DW: Episode 2905, Evolution Of The Daleks (spoilers)

[Starglider]

My partner and I were discussing this episode today, and we agreed that the only workable rationalisation for the fact that the doctor wins every time, despite ridiculous odds and risks, is that he is in fact an agent of the universe itself operating to prevent harmful paradoxes, whether he realises it or not. The Daleks literally could not fire on him because physics itself conspired to make the least implausible set of coincidences occur that would let the Doctor win. In some cases physics literally bends like a pretzel (rationalising the silly and inconsistent science...) to ensure that the Doctor always wins, because the alternative is massive disruption to the time line (and DW physics usually prevents major paradoxes). So the Doctor actually has a lot in common with those reaper creatures.

Almost certainly not an original rationalisation, nor a wonderful one, but we've both agreed that it's the only way to maintain suspension of disbelief through these kind of episodes.

[Admiral Valdemar]

The Doctor is the personification of Deus Ex Machina. Anyone else would need a large fleet of planet busting warships half the time. The Doc? Just a trusty companion, preferably female, for company and a sonic screwdriver.

Capt. Jack's astonishment upon their first meeting was all you needed to see how insane that sounds.

[petesampras]

My partner and I were discussing this episode today, and we agreed that the only workable rationalisation for the fact that the doctor wins every time, despite ridiculous odds and risks, is that he is in fact an agent of the universe itself operating to prevent harmful paradoxes, whether he realises it or not. The Daleks literally could not fire on him because physics itself conspired to make the least implausible set of coincidences occur that would let the Doctor win. In some cases physics literally bends like a pretzel (rationalising the silly and inconsistent science...) to ensure that the Doctor always wins, because the alternative is massive disruption to the time line (and DW physics usually prevents major paradoxes). So the Doctor actually has a lot in common with those reaper creatures.

Almost certainly not an original rationalisation, nor a wonderful one, but we've both agreed that it's the only way to maintain suspension of disbelief through these kind of episodes.

That's a pretty cool idea, actually. Only thing which it doesn't fit in with is the Doctors predilection to hang around Earth all the 'time'. If he were genuinely some fundamental universal agent, he would surely have to spread his attentions around the whole universe more.

[Stark]

Jumping ahead in time to one of the Daleks invasions/operations on Earth and grabbing some of the Daleks from those doomed operations to transport elsewhere and revive the race with would be an option I would consider in Caan's place.

That's as likely as the Doctor jumping to a Time Lord space station and getting a better TARDIS. Time War, remember?

Frankly I think the Doctor's little outburst was just a bit of poorly-written emo. His emo-ness with regards to the Daleks was low-key in this story, but still there: he wasn't taunting the Daleks, he was *demanding* they gun him down and was surprised when they didn't. It's not like stupid villians taking him into their lairs and outlining their entire plan in a new thing in Doctor Who, either.

[Starglider]

That's a pretty cool idea, actually. Only thing which it doesn't fit in with is the Doctors predilection to hang around Earth all the 'time'. If he were genuinely some fundamental universal agent, he would surely have to spread his attentions around the whole universe more.

That's not really a problem. Presumably the Doctor's lifespan is finite and he can only prevent a relatively limited number of paradoxes (i.e. roughly as many as the total number of Dr Who stories published ). There could be plenty of other 'heroes of convenience' that find themselves with incredible luck in preventing some nasty timeline-destroying event from happening. Most of them probably only have one moment of glory. If you envision physics as always taking the path of least resistance, which basically means the least improbable paradox-preventing thing occuring, then 'it' has no need to 'use' the Doctor for everything. He's just unusually 'useful' for paradox prevention because of his unique abilities and circumstances. This also explains why the Tardis unerringly takes him into trouble without having to give it both omniscience and ethics (or mischevousness ).

[Vympel]

I find it amazing that the Sonic Deus Ex Machin-I mean Screwdriver is so fantastic at doing everything- until you ask it to actually turn a screw, then it takes ages.

I liked this episode myself, though I did find the Dalek-Human army with laser guns kind of ... weird. It would've been a good idea to, oh, I dunno ... mention cleaning up all that Dalek firepower?

[Stark]

Why'd they even MAKE Dalek tommy guns? Regular tommy guns would have worked just as well and not allowed them to kill half the Cult.

[GuppyShark]

Presumably they were going to have to engage tanks at some point.

[Starglider]

Why'd they even MAKE Dalek tommy guns? Regular tommy guns would have worked just as well and not allowed them to kill half the Cult.

Ammo capacity perhaps? There didn't seem to be any sort of supply-train set up.

[Stark]

Presumably they were going to have to engage tanks at some point.

They don't need a thousand guys with Dalek-slaying rayguns to kill tanks: the Cult could do that themselves. Their initial plan was simply to seize Manhattan, and I doubt any military response could be mustered particularly quickly.

The ammo thing kinda makes sense... but this is 30s New York, surely there's .45 ACP everywhere?

[Imperial Overlord]

Jumping ahead in time to one of the Daleks invasions/operations on Earth and grabbing some of the Daleks from those doomed operations to transport elsewhere and revive the race with would be an option I would consider in Caan's place.

That's as likely as the Doctor jumping to a Time Lord space station and getting a better TARDIS. Time War, remember?

Yeah, but the future humans remember and recognize the Daleks in the first season finale, so its seems to me that the Daleks have to have continued to exist in the past, despite whatever happened to Gallifrey. Of course, maybe they just screwed that up or maybe I'm missing something.

[Stark]

Yeah, but the future humans remember and recognize the Daleks in the first season finale, so its seems to me that the Daleks have to have continued to exist in the past, despite whatever happened to Gallifrey. Of course, maybe they just screwed that up or maybe I'm missing something.

*head explodes*

This is like the explanation of why the Doctor doesn't just go save Gallifrey: surely while this would create a paradox, the then not-dead Time Lords would be able to control that and everyone would be fine? Similarly, if the Time War Daleks are still in the future (as Jack suggests) then surely they could fix whatever damage Caan showing up would cause.

Only explanation I could come up with was the Fathers Day Pocket Universe thing - that the paradox is sealed off immediately by the Demon Censors and even if you fix it the events inside don't fully translate to outside.

Either that or they're not the same Daleks (mildly possible) or Jack only remembers due to his time-travelling-ness (more possible).

[Big Orange]

The Dalek-Human hybrids were essentially glorified Robomen infused with the Dalek factor and they were basically more elite versions of the Pigmen who were going to be used by Sec to take over America's East Coast (like Hank Scorpio) so that Sec would have more resources to build more Daleks (except that Sec merging with a human henchman and the arrival of the Doctor buggered Plan A up).

I think Dalek Kaan not shooting the Doctor when strapped into the battle computer was down to the gamble of killing the Doctor, wasting power with that final deathray shot, then being stranded in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by hostile primitives or taking a chance by emergency transmatting into the Time Vortex with a greater chance of continuing the Dalek race elsewhere. And I don't think that either the Doctor or the Cult of Skaro could use time travel to save their respective species’ time travel due to the likelyhood of the Time War rubbing out their entire timelines (with only vague memories and a few relics or stragglers of the two civilizations left behind).

[His Divine Shadow]

Gotta love time-travel. Sucks for him if he appears in Earth's future when they can fight back.

I want him to land in Torchwood HQ in Cardiff. Right at the beginning of next season, and kill everyone therein.

Also, noticed that every time we see them in the new series, they get progressively better at fighting in flight?

I would really have loved the human-daleks and sec to survive, mind. And start taking over the post of 'Time Lords...'

Yes and then Torchwood can be all about Dalek Caan having to adapt to human life because he's stranded, he's going to have to wear a suit and tie and get a day job like everyone else in order to pay the bills.

*Rrrrinng*
Caan: THIS IS TECH SUPPORT!
Caller: Hi I got a problem with Windows-
Caan: EXTERMINATE!!!

[El Moose Monstero]

*Rrrrinng*
Caan: THIS IS TECH SUPPORT!
Caller: Hi I got a problem with Windows-
Caan: EXTERMINATE!!!

More punnologically,

Caan: Restart your computer in safe mode... PRESS F8, PRESS F8, PRESS F8!

[DocHorror]

I prefer the opinion that Khan, & the rest of the Daleks, is by this stage terrified by the Doctor.