By Piper Rodolf
Staff Writer
Airing on September 1, the premiere of the seventh season of “Doctor Who” manages to captivates viewers with its classic sci-fi action, emotionally wrenching relationships, and crazed aliens.
This episode is made a very memorable one due to its familiar and classic “Doctor Who” elements, that keep viewers coming back for more. Season seven managed to start out with a bang and has the ability to continue being a successful, comical sci-fi series. It is easily a favorite episode thanks to the Doctor, a man who can move through time, played by Matt Smith for the third season, and his heroic yet hilarious actions.
The spectacle and absurdity of this latest episode, “Asylum of the Daleks”, written by Steven Moffat, is thrilling and attention grabbing from the beginning. The Doctor and his two companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillam) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), are captured by humans that have metamorphosed into dalek spies. The daleks are a robotic alien race that has been the arch nemesis of the Doctor since the beginning of time. In this particular story though, the tables are turned and the daleks must turn to the Doctor for help in a desperate situation.
Oswin Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman), a new lead character, has crashed landed into the dalek asylum and must assist the trio in destroying the asylum to wipe out the threat of insane daleks. Although they cannot see Oswin she contacts them through the system she hacked that controls the asylum of the daleks.
Amy and Rory offer a dramatic and occasionally over-the-top performances, as they are forced to assist the Doctor in destroying the dalek asylum from within. Oddly enough, the two young adults recently got divorced due to Amys inability to bear children for Rory and the guilt she feels.Their relationship changes dramatically and unexpectedly in an unusual twist when they find themselves in great danger.
The relationship between Rory and Amy becomes irritating at some points throughout the episode where her helpless princess attitude towards life becomes pitiful. Rory has to suffer for the unnecessary guilt she feels as well as try and save her life from the daleks while the Doctor is searching for Oswin throughout the dalek infested planet.
The episode’s charm stems from the theatrical and occasionally cheesy action, frequently found in “Doctor Who”. Gillam holds her own as Amy Pond by maintaining her beautiful and stubborn attitude throughout the dangers she and her friends encounter.
There is an abundance of special effects and costumes in this episode that create a believable depiction of a science fiction world in the 21st century. The visually stimulating scenes filled with aliens and explosions are reminiscent of past seasons of this classic British series.
A touching and unusual interaction between Oswin and the Doctor sets a more serious mood for this episode and the future ones to come in this season As unusual plot twists take form in the heat of the episode this show sticks true to the familiar subtle British comedy, zany sci-fi visuals, and courageous acts that “Doctor Who” is known for.
An emotional tie felt between Oswin and the Doctor drives him to try and save her life while narrowly avoiding the daleks within the asylum they are trying to destroy. It has been announced by BBC that viewers can look forward to Oswin being prevalent in future episodes.
Although the show can be surprisingly cheesy and cliche, even for British sci-fi and comedy, the sense of adventure it provides along with its extensive plot promises to be an entertaining experience for anyone. “Doctor Who” is on BBC on Saturday nights at nine o’clock.
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