2.2 The Dalek Invasion of the Earth

 

EXTERMINATE!

Welcome back, Daleks. We missed your little plungers.

This episode was great, but what made it super awesome was that Susan left the show at the end.  BOOYAH!

This was a particularly dark episode, as was the first Dalek episode.  They are just downright depressing.  The Daleks have landed on Earth, and are intent upon destroying it.  [Really, why all the desperate angst, Dalek kind?]  They have enslaved the entire planet in the process.  Lovely plot, eh?

Once again, the team is split up and each is on his own little adventure to escape from the Daleks and help destroy their schemes. Let us consider the fact that the Daleks have been controlling Earth for some time now, and Earth isn't saved until the Doctor and his companions arrive.  He's super duper dupitty awesome.

Daleks have made evil human sidekicks to execute their nefarious ways.  I think they look like the Cybermen.  Except the Cybermen are way cooler.

These guys just look like they are chugging beer.

The makers of this show, must have been very proud of their work. There were extensive scenes involving running through much of London, being chased by the Daleks.  According to trivia, they filmed it on the actual streets.  Impressive for a show at that time.  But you would give an eye just to see Barbara running around gasping for breath, wouldn't you?

There were a couple notable moments in this episode.

The Slyther.  A pet owned by the Black Dalek.  Who knew that Daleks kept pets?  A lot like the Klingon monster dog?  It was a strange rabid creature that had approximately 30 seconds of acting.  And Ian gets the manly prize for the day for killing it.  Big rock Ian, big rock!  Ian is so super duppity awesome. 

A pet peeve of this particular episode involves the title of this chapter: The Waking Ally.  Huh? There are several theories about the title. My theory is that the Slyther is the Dalek's ally, and they send it out to kill people. Please come up with something better than that.

This made me giggle.  I know it's supposed to be a satellite on the Dalek's back, but doesn't it really look like a ginormous suction cup? AH, I'm stuck to the wall! AHHH! 

Ian gets stuck in the exploding capsule, and we get to see him yanking different wires to disarm the thing, and get out.  For some reason the camera zooms in on his crotch, while he is stuck in there.  Erm......

If you don't know why the Doctor isn't in the episodes very much in the beginning, he is accidentally dropped on his head in one of the scenes, and is incapacitated for a couple of the chapters with a concussion.  They have to use a double a couple of times due to his absence.  Talk about a near death experience!

None of the Doctor's companions are killed, but everyone around them is.  Talk about lucky ducks!  They must have read their fortune cookies that day. 

When asked what Susan's skills are, she says very brightly, "I eat!"  You freaking idiot.

Speaking of which, I think we should dedicate our last few thoughts to Susan, the granddaughter.  She falls in love with one of the rebels, and decides to stay behind.  Well, actually the Doctor speaks to her from inside the TARDIS [I had no idea the TARDIS had a speaker phone] and tells her to go have a normal life.  I would have told her to drop dead or shoved her off a cliff.  It seems like a nice thing to do on the surface, but really he's dumped her on an a planet that has just been destroyed by aliens, with people wearing rags and eating rocks because they are starving to death.  Couldn't he have taken the two and dropped them somewhere better?  Anyway, thus ends Susan's time with the Doctor.  And if you dare to mention her name in my presence, I will slap the snot out of you.

What happens to Susan in the end? Turns out the guy she's in love is a playboy who is already married, has two mistresses and 10 illegitimate children.  She sells her body for money and gets hit by a bus. Die Susan, die.

Next up: The Rescue