S7E1: Asylum of the Daleks (SPOILERS)

I saw the Spec Weap Dalek in there.


THIS EPISODE WILL BE AWESOME!

Since I am one of the few who wont be seeing this until the DVD release, try not to ruin any surprises in the other threads, mmmkay?

Whoosier Whovian wrote:

Since I am one of the few who wont be seeing this until the DVD release, try not to ruin any surprises in the other threads, mmmkay?

Whys that?

With the exception of

Spoiler:

it was an OK episode! Would've loved to have seen more "classic" Daleks though!

I'd have preferred it if

Spoiler:

but it was still a brilliant episode. Thorouhgly enjoyed it.

The thread title says spoilers, so spoilers should be safe without using tags.

I liked this more than I thought I would. I'm actually really glad that they made that change to the daleks in the end.... and revealing you-know-who was brilliant...really, really impressive they did it without us knowing. Only thing I had a problem with in this episode was the story for Amy/Rory...it just pops in out of nowhere, with no previous development, and then is resolved through absolutely nothing.

Brilliant episode! I voted 'FANTASTIC!'

The new titles were a bit odd. They seem a bit over-edited. Don't like the new logo at all...

I like that the Daleks needed the Doctor. The idea about the Asylum was good, same with the idea of a Dalek Parliament. There were a few things about the Daleks though; why are they still using the RTD design when this is the era of the new paradigm? How the Thal is Skaro back? And why were the classic Daleks promoted so much and then used so little?

Aside that though, it was a great episode! I love that the Daleks were too scared to go down there themselves. I'd have preferred it if they did though since there wasn't too much Dalek action besides the Doctor, Amy and Rory running away from them in the Asylum. It would have been far more interesting if some of the insane Daleks actually escaped and reigned havoc against the 'normal' Daleks.

It was a BIG surprise to see Clara Oswin, Jenna Louise-Coleman's character. That was one spoiler they kept rapped up nicely and it was nice to be surprised for once. I liked that Clara was actually a Dalek. It was interesting to see. I wonder what this means now though? She is supposedly from the Victoria era, so how did she end up crashing into the Asylum? How does she end up traveling with the Doctor in the second part of the series if she's actually a Dalek and now dead, too? It looks like we've another continuing story arc! Many questions to be answered again. I like it!

Loads of funny lines as well. Rory was awesome of course. The scene where he accidentally wakes the Daleks up is hilarious. "Eggs? You want eggs?" Lots of funny banter from Clara, too. I liked how she kept mocking the Doctor's chin and Rory's nose. "Watch it, you'll have somebody's eye out with that." Hehe.

Now this whole thing about the Daleks forgetting the Doctor... THAT could be interesting. The possibilities are endless now. It could truly mean we're in for some really good Dalek stories from now on. All the Time War stuff, although really cool, may have been holding back from some really good, classic-esque Dalek stories. And it's evident that Moffat and the team are trying to re-format Who. A lot of things have got really over-used and boring. The Daleks being oblivious to the Doctor's existence combined with the Daleks being wiped from the memories of everyone on earth, and also the fact that the universe thinks the Doctor is dead, all mean that we could be in store for some really good things. It's clear that Moffat wants all these over-used storylines out the way now so that Doctor Who doesn't get old any time soon. I really like that, I'm excited to see what will happen!

Rory and Amy's break up was odd. I'm glad we actually got a reason for why they fell out, I was thinking Moffat might not tell us what they rowed over and would just have them split up for the convenience of the story, but I'm glad he actually went a bit further into what happened. It would have been nicer to actually see this develop though, as kcooper76 said. It seemed that as soon as the whole divorce thing started, it ended again. One minute they hated each other and then they loved each other again. It's not great to have a storyline go that fast at all, we had the same problem with Mels, but that didn't really harm the episode. It was still a great story.

All in all I am super happy with this story and I'm really excited for what's to come, both for what's to come in series 7, Clara's storyline and what's to be of the Daleks hence forth. I'm not sure where it stands in my list of favourite Dalek stories, but I have to say it is one of my favourites. 'Dalek' from series 1 still stands as my absolute best from the New Series, and 'Genesis' is still my favourite Classic Dalek story, but it's safe to say that 'Asylum' is far stronger than some of the much weaker Dalek stories since 2005. Brilliant stuff. This episode has really got me buzzing! And for the first time in a couple of years, the future genuinely looks bright!

I quite enjoyed that one myself. Definitely surprised with Jenna's appearance. Can't wait to see how they cross paths later on.

Doctor Who? Indeed lol!! Nice one Oswin

Scary wrote:

Rory and Amy's break up was odd. I'm glad we actually got a reason for why they fell out, I was thinking Moffat might not tell us what they rowed over and would just have them split up for the convenience of the story, but I'm glad he actually went a bit further into what happened. It would have been nicer to actually see this develop though, as kcooper76 said. It seemed that as soon as the whole divorce thing started, it ended again. One minute they hated each other and then they loved each other again. It's not great to have a storyline go that fast at all, we had the same problem with Mels, but that didn't really harm the episode. It was still a great story.

Exactly, if it weren't for that storyline, I may have voted 'Fantastic' as well. I was really surprised by this one, it was much less silly than I was expecting (which, as you know, is my biggest issue with the show). I hope the next several episodes are just as good.

kcooper76 wrote:

I was really surprised by this one, it was much less silly than I was expecting (which, as you know, is my biggest issue with the show). I hope the next several episodes are just as good.

Agreed...it's an episode that I wouldn't mind rewatching; now that is something I haven't said in awhile!

guvnagrover wrote:

kcooper76 wrote:

I was really surprised by this one, it was much less silly than I was expecting (which, as you know, is my biggest issue with the show). I hope the next several episodes are just as good.

Agreed...it's an episode that I wouldn't mind rewatching; now that is something I haven't said in awhile!

Agreed, I'm eager to see it again now!

Scary wrote:

I'm eager to see it again now!

I have to watch it again...this time pausing it while trying to pick out where the classic Daleks are; I totally overlooked them.

Yeah, as you said earlier...how is Skaro back?!?

guvnagrover wrote:

I have to watch it again...this time pausing it while trying to pick out where the classic Daleks are; I totally overlooked them.

Aren't they in the scene with Rory, where he's surrounded by them?

kcooper76 wrote:

guvnagrover wrote:

I have to watch it again...this time pausing it while trying to pick out where the classic Daleks are; I totally overlooked them.

Aren't they in the scene with Rory, where he's surrounded by them?

I suppose, but I thought they were mostly rusty/weathered/ falling apart RTD era Daleks. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out when that scene comes up during the second viewing.

Well, this is an episode we haven't had in awhile.


So...where to start? The new Robomen (aka Puppets) are a far cry better from Davies-era Pig Men. Really do like those and it gives the Daleks a much needed subversive element to their arsenal. There are places you can go with the Puppets by themselves.

The Asylum planet was a neat concept, but it also was very silly in terms of rationale. Daleks destroy impurity. The whole set up to this episode contradicts Victory of the Daleks and just about every other Dalek storyline. Having said that, it's not a major deal for me. While I liked Victory on the merits of not wiping out the Dalek Species yet again, the New Paradigm was a bit of a pill to swallow, so some quiet revisions to the "new" status quo don't bother me. Besides, it's not like that doesn't happen seemingly every time the Daleks appear anyway.

Speaking of quiet revisions...Skaro. That's a shock, seeing as how it was destroyed in Remembrance of the Daleks and conceivably Time Locked along with the rest of the Time War. My own guess? Unlike Gallifrey, Skaro as a planet escaped "The Moment" intact, if destitute of whatever life existed upon it. That would make a certain amount of sense. If "The Moment" had a finite duration and energy source, utterly wiping out the home planet of a race of beings who were absolute masters of Time Travel would be the more rational choice then the murderous pepperpots. Yes, Time Travel technology could be extrapolated from Dalek tech presumably, but if given the choice between a owner's manual or a full concept technical manual, I'd destroy the technical manual if I was trying to prevent gross violations of Space and Time. (Which has been getting progressively worse since the 7th Doctor's time)

Who knows. Maybe we'll finally get to see the Thals again.

Clara's reveal was definitely shocking and the resolution...disappointing. Come on people! A Dalek companion for the Doctor, disguised by a Chameleon Circuit/"The Flesh" body? I'd take that over yet another dull Human Companion any day and be legitimately unique to the series history. That being said, Clara's going to make a fun companion for the Doctor when she gets introduced properly.

Amy and Rory? This was stupid, as the episode ends with a return to the Status Quo. Also, for loving Amy more, all I can say is Rory was the one who turned up at her workplace with the divorce paperwork.

The new intro - really dug it.

The Daleks forgetting the Doctor - Thank You. Even in the Classic Series, the Daleks personally gunning for the Doctor was getting annoying. I see this as opening flood gates on potential storylines, as the Daleks won't be constantly on guard against the Doctor. It also makes RTD's Journey's End the first part of the capstone on the Time War (The second part being, obviously, The End of Time). Victory is a necessary hold over to explain how the Daleks survived yet another Davies Genocide, but I see Asylum as the legitimate beginning of the New Paradigm, Post-Time War Dalek Empire.

All in All? One of the best of the New Series. It had all the feel of a Classic Doctor Who story, compressed into a hour. The Clara reveal was a honest surprise and great twist, though I do wish she'd made it out of the Asylum as is, as it would have made for a great twist on the Companion.

Next Week's Dinosaurs on a Spaceship looks rather rubbish, but this episode earned enough good will for me to sit through it.

What about those nano things that Amy and Rory were carrying in their bodies? Are they now dormant since they love each other again? Are the nano thing going to spread like a virus?

Otherwise, it was a great episode.

Did you also notice that the Dalek that Rory was pushing around, originally did not have the left light thingy on it's head. Then all of a sudden, it has it, then not.

As I thought and said from the beginning - the Classic Daleks were just ornaments used for advertisement of this story.

Highly disappointing that the Classic Daleks and SWD were very hard to pick out from the masses of RTD Daleks.

The fact the the Old Daleks that had survived past encounters with the Doctor were RTD Daleks and not in there original story Dalek designs.

It was a good story, but again I'm left disappointed.

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I found it only Okay. Coming from someone who is easily interested in DW stories and usually doesn't pick out faults I just didn't enjoy this episode as much as I thought it would.

First I'm not that worried with the Rory/Amy break up thing everyone else seems to focus on. We missed 200 years of the Doctors life, seeing those two break up after months doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Do we really need an entire back story? How they handled it I found fine, especially including the whole 'Pond Life' thing.

Second, what is with all this emotion from the Daleks. They're suppose to be filled with just anger and hatred and believe that anything that isn't the perfect Dalek should be cleansed. Now they're scared to go onto a planet with a bunch of broken Daleks/see beauty in those broken Daleks. I just don't buy it.

I do like Jenna, she's funny and clever. Probably my favorite part of the episode.

I don't know this just wasn't an great episode for me.

Okay, pleasantly surprised that I liked the episode. It had some genuine surprises. To be brief:

1. Really? The only character development they could think of for Amy and Rory is to split them up? Very original. (sarcasm.) Everything about it seemed contrived. Good thing it only took 40 minutes for them to patch everything up and forget it ever happened.

2. Saw so many classic daleks... with my magnifying glass.

3. I like the new girl. How long until we get rid of the Ponds again?

4. Can everyone stop chanting 'Doctor Who' already? Yes, we know it's the name of the show.

A promising start for the new series, but maybe I'm being set up for disappointment later?

"Why? Why....do....they...hate...you? So...much...hate..."

That scene gets me every time. Major props to the Dalek VA for inserting so much raw, agonizing emotion into that scene.

Also: New Avatar.

I did see the SWD in the scene with Rory and the "eggs" and I think I caught a quick glance of a classic fender when the Doctor was running away. The intensive care should have had the classics, but the were all bronze!

And Clara Oswin.....that was a shock! So glad some spoilers are kept secret.

I loved the Parliment, with the Prime Minister instead of an emperor is a change. Did we really see Skaro at the beginning, or was it just part of the Dalek trap to catch the Doctor?

Rust, like the new avatar.

Also enjoyed the episode. I gave it a "Good". I actually liked the strife in the Pondus familius. I enjoyed seeing classic Daleks, although I, too, would have liked seeing them perform more (Aren't they museum or museum-quality pieces now though? Which would necessitate kid gloves). I liked Ms Coleman in the Titanic mini-series earlier this year, and seeing her in Who like this was a nice treat, although one made bittersweet in the room with the padded walls. The new robomen were nicely done too. I have to admit, the chanting at the end of the ep did start to grate on me though. It repeats in 40 minutes, and I plan on re-watching. We'll see if my first impression holds, if I see something I missed before (odds are I will). All in all though a quite good start to the season.

guvnagrover wrote:

kcooper76 wrote:

I was really surprised by this one, it was much less silly than I was expecting (which, as you know, is my biggest issue with the show). I hope the next several episodes are just as good.

Agreed...it's an episode that I wouldn't mind rewatching; now that is something I haven't said in awhile!

Me too, guys.