Our journey through Dalek-occupied space continues with part two of Dalek Empire:
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2 Likes
I thought it was okay, but not as engaging as first episode. It started to lose me a bit by the end. I really like the concept of Susan being simultaneously a symbol of ‘hope’ but also a Daleks propagandist. I think it brings interesting themes to the story. Overall - 6/10
1 Like
I agree with @VoRus1 here that this was a weaker and slower part compared to the first one. I zoned out a bit towards the end but found the moral dilemma surrounding Susan mostly compelling, as well as the character stuff with Alby and Pellan. Other than that, I just mostly waited for something to happen. 6/10.
1 Like
Going to be the first to say I actually thought this was better than the first episode. I liked the more cynical edge of Susan we saw this episode. I think she was a more interesting protagonist this time.
6 Likes
The Human Factor - 8/10 (Spoilers)
I think this really effectively builds on the themes and setting built up in the first story, I think I prefer this to that one. There’s a lot to like, so going to go through it point by point
The first thing I want to draw attention to is the character of the Highness and his daughter. I love how they’re characterised, initially their nervous laughter came across as grating and generally just frustrating, but then when the daleks leave and se see them drop it, we realise that’s the point. They’re doing this charade to fight the daleks in their own way, in honestly the only way they really can. It’s not much, but it’s a symbol of defiance for them, and when we see them both drop it later as they’re broadcast to their people, them having that moment when things are getting too serious for them to keep it up, it works really well for me.
I think the small glimpse we get into Alby and Susan’s relationship is really nice to see, and I love how Alby’s part in it is somewhat flipping gender norms. We often see characters in fiction hung up on ‘the one they let go’, still loving them and not having told them, now split apart by circumstance and their driving goal being to tell them how they feel. We very rarely see the character who acts like that being male, or at least if we do, they’re not portrayed in the same way Alby is here, it’s just a fun dynamic to see, and it’s a great way to keep the human element (or rather, the human factor) that’s key to making this story work.
Susan’s continued arc here is probably my favourite thread here. The face of hope, resistance, and the daleks. It’s a really interesting dynamic. She needs to give people across the universe hope, saving countless lives in doing so, but she’s not doing so as a freedom fighter, she’s doing so as a prop, a monkey the daleks are putting on stage and forcing to dance, and then underneath it all there’s her true acts of resistance. Those true acts of resistance also taking her to some dark places, condemning people to death to keep her secret hidden. It’s a tough decision, but she’s able to make those, and that’s what’s keeping her alive. It reminds me a bit of Katniss’ story from the final book of The Hunger Games trilogy, which is another character arc I absolutely love, so is of course something I love seeing here, especially with that added level of darkness.
Also a smaller point, but I think this story really nails the ‘powerscaling’ of the daleks. The daleks can sometimes come across as completely unstoppable, yet sometimes as cannon fodder. Here I think it’s just done really well. The daleks only leave a single dalek on one of the planets they control, not because a single dalek is completely unstoppable, I mean, it’s stopped in the story, but because a single dalek is enough. It on its own kills most of a large group that’re trying to kill it, and while it is defeated, it’s not a dalek that’s the villian, it’s the Dalek empire, and when one goes down, they’re going to send in their reinforcements. With a large enough group you might get lucky and be able to take down one dalek, but what happens next?
In the course of doing the review I’ve managed to convince myself to up the score from a 7 to an 8. I think the more I think about it, the more I like it
3 Likes
As much as I liked the first episode, this is the one that really sets the tone, and really shows us how interesting this series is going to be.
I really like the idea of the good intentions of Suz being used as a propaganda “weapon” by the Daleks.
This, like the rest of Series 1, is a 4/5 for me.
5 Likes
I liked this one a lot more than the first I really like Suze as a character, I think her moral dilemmas about working with the Daleks is a great angle to approach this at and I am interested to see where her scheme is going.
I still do not really care for Alby though.
4 Likes
Not bad, all the stuff with Suze is interesting. Given that the Daleks were inspired for want of a better phrase by the nazis its interesting to see her character’s dilemma during wartime/occupation - freedom fighter? propoganda tool? collaborator? Saving her people or self-preservation?
When the narrative focus shifts away from her it becomes less engaging.
4 Likes