Doctor? THE DOCTOR?

I just saw Doctor Who, Episode Six last night. Actually, I saw it twice, spooned or canoodled next to each other or whatever it is those British TV shows do.

I have to say, the Doctor is a pretty good actor! He even has involuntary twitching down! I have to wonder how many takes they took. He's not so good with his eyes, but everything else is class A!

What really impressed me, however, was the dalek.

Daleks are the worst, most grade-z evil alien this side of Darkstar's "beach ball with feet". Their effectiveness and arrogance contrasts perfectly with their idiotic appearance, and they are something of the definitive alien of Doctor Who.

The new episode introduces a number of new, equally cheesy special effects to the dalek. In fact, people unfamiliar with the show would be hard-pressed to tell which are original cheesy abilities and which are new cheesy abilities. So, in short, the dalek is one of the weakest, most laughable alien designs in the history of science fiction.

I didn't read the title, so you'll understand completely that when the blue light in the darkness shouted "DOCTOR? THE DOCTOR?", I felt a definite thrill. The daleks are back!

Better than back, actually. As if it were forty years ago and the term "science fiction" was just being born, the series raised cheese up to a new level. With an added dash of accidental reverse Frankenstein, it hit an introspective peak that no modern science fiction movie I can think of has hit.

This cheese was the finest cheese, the kind you sprinkle on $200 meals at ridiculous restaurants.

Much of it was the dalek's voice, which was impressively perfect. I'll buy that guy a drink, if I ever get the chance.

The episode was fantastic!

Which is good, because episodes 4&5 were weak enough that I stopped watching Doctor Who for two weeks.