent setting the scene with the characters. As a result we felt fearful for them in frightening situations. The current bunch just seem like caricatures - so we feel nothing when they get zapped.

This new series is definitely suffering from a dip in quality. Let's get back to intelligent episodes that appeal both to Children and Adults alike together with a mature message for both.

Great fun! Great episode!

[sarastro7 · 8/10 · 15 September 2011]

I was as non-plussed with the second episode of series 5 as many others, but I don't understand why people are beating up on the third episode, which I thought was as good as the first, if not better. I don't think the "plot holes" mentioned by the other reviewers here are fairly represented. Why didn't the Daleks detonate Bracewell earlier? Well, because the Daleks have no intrinsic interest in destroying the Earth. It was all a ruse to get the Doctor there for the testimony, to begin the creation of the Master Race Daleks, a very neat idea which the Daleks had obviously had from the Nazis. So now we get a new breed of Daleks: Nazi Daleks! It's properly silly and outrageous, just in the style we expect from Doctor Who.

The Daleks were just holding the Earth hostage so they could use the leverage to escape from the Doctor, and it worked. There is no weakness in the plot structure. I, too, think the Daleks are somewhat over-used, but here I was effectively entertained by them.

It's true that Amy probably shouldn't have been wearing a mini-skirt in 1940, but, you know, it all took place in a bunker where a bunch of people knew about Doctor Who, so they'd have had to be rather open-minded! I don't agree that there was too little character development; these stories are, and always have been, about action and plot first and foremost. In the old days the stories moved along immensely slowly; at least they've remedied that fault in the new show! I was quite satisfied with this episode.

8 stars out of 10.

Steven Moffat's first stumble, but it's a big one

[sqeaston9 · 1/10 · 25 May 2010]

Overall, I've really enjoyed season 5 Doctor Who. I really like the new Doctor, Amy pond and Rory, and haven't had any major problems with any of the episodes up to and including The Hungry Earth, except this one. This episode I hate.

First the good: I liked Ian McNeice as Winston Churchill, great choice I thought. And the Daleks looked pretty good in Khaki green, a suitable colour for Daleks.

I know that Doctor Who is fantastical, but please let's have a story and events that make sense on some level. Was having Spitfires in space really worth just how ridiculous and unbelievable the whole idea was? But it was the new Daleks that really got me down, they look terrible! Daleks aren't supposed to look like they're made of plastic (even if they are). There was no need to change their size or basic design, the original shape is iconic, and has stood the test of time for almost fifty years.

So making them bigger was supposed to make them look more menacing? Well, that might work if they weren't painted in florescent colours. Would Darth Vader have been as menacing as he was if his armour was bright orange? Daleks need to be in dark, or metallic colours, or both. Mark Gatiss and Steve Moffat, you have taken liberties with an icon. Keep your horrible new design if you must, but at least paint them metallic grey, or black, or something. Watch Genesis of the Daleks, and then try to tell me these new day glow Daleks are scarier or cooler looking.

I love this episode

[spotter-2 · 10/10 · 16 April 2022]

I never saw the 1966 story arc that other reviewers have mentioned. I don't have a basis of comparison. I am a WWII historian and an aviation buff, I realize there are liberties taken. I really enjoy this episode. It's a fun. ***SPOILERS*** Of course the Doctor and Churchill are friends. Amy looks sexy in her outfit. Ian McNiece is fine as Churchill. The very cute WAAF is nice to look at. And the Daleks, all swishy in their new shells. Stealing the show are three very special Spitfires. Spitfires are icons in British history. If this was an American produced show it would be a B-17 or P-51.

This episode is part of the season long story arc involving a mysterious crack.

As much as I'd like to say, "I loved it..."

[heidi-721-857247 · 3/10 · 24 April 2010]

I can't.

This was honestly one of the more contrived episodes since the series' reprisal five years ago.

Moffat has brought back the Daleks, the villains that have been run into the ground over and over again!

The previous week's episode had the same type of fear with the smiling faces in the carnival booths that one would typical expect of Moffat's writing; however, the only "victory" in this week's episode is surprisingly with Amy and The Doctor as these two actors start sliding into their respective roles.

Not the actors' fault here, just a thin plot.

Victory of the Daleks

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 6 April 2021]

EXPLAIN!!! EXPLAIN!!! This was a really great episode, I didn't like it quite as much as the previous two but I do very much like this episode definitely a 9/10 in my view, I'm not sure why so many people are giving it such low ratings, it was an enjoyable story, I thought the plot and acting was good, the characters funny. Do people just hate Spitfires in Space???

Someone needs to get fired

[ariel-w · 2/10 · 17 April 2010]

I want to make it clear: I loved the first episode of the new series. I thought that the plot was fantastic, realistic (in Doctor Who terms) and original. I thought that Amy as a character was fantastic, and felt that her history with the Doctor, the fact that she was about to get married, and her style (things like locking the Doctor's tie in a door) could lead to some excellent episodes in the future.

However, the previous episode and this one have both been highly flawed with scripts that don't make sense (why would the Daleks wait to destroy Earth - once they had the Doctor's voice, shouldn't that have been it? Why would the Daleks retreat before killing the Doctor?; What were the smilers there for? What was the point of the "half-smilers"? What was the point of Amy discovering the creature in the tent? Why would kids be "sent below" if they misbehaved when all the creature was was an engine, and they wouldn't be eaten anyway? Why of all countries would technologically advanced England be the last to leave Earth?), and both have been highly repetitive: they both ended with Amy saving the day in a completely un-Amy-like way judging by the first episode, before making a passionate appeal showing what seems to be her love for the Doctor (judging by the side glance when talking about forgiven loves); both saw Amy left behind and side-lined (told she would be taken home in Beasts Below; left behind on Earth in this episode) with little protest compared to her actions in The Eleventh Hour. This series also seems to be rushing to quickly to bring back all the old characters (Daleks in only episode 3, River Song and the weepers in the same episode)! Have the writers run out of new ideas? Also it seems that almost every episode in this series will be set on Earth (past, present or future).

What happened to the Doctor's voyages anywhere in the universe? And more importantly, what happened to the clever, original, sense-making plots that we saw in the Eleventh Hour and in David Tennant's era? And what happened to the episodes where virtually anything could happen, and where your natural reaction was cowering in fear and not smirking or scowling at stupid scenes? I am hoping that next week's will be better, but this episode has, for the second week in a row, made me very disappointed.

Some will like, others may not (very very mild spoilers)

[jay-47227 · 9/10 · 28 April 2023]

I just watched this episode and was quite surprised, but in a decent way.

I fully understand why most don't like the episode as it has a bit of whimsy and such, but I really quite enjoyed it. The casting was on point, the score was decent and the first act was reflective of the deception and planning you would expect from the Daleks.

I would not initially have written this review however I think that the loads of low reviews should be balanced with a positive one, to be more reflective.

Overall this episode was pretty good, not as good or thought provoking as the previous but still entertaining. It definitely has its flaws, especially as it's story is more fairytale than sci-fi, but still enjoyable. I would recommend just watching for yourself before passing judgement.

Victory of the Toy Manufacturers

[boblipton · 3/10 · 5 July 2010]

The Daleks will never die. They will always be revived in one form or another, because they are THE villains for the Doctor. Nonetheless, this is the worst episode of the Fifth Season of Doctor Who. I hope. There are still three to go so far as this American viewer is concerned and the buzz sounds good.

Not that it is totally without interest. Coming off a good introduction for Matt Smith in ELEVENTH HOUR and a mediocre future adventure in THE BEAST BELOW, this gets off to a great start with Ian MacNiece shining as a dynamite Churchill and a bizarre image of Daleks working for the British during the Second World War -- given that Terry Nation intended them to symbolize Nazis, one wonders how this will work. Bill Paterson as Bracewell plays his poorly-written part very well and as for the regulars -- well, Matt Smith is still settling into the role and somehow no one seems to notice Karen Gillian's very short skirt.

I could put up with those issues, but the whole thing collapses for me with the Daleks' resurrection in bright enamel colors just made for painting home models and and an over-the-top ending with Spitfires in space and stopping an explosion by convincing a robot that it is human. Mark Gatiss' scripts for DOCTOR WHO have been long on flash and good research, but short on story logic for my taste. His first, THE UNQUIET DEAD, turned out very good thanks to a great turn by Simon Callow as Charles Dickens and his second, with some good roles for Maureen Lipman and Ron Cook.

Nonetheless, this script points to some work for the purpose of resetting the DR. WHO universe into something more manageable. We will never get a series reboot, but the Dalek theft of the Earth in 2009 is more trouble than it is worth and Amy's forgetting the event serves the purpose of not only advancing the season's arc -- which has subsequently developed into a unified story, far better than previous efforts like the Fourth Doctor's Quest for the Keys of Time, or the badly mangled TRIAL OF A TIME LORD; it neatens up the franchise.

Even with the good points, I'm afraid this is an episode I'm just going to have to shut my eyes and think of the Daleks' return. That should, I hope, provide some good stories in the future.

Pretty fun Doctor Who Episode!

[sterlingwesson · 8/10 · 17 October 2021]

Gets a lot of hate, some of which is deserved. But it was defintely pretty great for the first half. Seeing Daleks in WW2 was a lot of fun but the second half moves too fast. This is my third time watching I think and I still enjoyed it!

A victory of the nonsensical over careful plotting

[The-Last-Prydonian · 4/10 · 18 April 2010]

Already Nuwho is into Its five-year run and It seems that I am sad to say that one thing that Steven Moffat hasn't seem to have learned from RTD and the numerous misplaced errors he made is this: You can often have too much of a good thing. And none has arguably been more the case than the now tiresome overuse of one of the show's most iconic and lauded creations. "Victory of the Daleks" penned by the talented and versatile actor, comedian, and writer Mark Gatiss, a long-time devoted fan of the series who delivered the sublimely eerie "The Unquiet Dead" and the less satisfying yet entertaining "The Idiots Lantern" back in 2006. VOTD attempts to achieve something contradictory to what we've seen with the mythological menace a la 2005's "Dalek". To Gatiss's credit, the overriding plot to VOTD and the motivation behind what the monstrosities conspire to achieve Isn't too bad and isn't without some imaginative merit. But with a running time of just over forty minutes to cram as much narrative detail we're left with a clankingly constructed story that veers into the profoundly ludicrous to forward proceedings. The presence of the Time Lord protagonist as seen in the closing moments of the previous week's "The Beast Below" is strongly requested by a certain Winston Churchhill(A suitably portly Ian McNeice)in blitz-torn Britain. Relying on the contrived notion that the pair have already been acquainted in the past, Churchill wants the Doctor to witness the new weapon the British forces are utilizing in their fight against the Nazis. A weapon that bares an uncanny resemblance to one of the ancient time travelers' eldest and malignant foes. If you can get past the awkward and bizarre notion of the Dalek's supposed subservience there is, of course, a somewhat feasible rationale to it given how the story develops. But even then it leads the core audience to ask more questions which are basically left unanswered and no doubt might have been had it not been for the episodes now customarily imposed running time.

And once the true nature of the Dalek stratagem is unveiled the story takes further twists without any undue care or consideration to logic or sound reason. An error made all the more frequently by former executive producer and writer Russell T. Davies. Which given that not only Mark Gatiss wrote the script but the new executive producer and renowned writer Steven Moffat was allowed to grant it his stamp of approval. If you can swallow some of the inane tawdry revelations of a key character and the true nature of who that person is and their involvement with the Daleks, you won't be able to stomach where Gatiss exploits said character to further the story's sublime but clumsily handled narrative i.e. WWII spitfires dogfighting in outer space?! Visually given the cutbacks made to the show's budget Moffat is able to incorporate some eye-popping visuals into some of the episode's ludicrous scenarios. And as for some of the insipid cheesiness that was a cornerstone of Moffat's predecessor, it is ever the more evident and reduced me to moments where I felt I had to balk. And the addition of new Uber-Daleks seems to have been designed by the very same man or woman who invented the Teletubbies.

As for the general performances, they're basically of the decent quality you might expect from a BBC production. Matt Smith is proving to be pretty dependable although it might be noted that his emotional acting when he is forced to convey fury or frustration needs to be fine-tuned and less showy. Karen Gillan who is forced a little more into the foreground is still never the less excellent but what of the guest cast? Ian McNiece, one of Britain's oldest if not necessarily famous names gives an inoffensive if merely adequate performance as Churchill. He seems to attempt to imitate the iconic, historical figure and his unmistakable vocal tones but feels too forced and not completely convincing while Bill Pattison fares better in a thankless job as a walking-talking plot device. Although he does really give it his all and delivers a thoroughly emotional performance which is never less laughable within its context.

The result is that VOTD is a disappointing if not utterly awful run-around which all in all had the potential to be so much more than it was but is instead a bit of a tawdry bore with the odd moment of the brilliantly sublime to elevate it above being a complete disaster. But admirers of Steven Moffat need to take some note here. He may be a gifted writer but he has yet to totally prove that he has the chops to be a magnificent executive producer. But the preview signals the return of the ominous Weeping Angels and the feisty, Prof. River Song in the "Time of the Angels" which heralds the first part of a two-part story. I can only hope things once again elevated to a higher trajectory of standard.

its a shame

[stuwright05 · 4/10 · 18 April 2010]

I think its a shame that episodes 2,3 of this new series just aren't working.i too loved the first episode like others have said. This episode seemed like they'd got a group of students,who aren't dr who fans,showed them the last few series,& asked them to make an episode based on what they saw,so it has lots of rehashes of past ideas all put into one show,that just doesn't work,it just didn't seem to have any continuity & no getting to know the characters of 1940 at all.,it was like they'd all just been given dramatic lines to say.....

i didn't get drawn into it at all. it seems they are trying to make it too fast moving,which i've noticed is a bit a Hollywood trend these days,i hate saying this,but that triffids remake with eddie izzard,which was the worst thing i've ever seen,it reminded me of that a bit......

Amy seemed too at ease in the situation,too confident for someone who'd just joined the doctor...... i did however like the new multi coloured daleks,good design.

i suppose to sum it up,it seemed like a rushed kids show,trying to gain popularity,with dramatic lines & overuse of action scenes with no build up of action & thin plot.its like they tried too hard & used the wrong (students?) for the job.... People who see dr who as a bit of fun that they only watch now & then,may like it. I have my doubts the rest of this season will be much better,though i liked the look of the vampire episode i saw previewed......

The weakest episode since the show's return...

[1stbrigade · 5/10 · 1 May 2010]

"Victory of the Daleks" is definite proof of why the Doctor's greatest enemy needs to be rested for a season or two. New show runner Steven Moffat was keen on not having them return this season, but with new Doctor Matt Smith coming in, the BBC were concerned about the audiences accepting him as the Doctor, so Moffat was persuaded to bring them back for one episode. And the result is pretty much a "filler" episode, and the weakest entry to the series since it was revived in 2005. It's not without some merit. Matt Smith and Karen Gillan are filling their roles in quite nicely; Ian McNiece is great as Churchill; seeing British Spitfires facing off against a Dalek battleship in space is cool; the new-looking Daleks are a sight to behold, and; the question of why Amy doesn't know who the Daleks are is a good question. But the rest is pure contrivance, and makes this episode one that is worth skipping in the long run. Grade: C+

The Doctor battle the Teletubby Daleks

[Sleepin_Dragon · 3/10 · 30 August 2015]

Winston Churchill calls for the Doctor's help, at the bunker the Doctor discovers Churchill has a secret weapon helping him win the war, Daleks! (Bracewell's Ironsides.) Seemingly subservient The Daleks have been waiting for something.....activation from the Doctor, with a purpose of

Bold statement, but this is the worst Dalek story of all time, it's so bad it's even worse then the Manhattan Dalek fiasco, and that was shocking.

The good bits, Bill Patterson is one of my favourite actors, he does as well as he can with this awful script, Ian McNeice makes a good Churchill, he's a little less badly scripted. I love the World War 2 Daleks, they look pretty good. The effects of a War torn London look great, especially the effect with the lights.

The bad bits, the script is shocking, the attempt to recapture some of the feel of 'Power of the Daleks,' was a big fail, I am your Soldier, not loving that. The testimony obviously got intercepted by a transmission of the Teletubbies, the new batch of Daleks were totally terrible, what were they thinking? The Kandyman is more terrifying then these, bigger and brasher does not equal scary, especially those colours, yukkkk

I really dislike the music it's totally over the top and too heavy, sometimes subtle can be good.

A really naff plot, which doesn't really hang together well. Hopefully those Daleks will never see daylight again. Gatiss really has thrown in some awful scripts, his best still way back The unquiet dead. 3/10